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Documentation

Everything you need to know about protecting your files with Finderlock. From installation to advanced features.

Important: Set Up Recovery Before You Start

Before protecting any files, we strongly recommend completing these two steps:

Set a Master Password — Go to Preferences → Security → Master Password. This is required to recover your protected items on a new device or after reinstalling.
Enable Cloud Backup — Go to Preferences → Backup and enable iCloud or Google Drive. Without cloud backup, your encrypted containers only exist on the Mac where they were created.

Both are needed for cross-device access. Cloud backup syncs your encrypted files, and the master password lets you authenticate and manage them on another Mac.

Getting Started

Installation

System Requirements

macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later
Apple Silicon or Intel processor
50 MB free disk space
Touch ID for biometric authentication (optional)

Installation Steps

Download Finderlock from the official website

Download Latest Version

Open the downloaded DMG file

Drag Finderlock.app to your Applications folder

Launch Finderlock from Applications

Grant necessary permissions when prompted

First Launch

When you first launch Finderlock, you'll be guided through a quick setup process:

1. Enable Finder Extension

Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Extensions → Added Extensions and enable Finderlock.

2. Grant Full Disk Access (Optional)

For protecting files in Documents, Desktop, or Downloads folders.

3. Set Up Touch ID (Optional)

Allow Finderlock to use Touch ID for quick authentication.

Protecting Files

Method 1: Via Finder (Recommended)

To Protect a File or Folder:

Right-click the file or folder in Finder

Select "Protect with Finderlock" from the context menu

Choose your authentication method:

• Touch ID - Quick biometric unlock
• Password - Traditional password protection

Authenticate to complete protection

What happens:

Your file is encrypted with AES-256 and replaced with a placeholder. The original is safely stored in an encrypted container.

Method 2: Via Dashboard

Open Finderlock app

Click "Protect New Item" button

Select file or folder from the file picker

Choose authentication method and complete

Unlocking Files

Via Finder:

Right-click the protected file → Select "Unlock with Finderlock"

Authenticate with Touch ID or password

Your file is decrypted and restored to its original location

Via Dashboard or Menu Bar:

Click the lock icon next to any protected item to unlock it instantly.

Remember:

Unlocked files remain decrypted until you manually lock them again or auto-lock triggers.

Features Guide

Touch ID Authentication

Unlock protected files with your fingerprint in seconds.

How it works:

When you protect a file with Touch ID, Finderlock generates a secure random password and stores it in your macOS Keychain with biometric protection. You never need to remember or type a password.

Benefits:

Instant unlock with your fingerprint
No passwords to remember
More secure than typed passwords
Works with Touch Bar and Magic Keyboard

Auto-Lock

Automatically lock files after a period of inactivity.

Available Triggers:

⏱ Timer-Based (Basic & Pro)

Lock files after 15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, or custom intervals

💤 On Screen Sleep (Pro)

Automatically lock when your Mac goes to sleep

🚪 On Logout (Pro)

Lock all files when you log out of macOS

To Configure:

Open Finderlock → Preferences → Security → Configure auto-lock settings per your needs.

Cloud Backup & Recovery

Backup encrypted containers to iCloud Drive or Google Drive.

iCloud Backup

Automatically sync your encrypted containers to iCloud Drive. Files remain encrypted in the cloud.

To enable:

Preferences → Backup → Enable iCloud Backup

Google Drive Backup

Alternative cloud backup option. Connect your Google account and choose backup frequency.

To enable:

Preferences → Backup → Connect Google Drive

Security Note:

Files are already encrypted before being uploaded. Your cloud provider cannot decrypt your files.

Bulk Operations

Lock or unlock multiple files at once (Pro feature).

Select multiple protected items in the Dashboard and use the toolbar to lock/unlock them all simultaneously with a single authentication.

How to use:

1. Open Dashboard
2. Check boxes next to items you want to manage
3. Click "Lock All" or "Unlock All" in toolbar
4. Authenticate once for all items

Secure File Shredder

Permanently delete files beyond recovery using DoD 5220.22-M standard (Lifetime feature).

Uses DoD 5220.22-M standard with multiple overwrite passes to ensure deleted files cannot be recovered by any means.

⚠️ Warning:

Shredded files cannot be recovered. Use this feature with caution and ensure you have backups of important data.

To shred a file:

Right-click file in Finder → Shred Securely with Finderlock

Security & Privacy

Encryption Details

Encryption Algorithm

AES-256-GCM

Key Derivation

PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256

Iterations

150,000 rounds

Salt

32 bytes (cryptographic random)

What This Means:

Same encryption standard used by governments and military
Authenticated encryption prevents tampering
Unique encryption key per file
Computationally infeasible to brute-force

Privacy Guarantees

Local-Only Processing

All encryption/decryption happens on your Mac. No data sent to external servers.

Opt-In Analytics Only

Analytics are disabled by default. You choose whether to share anonymous usage data to help improve the app.

No Account Required

Works completely offline. No registration, no personal information collected.

Open About Security

Full details about our encryption implementation available on request.

Security Best Practices

✓ Use Strong Passwords

Enable "Require Strong Passwords" in Preferences. Use 12+ characters with mixed case, numbers, and symbols.

✓ Enable Cloud Backups

Always maintain backups of encrypted containers. If you lose your password and have no backup, files cannot be recovered.

✓ Use Touch ID When Possible

Touch ID uses cryptographically secure random passwords that are stronger than human-created passwords.

✓ Keep Finderlock Updated

Check for updates regularly to ensure you have the latest security patches and features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover my files if I forget my password?

No. Finderlock uses AES-256 encryption with no backdoors. If you lose your password and have no backup, the files cannot be recovered. This is by design to ensure maximum security. We strongly recommend enabling cloud backups.

Does Finderlock work offline?

Yes. Finderlock works completely offline. All encryption and decryption happens locally on your Mac. Internet is only needed for initial license activation and cloud backup features (if enabled).

Can I use Finderlock on multiple Macs?

Yes, depending on your plan. Free: 1 Mac, Personal: 2 Macs, Pro: 5 Macs, Lifetime: Unlimited Macs. Activate your license on each device using the same license key.

What happens to my files if I uninstall Finderlock?

Unlock all your files before uninstalling. Encrypted containers cannot be opened without Finderlock. If you have backups, you can restore from them after reinstalling.

Is my data sent to any servers?

No. All encryption happens locally on your Mac. Your files never leave your device unless you explicitly enable cloud backup (iCloud or Google Drive), and even then, files are uploaded already encrypted.

Need More Help?

Check our troubleshooting guide or contact support for personalized assistance.

View Troubleshooting Guide Contact Support