Macworld recently shared an article explaining the difference between Locked files and other file permissions. By locking a file, it’s possible to stop your system from overwriting files, if you have a few that need to remain unchanged.

[Review: Using Commander One as a Mac Finder Replacement]

Stop Overwriting Files with a Lock

If you choose Get Info on a particular file you can lock it.

Select a file and press Command (⌘) + I , or go to File > Get Info from the menu bar. Check the box next to Locked .

This will prevent apps from overwriting the file. Additionally, if you accidentally delete the file, it will stay in Trash because macOS can’t empty the Trash if it has a locked file inside. Keep in mind thought that if you sync these files with iCloud Drive, the “locked” property doesn’t get transferred.

[macOS: How to Quickly View Hidden Files and Folders in Finder]