How to lock notes on Mac

Whether you’re a new Mac user or just want to start using password protected notes for the first time, read on for how to lock notes on Mac.

Apple’s Notes app on macOS and iOS supports locking when creating a new note and can be applied to existing notes as well. This is handy feature is especially useful when used with Touch ID (and Face ID on iPhone and iPad) for convenient access to private content.

How to lock notes on Mac

Option 1

1. Open the Notes app on Mac
2. Using the trackpad, slide from right to left with two fingers on a note you’d like to lock
3. Click the lock icon

Option 2

1. Open the Notes app on Mac
2. Click on a note you’d like to lock or create a new one
3. Click the lock icon and select Lock Note

Here’s how the process looks:

Now you’ll use Touch ID or your computer to lock the note.

Next you’ll see an explainer about how locking notes works if you haven’t used the feature before.

You can also quickly lock or unlock and note by swiping with two fingers on it from right to left.

Keep in mind that once you unlock a note, it will remain unlocked until you either tap the lock icon or close out the Notes app (or you hit a time limit). When you unlock a note on Mac, all locked notes will be unlocked.

Any notes that you lock on Mac will be locked on iPhone and iPad as well.

For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how to guide as well as the following articles:

• How to view lyrics in Apple Music on iPhone and iPad
• How to lock notes on iPhone and iPad
• How to turn on Airplane Mode on Apple Watch
• How to create handy shortcuts for call reminders on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• How to turn off cellular data on Apple Watch
• How to turn off iPhone with a broken power button
• How to turn off automatic play/pause with AirPods
• How to recover deleted photos on Mac
• How to take a screenshot on iPhone X, XS, or XR

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: