How to Lock Notes on Mac

Lock Notes so it will not open without Touch ID or your password. Four steps, about a minute.

Lock Notes on Mac, step by step

Download Cloak from trycloak.app and open it. Set up Touch ID or a password the first time it asks. There is no account.
Click the plus button under Locked apps, tick Notes, and click Lock.
Quit Notes if it is open.
Open Notes again. Cloak now asks for Touch ID before it will launch.

Your Mac password works as a fallback by default. If other people know that password, open Cloak's Settings, turn off "Let my Mac password unlock Cloak", and set a Cloak password instead.

Who this is for

For freelancers and employees who keep client or company material in Notes on a Mac that family or visitors also use.

What Screen Time can't do

Apple has no way to lock a single app on a Mac. The closest thing is Screen Time, which puts a daily time limit on Notes. A limit is not a lock. Notes opens normally until the time runs out, the Screen Time passcode is four digits, and anyone who knows it can click Ignore Limit for the rest of the day. It was built to manage screen time, not privacy. Cloak asks for Touch ID or your password every single time Notes opens.

Why lock Notes at all

The Notes app is where most people keep passwords, account numbers, and half-finished personal thoughts they never meant to share. Because a colleague or visitor glancing at your screen is all it takes for sensitive material to leak, Notes is exactly the kind of app worth putting behind Touch ID.

Why a Mac-level lock beats Notes's own settings

A workspace tool might log you out after hours of inactivity, but that does nothing for the laptop you stepped away from for two minutes. A Mac-level lock is instant and applies the moment the app is launched, regardless of any in-app session.

Frequently asked questions

Does locking Notes with Cloak slow it down?

No. Cloak only steps in at launch to ask for Touch ID. Once Notes is unlocked it runs exactly as it normally would, with no background overhead.

Will I still get Notes notifications while it is locked?

Notification behaviour is controlled by macOS, not by Cloak. If you want Notes alerts hidden too, pair the lock with hiding the app, or turn off previews for Notes in System Settings under Notifications.

What happens if Touch ID is not available?

By default Cloak offers your Mac login password as a fallback, so you can still open Notes on a Mac without a Touch ID sensor or if your finger is not recognised. If other people know your Mac password, you can turn that fallback off and use a separate Cloak password instead.

Can I lock Notes with Screen Time instead?

Screen Time sets a time limit, not a lock. Notes opens normally until the limit is reached, and the limit can be ignored for the day by anyone who knows the four-digit passcode. Cloak asks for Touch ID every time.

How to lock Notes on your Mac