Guides/macOS
How to encrypt files on a Mac without installing anything
You can encrypt files on macOS without installing anything by using a Chromium-family browser (Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge) and a single HTML file. Elba is that file.
Setup
Drop Elba.html into ~/Documents or your working folder. Open it in Chrome / Arc / Brave / Edge (Safari doesn't yet support the required API). Point Elba at the folder you want sealed.
About FileVault
FileVault protects the whole disk while the Mac is off; Elba protects a specific folder while you're logged in. Using both is normal.
Questions people actually ask
- Do I need admin rights?
- No. Elba runs from any folder your user can read.
- Does Safari work?
- Not yet — Elba requires the File System Access API, which Safari has not yet implemented.
Take the island
Elba is one HTML file. It runs locally in a Chromium browser, seals a folder with AES-256-GCM, never phones home, and becomes open source on 1 January 2030.
- €49MMXXVI· now ·
- €39MMXXVII2027
- €29MMXXVIII2028
- €19MMXXIX2029
- FreeMMXXX2030
the price falls each year · free to all 1 jan 2030
pay once · no account · nothing leavesRelated guides
- Elba vs FileVault: macOS full-disk plus folder-level fencing
FileVault encrypts your Mac's disk at rest. Elba adds a per-folder fence for the things you want sealed while you're logged in.
- File encryption with no installation required
Portable, install-free file encryption. Elba is a single HTML file — no admin rights, no installer, no leftovers on the machine.
- A browser-based file encryption tool that never phones home
Elba is a browser-based file encryption tool: one HTML file, AES-256-GCM, zero network calls. Encrypt and decrypt inside a Chromium tab.