How to Lock Apps on Mac Easily and Effectively

There are likely dozens of apps installed on your Mac, and some of them may contain private or sensitive information. You might want to restrict access to certain apps - such as Messages, Photos, Mail, or Notes. This guide will show you several ways to lock apps on Mac easily and effectively.

 

Quick Answer: How to Lock Apps on Mac?

macOS does not include a built-in feature to lock individual apps. However, you can still protect apps using third-party tools.

 

Method 1. How to lock apps on Mac with AppCrypt

Best for: Users who want to password-protect any Mac applications with an easy and reliable method.

You can easily lock apps on Mac using Cisdem AppCrypt, a dedicated app locker and website blocker for macOS. It lets you password protect apps like Photos, Notes, Mail, Evernote, and more on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac etc.

Steps to Lock Apps on Mac with AppCrypt

1. Download AppCrypt and install it on your Mac.

Free Download macOS 10.12 or later

2. Launch AppCrypt and create a password. It is recommended to enable Launch at System Startup

3. Click the AppCrypt icon in the menu bar. Select Open Main Window.

4. Enter the password to access the main window.

5. Go to the App Lock tab. Click the Add button. Select the apps you want to lock and click Open.

You can also drag apps directly from the Finder Applications folder into AppCrypt.

Once added, the selected apps will be locked immediately. When someone tries to open them, a password prompt will appear.

AppCrypt ensures that all unlock or removal actions require the password, making the protection highly secure.

Useful Tips

Auto re-lock apps

Go to Preferences. Enable automatic lock when app is deactivated and set the time. So apps will be locked again after a period of inactivity.

Capture failed attempts

Enable Capture photo with failed attempt so AppCrypt will take a picture of the intruder when someone tries to open a locked app and enters the wrong password.

Lock apps on a schedule

You can use the Schedule feature to lock apps only during specific time periods. Select the locked app under the App Lock tab. Click the clock icon that appears and set a schedule.

Lock all apps except a few

Switch to Allowlist mode to block all apps except selected ones. It’s useful for shared Mac.

▶️ In this video, you’ll learn how to quickly lock apps on your Mac using AppCrypt step by step.

 

Method 2. How to Lock Apps on Mac with AppLocker

Best for: Users who want a simple app locker to lock an app on Macbook, iMac, MacBook Air, etc. with Touch ID, Bluetooth ID, or Network ID.

AppLocker is a Mac app that lets you add a lock on apps. It is easy to use and works well for most basic needs. However, it may stop working occasionally. If so, users can contact the developer for help.

It offers a free version that allows you to lock only one app. To lock multiple apps, a paid subscription is required.

Steps to Lock Apps on Mac with AppLocker

1. Download and install AppLocker from the Mac App Store.

2. Open it and create a password. This password will be required to unlock the locked app or change settings.

3. Click the AppLocker icon in the menu bar. Enter your password when prompted.

4. Click the Add button in the top right corner.

5. The Select Applications to Lock window will open, displaying a list of all installed apps on your Mac.

6. Scroll down the list to find the app you’d like to lock, or use the search field. Select the app. Then it will be locked immediately.

To unlock the app, any person, including you, will need to enter the password. If the wrong password is entered, the app will still be inaccessible. Therefore, unauthorized access to the app can be effectively prevented. All accesses to a locked app, successful or failed, will be recorded in Activity Report.

Additional features

Touch ID support

On supported Macs (like MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or iMac), you can also unlock apps using Touch ID.

Configure Extra Security

AppLocker allows you to Configure Extra Security to prevent bypassing the lock. Just click Configure Extra Security in the Select Applications to Lock window. Then download Extra Security.

 

Method 3. How to lock apps on Mac with Disk Utility

Best for: Users who want a free but advanced method to restrict third-party apps using macOS built-in tools.

This method uses Disk Utility - a built-in macOS utility to create an encrypted disk image. And then move the apps of your choice to the disk image. It is free, but cannot lock any built-in apps like Photos, Messages, or Mail.

Steps to Lock Apps on Mac with Disk Utility

1. On your Mac, open Disk Utility. You can usually find it in the Utility folder, or directly search for it using Spotlight.

2. From the menu bar, select File > New Image > Blank Image.

3. In the setup window, configure the following options:

• Save As: Enter a name for the disk image file.
• Where: Choose a location to save the file.
• Name: Set the name for the mounted disk image.
• Size: Choose an appropriate storage size (increase it if you plan to store multiple apps).
• Format: Select the file format you need.

• Encryption: Choose an encryption type and set a password (this will be used to lock the apps).

• Partition: Select the type of partition that you need.
• Format: Set it to be a read/write disk image.

4. Click Save.

5. Wait for Disk Utility to create the encrypted disk image (with the extension .dmg).

6. Now click the DMG file to open (or mount) it. Go to the sidebar of Finder and find the mounted file under the Devices section.

7. Lock the specific Mac apps by moving them from the Applications folder to the locked disk image. Make sure you hold down the Command key while moving apps by dragging.

8. In Finder’s sidebar, control-click the DMG file and choose Eject.

Now the selected Mac apps are locked in the encrypted disk image. To unlock them, click the disk image, enter password as required and go to Finder. To put on the lock again, eject the mounted disk image.

 

Method 4. How to Lock Apps on Mac with Screen Time

Best for: Users who want a built-in macOS method to lock apps on Macbook, iMac, etc. by limiting app usage time to 1 minute.

Screen Time, a set of settings included in macOS Catalina or later, can help you lock apps on Mac. However, this method isn't ideal for all situations. It’s better for temporarily restricting access to apps on Mac rather than locking them permanently. The minimum time you can set is 1 minute, which may not be effective for protecting some sensitive apps like Photos.

Steps to Lock Apps on Mac with Screen Time

1. Go to System Settings > Screen Time (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).

2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.

3. In the sidebar, click Screen Time. Turn it on.

4. Turn on Use Screen Time Passcode. Set a 4-digit passcode. For security, it is best to set a password that is different from your Mac login password..

5. In the Screen Time menu, choose App Limits. Turn it on.

6. Click Add Limit, and the Create a new app limit dialog will appear.

7. Use the search bar to find the app that you want to lock. Check the box next to the app name to select it.

8. Select Every Day. Set the daily time limit to 1 minute (the minimum limit allowed).

Alternatively, you can choose a different time duration according to your needs—for example, set a 1-hour limit on weekdays.

9. Select the Block at end of limit checkbox.

10. Click Done.

If you still want to use this method to lock a certain app on Mac so that others can’t have access to it at all, then you need to use the app for 1 minute every day to trigger the locking. When the time limit is reached, the app will be locked, and one will be asked to enter the passcode to access the app.

 

FAQs

Can I lock apps for free on my Mac?

Yes, this article introduced 2 completely free methods for locking apps on Mac, including using Disk Utility and Screen Time. Both of them are built-in Mac tools and are free to use. But compared to AppCrypt and AppLocker, these 2 free methods have more limitations, and may not be suitable for all situations.

What’s the difference between AppCrypt and AppLocker?

Both AppCrypt and AppLocker are third-party tools for locking Mac apps. However, they are different in some features. The main difference is that AppCrypt allows you to lock applications during the time you set (such as working hours), while AppLocker only supports locking ab app permanently. What’s more, AppCrypt is not only an app locking tool. It also supports blocking access to distracting or inappropriate websites on Mac, making it a more excellent productivity or parental control tool.

Can a tech-savvy person bypass these app locks?

It depends. Built-in tool such as Screen Time may be bypassed by users who are familiar with macOS settings. Among the tools discussed in this article, AppCrypt is the most difficult to bypass. As it offers password protection to prevent unauthorized access. It also requires password to uninstall or quit it.

 

Conclusion

Why lock apps? It can prevent others who use your Mac from accessing your apps and privacy. It adds an extra layer of protection against hacking. Parents can limit children’s screen time by stopping them from opening games and other addictive apps. How to lock apps on Mac? There are easy methods. This article can help you find a straightforward and effective way to get the job done.