I made my Mac more secure by changing these 5 settings
Unlike Windows, macOS doesn’t give me the nagging feeling that I’m being spied on or that my personal data is being sent to who knows where, but ultimately that’s just a perception. I think Apple does a better job of security and privacy, but I still like to tighten things up in a few ways when setting up a new Mac.
Locking login and password behavior
This matters for any computer, but it’s important to make sure your Mac requires a password or biometric login immediately after going to sleep or screen saver.
Go to System Settings > Lock Screen and set “Require password after screen saver starts or screen turns off” to Immediately.
I also verify that automatic logins are turned off by going to System Settings > Users & Groups, then setting “Auto Login” to Off.
Note that the only way auto-connect can be active is if FileVault is not enabled on your Mac. So you should also enable FileVault as soon as possible if you haven’t already. This is Apple’s full disk encryption solution and is essential for keeping your personal data out of the wrong hands.
The final step here is to go to System Settings > Touch ID & Password and change your password to something longer and more complex, if necessary.
Obviously, since this is a password you’ll need to enter at least once a day when your biometric lock expires, it can’t be a super-strong password made up of random characters, but try to make it both hard to guess and memorable. My own MacBook password is 15 characters long and consists of random words, symbols, and numbers that I personally remember.
Strengthening app and system permissions
Just like a smartphone or tablet, apps on macOS have certain permissions that determine whether, for example, they can access external storage or use your webcam.
After setting up your Mac for the first time with the apps you need, and then with each new app installation, you should go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and audit important sections like camera, microphone, location services, full disk access, etc. If an app doesn’t need to know your location or listen through a microphone, remove those permissions if it has them.
As you go through this section, it’s always a good time to flag apps for removal that you no longer use.
Secure access to iCloud and Apple ID
Although you don’t need an Apple ID to set up a Mac and create a user account, most people (myself included) want to take advantage of the many services that come with an Apple ID. If you use an Apple ID, it’s the most important thing to protect in your Apple ecosystem. So here are some essential items you should check off your list when securing your Mac:
Go to System Settings > Apple ID > Sign-in & Security and enable two-factor authentication.
Go back to the menu under your Apple ID, scroll down to Devices, and delete anything you don’t recognize or no longer use.
This will make your Apple ID much harder to compromise and make your Mac more secure.
Strengthening network and sharing settings
The great thing about Macs and the Apple ecosystem is all the different ways you can easily share things, but if you don’t use certain sharing features, these can become security issues. At best, this means someone might bombard you with unwanted sharing requests in public spaces or from a mischievous neighbor.
Go to System Settings > General > Sharing and turn off File Sharing, Printer Sharing, AirPlay Receiver, and anything else you don’t actively need.
In System Settings > Wi-Fi, click Details next to your list of networks and turn off “Auto Join” for public or semi-public hotspots. Your Mac should be set to ask you before joining an unknown network and to notify you when it has joined a known network by default, but you can limit this by making it ask before joining or simply turning the feature off.
Finally, go to System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff. Make sure AirDrop is set to “Contacts Only” or “No One” if you don’t plan to use it. If you want to receive AirDrops from someone who isn’t a contact, temporarily switch this option to “Everyone” in Control Center, then change it again after the transfer is complete.
Improve system-wide privacy protection and tracking
The last part of the interview is about tracking, which is only a reality in commercial operating systems, but Apple gives us a decent level of control here.
Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, then check the Analytics & Improvements and Apple Advertising sections. I disable all sharing and tracking here, and if the option is available, I also disable personalized ads.
These are quick and easy ways to instantly improve your Mac’s security and privacy on top of its out-of-the-box experience or even immediately after using your Mac for a while. It will only take a few seconds, so why not check if your Mac is configured in your best interests?
