The Notes app can lock individual notes or an entire folder of locked notes. To lock a note on a Mac, open it in Notes, click the Lock button in the toolbar, choose Lock Note, and create or enter a Notes password. Depending on your settings and Mac, you may also be able to unlock notes with your Mac login password or Touch ID.
Locking a note protects its contents when the note is closed. It does not lock the entire Notes app, hide the note’s title, or protect information that you copy elsewhere.
Quick Answer
- Open Notes on your Mac.
- Select the note you want to protect.
- Click the Lock button in the toolbar, or choose File > Lock Note.
- If prompted, create a Notes password and add a hint.
- Click Lock Note or close the note to secure it.
- To open it later, select the note and enter the password, or authenticate with Touch ID if that option is enabled.
You can lock notes stored in supported iCloud or On My Mac accounts. Some notes, including certain notes in unsupported accounts, cannot be locked.
Before You Lock a Note
Locking Notes is useful for private information such as personal records, financial details, recovery codes, or sensitive plans. However, it has important limits:
- The lock applies to the note’s contents, not necessarily its title. The note title may remain visible in the Notes sidebar.
- Anyone who knows the Notes password—or can authenticate through an enabled alternative—may be able to open locked notes.
- Locking a note does not encrypt text you have copied into another app, screenshot, export, email, or document.
- Attachments inside a locked note are protected as part of the note, but separate copies elsewhere are not.
- Notes password recovery is limited. If you forget the password and cannot use an approved recovery method, Apple may not be able to restore access to the locked note’s contents.
For stronger privacy, lock your Mac when you step away. A locked note is not a replacement for securing your Mac user account. You can also review how to lock your Mac quickly.
How to Password-Protect a Note on a Mac
1. Open the Notes app
Open Notes from the Dock, Applications folder, or Spotlight.
In the sidebar, select the account and folder containing the note. If you use iCloud, make sure you are viewing the iCloud section rather than a different Notes account.
2. Select the note
Click the note you want to secure. You can lock an existing note, or create a new note first by clicking the New Note button.
If the note is already locked, you will see a lock icon or a prompt to enter your password when you select it.
3. Choose the lock command
With the note open or selected, use one of these methods:
- Click the Lock button in the Notes toolbar, then choose Lock Note.
- Choose File > Lock Note from the menu bar.
- Control-click the note in the sidebar and choose Lock Note, if that command appears.
The exact toolbar layout can vary, so the File menu is a useful alternative when you cannot find the lock button.
4. Set or enter the Notes password
If this is the first time you have locked a note, Notes may ask you to create a password. Enter it twice, then add a password hint if requested.
Choose a password you can reliably remember. Do not use a password that you have already used for another important account.
If Notes asks whether you want to use your Mac login password, review the choice carefully. Using your Mac login password can make unlocking more convenient, but anyone who can authenticate with that credential may also be able to access protected notes. A separate Notes password provides a different credential for the notes themselves.
5. Lock the note
After creating or entering the password, click Lock Note. You can also close the note or choose the lock command again, depending on what Notes displays.
When locked, the note’s contents are hidden until you authenticate. Notes may leave the title visible in the sidebar, so avoid putting confidential information in the title.
How to Unlock a Locked Note
- Open Notes.
- Select the locked note.
- Click View Note or the lock icon.
- Enter the Notes password when prompted.
- If available, authenticate with Touch ID instead.
A locked note may remain open temporarily after you authenticate. Notes can automatically lock protected notes after a period of inactivity or when you close the app, depending on your settings. If you want to secure the note immediately, use the lock command or close Notes.
On a Mac with Touch ID, you may be able to use your fingerprint instead of typing the Notes password. Touch ID is an authentication method, not a replacement for remembering the underlying password. macOS can require the password again in situations such as restarting the Mac or changing security settings.
If Touch ID is not available, enter the Notes password manually. For help enabling fingerprint authentication generally, see how to set up Touch ID on a Mac.
How to Lock All Notes
Notes can lock multiple notes using the same Notes password.
To lock several notes:
- Open Notes.
- Select multiple notes in the sidebar by holding Command while clicking each note. You can use Shift to select a range where supported.
- Control-click the selection.
- Choose Lock Note, if the option is available.
You can also lock notes individually. All notes protected by the same Notes password use that password unless you change the password or move notes between accounts.
Locking an entire folder is not the same as locking every note automatically in all situations. Check the individual notes for lock icons and use the Notes settings if you want to review how locked notes behave.
How to Change the Notes Password
If you know the current password, you can change it from Notes settings.
- Open Notes.
- Choose Notes > Settings from the menu bar.
- Find the password or locked-notes section.
- Choose the option to Change Password.
- Enter the current password, then enter and confirm the new one.
- Add a hint if requested, then save the change.
The wording and available options can vary with your Mac and Notes account setup. If you use more than one Notes account, make sure you change the password for the account that contains the protected note.
Changing the Notes password does not make unprotected notes private. It affects notes that are already locked or that you lock afterward according to the account’s settings.
How to Remove a Lock
Removing a lock makes the note readable without the Notes password, so confirm that you really want to make the contents available.
- Unlock the note with your password or an approved authentication method.
- Select the note.
- Click the Lock button.
- Choose Remove Lock, or choose File > Remove Lock.
If you do not see the option, unlock the note first. Notes may also require the current password before allowing you to remove protection.
How to Reset a Forgotten Notes Password
A forgotten Notes password is not necessarily recoverable. Apple’s password-reset options may let you create a new password for locking future notes, but resetting the password does not automatically decrypt or unlock notes protected with the old password.
Before resetting anything, try the following:
- Check whether you can unlock the note with Touch ID.
- Try the Notes password you originally created, including capitalization and symbols.
- Check your password manager or another secure record.
- Verify that you are viewing the correct Notes account.
- Look for a password hint without repeatedly guessing.
If you still cannot open the note, open Notes > Settings and review the password options. A reset option may be available. Read the warning carefully before confirming it.
Important password-recovery limitation
A new Notes password generally cannot open notes secured with an old, forgotten password. This is a security feature: a password reset should not give someone access to previously protected content.
If you can still open a locked note, unlock it before changing or resetting the password. Then remove the lock and apply the new password afterward, if appropriate. Do not sign out of an account, delete the note, or remove local data while trying to troubleshoot access. Those actions may remove the only accessible copy or interrupt synchronization.
Troubleshooting Locked Notes
The Lock option is missing
Check these possibilities:
- You selected a folder rather than an individual note.
- The note is stored in an account that does not support locked notes.
- You are viewing a shared note or another note type with restrictions.
- Notes needs to finish synchronizing with iCloud.
- The note is already locked and must be unlocked before some commands appear.
Try creating a test note in the iCloud or On My Mac section, then check whether the lock command appears. Do not delete the original note while testing.
The note will not unlock
Confirm that you are using the Notes password, not necessarily your Mac administrator password or Apple Account password. If Touch ID appears as an option, try it.
Check the password carefully for:
- Uppercase and lowercase letters
- Spaces
- Numbers
- Symbols
- Keyboard layout differences
Avoid repeated guesses if the note contains important information. Look for the password hint or a secure password record instead.
Touch ID does not work
Make sure Touch ID is configured and that your finger and the sensor are clean and dry. macOS may require your Mac login password instead of Touch ID after a restart or other security-related event.
If Notes no longer offers Touch ID, open Notes > Settings and review the locked-notes authentication option. You can still use the Notes password if Touch ID is unavailable.
Locked notes are not syncing
Locked notes may need time to synchronize across devices. Check that the same iCloud account is active on each device and that Notes is enabled for iCloud.
Do not delete a note or disable iCloud Notes simply to force synchronization. First, confirm whether the note appears on another signed-in device and whether the Mac has a stable internet connection.
If a note is visible on one device but not another, keep the device showing the note unchanged until you understand which copy is current. Editing or deleting copies can create confusion or cause data loss.
The note title is still visible
This is expected behavior in many Notes configurations. Locking hides the note’s contents, but the title can remain in the sidebar. Use a neutral title if the subject itself is sensitive.
A shared note cannot be locked
Collaboration features can limit locking. If a note is shared with other people, you may need to stop sharing or create a private copy before applying a lock. Review the sharing controls first, and make sure collaborators will not lose access to information they need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is locking a note the same as password-protecting it?
Yes, locking a supported note protects its contents with a Notes password or an approved authentication method such as Touch ID. It does not necessarily hide the title or protect copies made outside Notes.
Can I use Touch ID to unlock Notes?
Often, yes. If Touch ID is configured and enabled for locked notes, you can use it instead of typing the Notes password. macOS may still request the password periodically or after certain security events.
Can I lock an entire Notes folder?
Notes can lock multiple notes, but folder locking behavior may vary by account and macOS configuration. Check individual notes for lock icons rather than assuming every note in a folder is protected.
Can I recover a forgotten Notes password?
Recovery is limited. A reset may allow you to protect future notes, but it generally cannot unlock notes protected with the forgotten password. Try Touch ID, the password hint, and your secure password records first.
Does locking Notes protect my Mac?
No. It protects selected note contents while your Mac is in use. For broader protection, lock your Mac when you step away and use a strong Mac login password. If your Mac is lost or stolen, follow a separate device-recovery process such as how to find a lost or stolen Mac.
Can I lock a note without a password?
Notes requires a password-based security setup, although Touch ID or another approved authentication method may let you unlock the note without typing that password each time.
Final Thoughts
To lock Notes on a Mac, select a supported note, choose Lock Note, and create or enter a Notes password. Use Touch ID only as a convenience, keep the underlying password safe, and remember that resetting a forgotten password may not restore access to older locked notes. For sensitive information, also secure your Mac and avoid placing confidential details in note titles or unprotected copies.