What You Need

- Mac OS 10.2 or later

Most people wouldn't leave their journals or diaries lying around for others to find. So why do so many people leave their Macs open and accessible to anyone? Your computer contains a lot of personal information - stuff like documents, email messages, and even a log of your Internet activities. Have you been snooping around on MySpace recently? Your significant other might be able to see which profiles you visited. Password protecting your Mac keeps your private information away from prying-eyes.

But it's a good idea to password protect your Mac even if you have nothing to hide. Someone could edit or delete your files while you're away from your computer, or even install malicious software that could spy on you! The bottom line is that no one should have unauthorized access to your Mac. Password protecting your computer means that you'll control who uses your Mac.

Do you protect your Mac from prying-eyes? If not, now is a good time to start. We'll show you two ways to password protect your Mac.

Password Protect Your Mac at Login

The first thing you should do is disable your Mac's auto-login. This will prevent your Mac from going straight to the Finder when you turn it on. You'll be required to type a password to access anything.

Here's how to do it:

1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences.
   
   
2. Select Security.

   
   
   

3. Check the Disable automatic login checkbox.

   
   
   

4. Click the back button to return to the main System Preferences window. Select Accounts.

   
   
   

5. Select Login Options. Make sure the Automatically log in as checkbox is unchecked. Under Display login window as, select either List of users or Name and password.

   

   The List of users option will provide a list of users when you first start up your Mac. To log in, you click on your user name and type your password. Use the Name and password option for an added layer of security. This will require you to type in both your user name and password. Unauthorized users will have to guess two things instead of just one!

   

   Use a list of users (left), or type in both your user name and password (right).
   
   

6. Close the System Preferences. The next your turn on your Mac, you'll be required to enter your user name and password!

Lock Your Mac While You're Away

Everyone walks away from their computer. The next time you take your bathroom break, lock your Mac to prevent unauthorized access. Here's how:

1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences.
   
   
2. Select Security.

   
   
   

3. Check the checkbox next to Require password to wake this computer from sleep or screen saver.

   
   
   

4. Click the back button to return to the main System Preferences window. Select Desktop & Screen Saver.

   
   
   

5. Click Hot Corners. Choose the corner you want to activate the screen saver, and select Start Screen Saver from that corner's menu.

   
   
   

6. Click OK. Close the Systems Preferences. You can now activate your screen saver - and password protect your Mac - by moving the pointer into the corner you set as the hot corner. Anyone who tries to deactivate the screen saver will need to enter your password!

Meet Your Macinstructor

Matthew Cone is a technical writer living and working in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In his free time, he does the desert rat thing and hikes and road bikes around the Southwest. The rest of the time, he studies straw-bale houses, reads Anarchist philosophy, and pretends to not be working. You can email him at: matt@macinstruct.com