foldtint applies color to locked folders on the Desktop to differentiate them from unlocked ones on MacOS. Unlocked folders keep the default macOS folder color.
If daemon/watcher is on, the color changes happen automatically. Persists after shutdown/restart.
The tool watches ~/Desktop only. The tool does not change nested folders. The tool does not change files, aliases, apps, or packages.
Default color: purple.
- macOS 14 or later
- Node.js 18 or later
- npm
The install procedure puts a native binary on the computer. The tool does not need network access after install. The tool does not need root access.
- Open a terminal.
- Run this command:
npm install -g foldtint
- Start the watcher:
foldtint on
The on command installs a LaunchAgent. The LaunchAgent uses the installed foldtint binary. Keep the npm global install in place while the watcher runs.
Show help:
foldtint --help
Show the current color:
foldtint color
Set the color for all locked Desktop folders:
foldtint color purple
Valid color names:
- gray
- green
- purple
- blue
- yellow
- red
- orange
These names are Finder tag colors. Hex values are not valid.
The color command writes the configuration. Then the command scans the Desktop.
Apply or remove the Locked tag on top-level Desktop folders now:
foldtint scan
Use scan after a repair. You do not need scan when the watcher is on.
Start the watcher:
foldtint on
Then a lock on a top-level Desktop folder applies the color. An unlock removes the color. You do not need scan for that change.
Stop the watcher:
foldtint off
The command does not remove current tints. The command does not unlock folders.
Show the color, the Desktop path, the watcher state, and the folder counts:
foldtint status
Run the watcher in the current process:
foldtint daemon
The on command starts this process through LaunchAgent. Do not run daemon by hand unless you do a test.
Remove foldtint data, then remove the npm package.
- Run this command:
foldtint uninstall
The command stops the watcher. The command removes the LaunchAgent. The command removes the Locked tag from top-level Desktop folders. The command deletes the configuration file. The command does not unlock folders.
- Run this command:
npm uninstall -g foldtint
A locked folder is a folder with the Finder Locked checkbox. That flag is the user immutable flag.
When a folder is locked, foldtint adds the Finder tag Locked with the configured color. Other tags stay.
When a folder is unlocked, foldtint removes only the Locked tag. Other tags stay.
The watcher uses directory events on the Desktop. The watcher does not use per-file events. Memory use stays low.
- The tool works on macOS only.
- The tool works on top-level Desktop folders only.
- The tool does not follow symbolic links.
- The tool does not use
/,/System, or/Applications. - The tool does not set custom icons.
- The tool does not use hex colors.
MIT. See LICENSE.