I’ve been looking for a way to manage app permissions for folder access on my Mac, kind of like how Windows 10 does it with Controlled Folder Access (CFA). The thing is, I don’t want to completely lock down folders. Instead, I’m hoping for something that lets me decide which apps can access specific folders.
Basically, I want to be able to say “this app can use these folders, but that app can’t.” It would be great if macOS had a built-in feature for this. Does anyone know if there’s something like that available for Macs? Or maybe a third-party tool that does the job?
I’m not super tech-savvy, so if there are any simple solutions out there, I’d love to hear about them. Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions!
hey there, macs don’t have exactly what you’re looking for but there’s some options. you could try using folder permissions in Finder, just right-click a folder and go to ‘Get Info’. then play with the sharing & permissions. its not perfect but might help a bit. good luck!
While macOS doesn’t have an exact equivalent to Windows’ Controlled Folder Access, it does offer some built-in security features that can help manage app permissions. The primary tool for this is the Privacy & Security section in System Preferences (or System Settings in newer versions).
Here, you can control which apps have access to certain areas like your Documents, Desktop, and Downloads folders. It’s not as granular as CFA, but it’s a start. For more specific control, you might want to look into third-party solutions.
One option is Little Snitch, which primarily focuses on network connections but also includes a file access monitoring feature. Another is Radio Silence, which is simpler but still effective for controlling outgoing connections.
For folder-specific permissions, you could use the built-in Disk Utility to create encrypted disk images. This allows you to password-protect specific folders, limiting access on an app-by-app basis.
These solutions might require a bit of setup, but they’re not too complex for non-tech-savvy users. Hope this helps you get started with managing app permissions on your Mac!
Hey Liam39! I’m curious about what sparked your interest in this kind of folder protection?
I’ve been poking around macOS lately and while there’s no direct CFA equivalent, have you checked out the File Vault feature? It’s not quite the same, but it encrypts your whole disk which could be a good starting point.
Also, I wonder if you’ve considered using the Terminal to set up more specific permissions? It’s a bit techy, but could give you that granular control you’re after. Maybe we could brainstorm some Terminal commands if you’re interested?
What kind of data are you trying to protect anyway? Knowing that might help us come up with some creative solutions tailored to your needs. Let me know what you think!
