If you're on Windows, you might think, but why? 
Well, Mac doesn't offer a GUI interface for password protecting zips.
Yes, bizarre, right?
We can right-click a file/folder and <code>compress</code> it into a zip.
But we can, by using our best friend <code>The Terminal</code> password, protect our zip files!
<img src="https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1600846448840/dXvloRc86.png" alt="Mac default zip function" />
<h2 id="using-terminal-to-password-protect-zip-files-on-mac">Using terminal to password protect zip files on Mac</h2>
So let's open our favourite terminal program (<a target="_blank" href="https://daily-dev-tips.com/posts/my-personal-top-15-mac-apps-%F0%9F%91%A8%E2%80%8D%F0%9F%92%BB/">mine is iTerm2</a>) and enter the following command.
<pre><code class="lang-bash">zip -er ~/Desktop/super_secure.zip ~/Desktop/secure.csv
</code></pre>
The parameters are as follows:
<ul>
<li><code>zip</code> - The actual zip command</li>
<li><code>-er</code> - Encrypt Recursive</li>
<li><code>~/Desktop/super_secure.zip</code> - Output zip name</li>
<li><code>~/Desktop/secure.csv</code> - Input file/folder</li>
</ul>
Once we run this, we get prompted to type a password.
<blockquote>
You don't see any input on these password fields!
</blockquote>
Press enter, and you need to verify the password.
<img src="https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1600846834806/wWUvlZPCt.png" alt="Secure-zip on Mac" />
We now created a secure zip.
If we try to open this zip, we see the following prompt.
<img src="https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1600846881656/BMLjjDVqP.png" alt="Zip with password on Mac" />
<h3 id="thank-you-for-reading-and-lets-connect">Thank you for reading, and let's connect!</h3>
Thank you for reading my blog. Feel free to subscribe to my email newsletter and connect on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/DailyDevTipsBlog">Facebook</a> or <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DailyDevTips1">Twitter</a>
<div class="hn-embed-widget" id="mailchimp"></div>

If you're on Windows, you might think, but why? 
Well, Mac doesn't offer a GUI interface for password protecting zips.

Yes, bizarre, right?

We can right-click a file/folder and `compress` it into a zip.

But we can, by using our best friend `The Terminal` password, protect our zip files!

![Mac default zip function](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1600846448840/dXvloRc86.png)

## Using terminal to password protect zip files on Mac

So let's open our favourite terminal program ([mine is iTerm2](https://daily-dev-tips.com/posts/my-personal-top-15-mac-apps-%F0%9F%91%A8%E2%80%8D%F0%9F%92%BB/)) and enter the following command.

```bash
zip -er ~/Desktop/super_secure.zip ~/Desktop/secure.csv
```

The parameters are as follows:

- `zip` - The actual zip command
- `-er` - Encrypt Recursive
- `~/Desktop/super_secure.zip` - Output zip name
- `~/Desktop/secure.csv` - Input file/folder

Once we run this, we get prompted to type a password.

> You don't see any input on these password fields!

Press enter, and you need to verify the password.

![Secure-zip on Mac](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1600846834806/wWUvlZPCt.png)

We now created a secure zip.

If we try to open this zip, we see the following prompt.

![Zip with password on Mac](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1600846881656/BMLjjDVqP.png)

### Thank you for reading, and let's connect!

Thank you for reading my blog. Feel free to subscribe to my email newsletter and connect on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DailyDevTipsBlog) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DailyDevTips1)

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How to password protect zips on Mac 🔑

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