Mac Password

Most people would not leave lying around for others to find their magazines or journals. So why, so many people leave their Macs for anyone open and accessible? Your computer contains a lot of personal data – things like documents, E-Mails and even a log of your Internet activities. Have you already herumspionierend recently on MySpace? Which profiles you have visited your significant others could see. Password protect of your Mac keeps your private data to prying eyes.

Most people would not leave lying around for others to find their magazines or journals. So why, so many people leave their Macs for anyone open and accessible? Your computer contains a lot of personal data – things like documents, E-Mails and even a log of your Internet activities. Have you already herumspionierend recently on MySpace? Which profiles you have visited your significant others could see. Password protect of your Mac keeps your private data to prying eyes.

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!