When it comes to protecting sensitive data on your Mac, simply setting up a password or using Touch ID may not be enough. You may want to prevent others from accidentally accessing certain files or folders, such as personal photos or confidential documents. This is where hiding files and folders on macOS comes into play, providing an additional layer of privacy and security.

Fortunately, macOS offers a few built-in methods to hide files and folders, making it relatively easy to keep your sensitive data out of sight. One way to do this is by adding a period to the start of the file or folder name. This will make the file or folder appear translucent in Finder, indicating that it is hidden. To view hidden files, you can press Shift+Cmd+. (period) in Finder, which will display all hidden files and folders.

Another method is to use the Terminal interface to hide and unhide files and folders. This involves using the `chflags hidden` command followed by the file or folder name, and then restarting Finder using the `killall Finder` command. To unhide a file, you can use the `chflags nohidden` command.

While these built-in methods provide a basic level of file hiding, they may not be sufficient for those who require more comprehensive security. This is where third-party software comes in. Funter is a free tool that offers a user-friendly interface for hiding and showing files, allowing you to search for hidden files and toggle their visibility with ease.

For more advanced security, Encrypto is a free tool that enables you to lock files and folders behind a password. This drag-and-drop approach allows you to specify a password to protect the selected data, creating an encrypted file that can be saved anywhere on your system. To access the hidden files, you simply need to double-click the encrypted file and enter the password.

By combining these methods, you can create an encrypted locker of files using Encrypto and then hide it using the built-in Finder or Terminal tools. This provides an additional layer of privacy and security, ensuring that even if someone discovers the hidden package, they won't be able to access the contents without the password.

In conclusion, hiding files and folders on macOS is a simple yet effective way to enhance privacy and security. By using the built-in tools and third-party software, you can protect your sensitive data from prying eyes and ensure that your Mac remains a secure environment for your personal and professional files.