Ways to keep your information safe
To protect the information on your Mac, perform regular backups, limit access to your information, install software updates, take precautions to find or deactivate a lost computer, and avoid malware.
Perform regular backups
You should always back up your Mac. That way, if something happens to your Mac or you accidentally delete something, you can easily recover your files.
The easiest way to back up is to set up Time Machine, which backs up all the information on your Mac automatically every day. For more information, see Back up your files with Time Machine.
Besides Time Machine, you have several other choices for backing up your important files, including burning CDs and DVDs, and copying files onto an external drive. For more information, see Alternatives for backing up your Mac.
Limit unwanted access to your information
macOS has a number of features to help keep the information on your Mac safe. If multiple people use your Mac, you should set up a user account for each person, so that one person can’t modify the files needed by another. For more information, see Set up users, guests, and groups.
Use secure passwords to prevent unauthorized access, make sure all user accounts have passwords, and turn off automatic login in Users & Groups preferences. For more information, see Tips for creating secure passwords.
To open Users & Groups preferences, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Users & Groups.
Open Users & Groups preferences for me
For more information about keeping your information secure, see Set up your Mac to be secure and Ways to guard your privacy on a Mac.
Install software updates promptly
Your Mac is already set up to automatically check for software updates and to alert you when updates are available for you to download. The best way to avoid viruses and other problems is to promptly download and install these updates, which contain the latest security software.
To see if there are any updates available, open the Apple menu. The number of updates is listed next to App Store in the menu. To get the updates, choose App Store, then click Updates.
For more information about updating your software, see Keep your Mac up to date.
If nothing happens when you check for updates, you may not be connected to the Internet. For more information, see Solve problems connecting to the Internet.
Locate a lost Mac
You can use Find My Mac to locate or deactivate a lost Mac from a web browser or iOS device. For more information, see Use Find My Mac.
Avoid harmful software
Malicious software, or malware, is a threat to all computer users, especially those connected to the Internet. For more information, see Protect your Mac from malware.