# Mac question -- file encryption? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 24, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-question-file-encryption/197378 "2003-08-24T20:22:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-question-file-encryption/197378/1 "2003-08-24T20:22:35Z")
I have a friend who’s a Mac user and just got a new computer running System 10.2. It doesn’t support file encryption, apparently, and she’s trying to find any freeware or shareware that will help her encrypt files – text files as well as mail messages. She says, “I am not savvy enough to use pgp or Gnupgp or anything else that requires use of a command line.” I’m just the messenger here, but if anyone has any suggestions, they will be passed on with great appreciation. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-question-file-encryption/197378/2 "2003-08-24T20:31:41Z")
File encryption will be built into the OS with the next version, Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) [Read more here](http://www.apple.com/macosx/panther/file_vault.html) For some reason I though that was included in 10.2 (Jaguar), but I guess I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-question-file-encryption/197378/3 "2003-08-24T20:34:17Z")
One more thing - I’ve fooled around a bit with PGP (though not in a couple years) and I don’t remember it requiring the command line. Pure GUI. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-question-file-encryption/197378/4 "2003-08-24T20:35:51Z")
What can she do in the meantime? She’s got a personal diary-type file that she does NOT want anyone to have access to. Any suggestions on freeware or shareware? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-question-file-encryption/197378/5 "2003-08-24T20:37:36Z")
Later versions of free PGP for Windows are GUI now, maybe the Mac one is to. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-question-file-encryption/197378/6 "2003-08-24T20:38:46Z")
here’s the link, by the way [http://web.mit.edu/network/pgp.html](http://web.mit.edu/network/pgp.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-question-file-encryption/197378/7 "2003-08-24T20:49:51Z")
Thanks, **Revtim.** I’ve passed the info along to her. I told her SDMB would be able to give me an answer for her within the hour, and boy, you guys really didn’t disappoint me! 😃