How to Create a Password-Protected ZIP File on macOS

macOS does not provide a built-in way to create a password-protected ZIP file.

You can right-click a file in Finder and choose “Compress,” but there is no option to set a password.
That is not a limitation you missed—it simply does not exist.

This is the starting point of this article.

Even so, there are plenty of everyday situations where you don’t want to send files as-is and need a password-protected ZIP file instead. When you start searching for a solution, you quickly find multiple methods, all claiming to work, with no clear explanation of which one you should actually use.

I’ve checked and used these methods repeatedly. And the conclusion is straightforward:
there is a clear right way and a clear wrong way to create a password-protected ZIP file on macOS.

Here is the conclusion first:

zip -er sample.zip sample

If you want to create a password-protected ZIP file on macOS, this is the method you should use.

This article explains:

Why macOS does not support this with standard features
Where different methods diverge
Which method you should choose, without unnecessary assumptions

1. Evaluation Criteria: Password-Protected ZIP Files Are Not All the Same

First, let me define the single evaluation criterion used throughout this article.

Not all password-protected ZIP files offer the same level of protection.

I’ll introduce one technical term here, once. AES-256 refers to a strong and modern encryption method used for ZIP files. You do not need to understand the internal mechanics.

What matters is this:

There are weak and strong ways to create a password-protected ZIP file
With a weak method, adding a password does not reliably protect the contents
AES-256 is commonly used as the baseline for a strong method

So the criterion is simple:

A valid password-protected ZIP file must be created using a strong encryption method.

From this point forward, I will avoid technical terminology and refer only to “password-protected ZIP files.”

2. Finder ZIP Files Are Not Password-Protected

In Finder, you can right-click a file and select “Compress” to create a ZIP file.
However, this does not create a password-protected ZIP file.

There is no screen to set a password
There is no option to choose how the file is protected

In other words, Finder simply bundles files together.
If your goal is to add a password, Finder ZIP files are not an option.

3. Common Methods Can Still Create Weak Password-Protected ZIP Files

Since macOS does not support this natively, many guides recommend using Terminal.

One of the most common examples looks like this:

zip -e sample.zip sample

This command does create a password-protected ZIP file.
However, depending on how it is used, it can fall on the weaker side of protection.

The problem is that:

The ZIP looks normal
The password prompt appears as expected
There is no visible warning

This makes it easy to assume everything is fine, even when it isn’t.

I choose not to use methods that may result in weak protection.

4. The Correct Way to Create a Password-Protected ZIP File on macOS

This is the method I use:

zip -er sample.zip sample

Here is what each option does:

-e enables password protection
-r includes all files and subfolders recursively

Using this command satisfies the criteria for a properly protected ZIP file.

Example: Compressing a Folder

zip -er sample.zip sample

Example: Compressing a Single File

zip -er document.zip document.pdf

The logic does not change based on what you are compressing.

5. Practical Notes When Using Password-Protected ZIP Files

Even with the correct method, usage matters.

Send the Password Separately

If you include the ZIP file and the password in the same place, the protection loses its purpose.

Avoid Descriptive File Names

File names themselves can reveal information. Choose names with external sharing in mind.

6. Conclusion: There Is No Need to Overthink This

To summarize:

macOS does not provide a built-in way to create password-protected ZIP files
Some methods produce weaker protection than expected
On macOS, use zip -er to create a password-protected ZIP file

There is no need to keep comparing methods.
If you remember this one command, you won’t make the wrong choice.