Lock a folder you already have
- 1
Start
Open hYYa Encrypted Folder and click Lock / Encrypt a Folder.
- 2
Pick the folder
Choose Existing folder, then Choose…, and pick it. Everything inside, including subfolders, is encrypted.
- 3
Encrypt it
Click Encrypt… and choose where to keep the encrypted folder. It can’t go inside the folder being encrypted.
- 4
Clear the original
When encryption finishes, hYYa moves the original readable folder to the Trash. Empty the Trash when you’re ready.
- 5
Open and lock it
The encrypted folder is in the sidebar, locked. Select it to open it. If hYYa asks, use Touch ID or your Mac password. Click Lock when you’re done.
Starting fresh? Choose New folder, type a name, choose where to keep it and click Create Folder. Then click Add Files or drag files in from Finder. hYYa offers to move the readable originals to the Trash, and doesn’t do that without asking.
What it does and what stays visible
File names are encrypted
File names inside are encrypted. The folder’s own name stays visible, on this device and in iCloud or Google Drive.
It locks when you quit
By default the app asks when it opens and everything locks when you quit. Both are settings, so you can turn them off. Auto-Lock on sleep, screensaver or a timer is Pro.
You can turn it back
Decrypt turns it back into a normal folder.
The limits, plainly
Your Mac password opens it
Anyone who knows your Mac password and is signed in to your Mac account can open the folder through hYYa.
Locking one folder doesn’t lock the app
While the app stays open, a locked folder reopens with no new check. hYYa asks again after you quit, or after the Mac sleeps or the screensaver starts.
There is no password reset
There is no hYYa account. Make a recovery key and keep it somewhere safe. Without it, if your devices lose a folder’s key, nothing can open that folder, not even us.
Opening a file makes a temporary copy
Double-clicking a file opens it in its usual app, which needs a temporary readable copy. hYYa deletes that copy when the folder locks. The app that opened it can keep its own recent-files record.
What it needs
A Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 14 or later. The app’s screens are in English.
Questions, answered
Do I have to make a new password?
No. hYYa opens the folder with Touch ID or your Mac password. A Mac without Touch ID uses the Mac password.
What happens to my original folder?
When encryption finishes, hYYa moves the original readable folder to the Trash. Empty the Trash when you’re ready.
Can anyone see what’s inside?
File names inside are encrypted. The folder’s own name stays visible, on this device and in iCloud or Google Drive. Anyone who knows your Mac password and is signed in to your Mac account can open the folder through hYYa.
What if I lose access?
There is no password reset and no hYYa account. Make a recovery key and keep it somewhere safe. Without it, if your devices lose a folder’s key, nothing can open that folder, not even us.
Can I undo it?
Yes. Decrypt turns it back into a normal folder.
Is it free?
Free: two encrypted folders on this device, with any number of files. Deleting one doesn't free a slot. New folders in iCloud or Google Drive are Pro, and there is a 7-day free trial.