The privacy of your personal data matters, which is the reason why users go the extra mile to protect it. When it comes to personal photos, you would want to be even more careful about safeguarding them.
But having them on your Mac is risky as anyone who uses your system may be able to access them accidentally or intentionally. Fortunately, Mac gives you the option to hide the photos on your system.
Simply speaking, they will still be there but no one would be able to see them. Here are some measures you can implement for hiding your photos on Mac.
Use the macOS Photos app
Mac comes with a built-in Photos app that can be used for creating an invisible vault where you can hide your secret photos. All you need to do is just launch the app, select the pictures you want to keep private, and hide them.
They will automatically go in the Hidden album on the app, though you can access them later by opening the album. A quick and easy measure, is great for users who want to secure their pictures without spending a lot of time and effort.
Although the method offers protection from the prying eyes, it does not give the password option for the extra layer of safety.
Encrypt with FileVault
A better alternative for ensuring photo privacy is by encrypting the system drive using FileVault. The method involves transferring them into the system drive and encrypting the whole drive. But before you hide them, it always makes sense to organize photos on Mac so that they don’t create clutter.
On the downside, FileVault offers protection for the system drive and the files in it only when the Mac is off. Once the system is turned on and the password input, anyone such as your partner or co-worker can access the drive and see the pictures when you aren’t around. However, this method is ideal to protect data in case of theft.
Enable password protection
Considering the security concerns related to the aforementioned methods, you would want one that you can rely on completely for safeguarding your data. Password protection is something that takes you the extra mile.
You can use a password app to hide as well as password-lock your photos. Once encrypted, the photos will require a password to be accessed. This ensures high-level security because no one would be able to see them unless they have the password.
Another upside of this method is that it lets you be selective about what you want to hide, which isn’t something you can do with FileVault that encrypts the entire drive. You can also group and organize files in-app to make it easy to find specific ones at a later stage.
Mac is known for its excellence when it comes to security. The fact that you can keep your files and images safe with some easy measures makes Mac a great device to have. Just a few steps and your private life is as secure as you want it to be!
