You probably already know how to password protect your computer, locking out other, but if you know how to password protect folders you can safely let others use yourWindows 11computer without having to worry about your personal files being accessed. Whether it’s sensitive banking info, that batch of embarrassing poems you wrote after your last breakup, or images for that mildly edgy YouTube channel you intend to make one day, it’s all okay. With the following techniques you can lock your files away from prying eyes.
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Difficulty
What You Need
PC or laptop with Windows 11 installed
A PC or laptop with macOS installed
7-Zip, a zip compression utility
Windows 11 Pro folder encryption
If you’re runningWindows 11 Pro (different to Windows 11 Home), there is a built-in protection system, though it’s not the most fully featured. Windows' standard encryption offers file obfuscation that locks a file to your account. That way, if someone on another account or someone who copied your files away to another PC tried to access your content, they’d need to know your account password (which better not be one of the most common passwords.
Anyone using your PC and account would still have access, however.
Step 1:Right-click on your chosen file and selectPropertiesfrom the drop-down menu.
Step 2:SelectAdvanced.
Step 3:Tick the box next toEncrypt contents to secure dataand selectOK.
Step 4:ChooseApply, and when prompted, pick whether you want all folders within that directory to be encrypted or merely the top-level one. When you’ve decided, selectOK.
Depending on the size and contents of the folder, it may take a while to complete. It’s certainly worth the wait, though, because you will have gained the highest level of security with encrypted data that is impenetrable to outside threats and for your eyes only. you may tell that it’s worked by the little padlock symbols now on each file within. Your folder and all of its data are now password-protected by your account.
Password protecting Windows folders with 7-Zip
Aside from Windows 10 Pro, older versions of Windows offer no protection for your folders. For most Windows users, adding a password to a folder requires a third-party archiving utility or some form of compression software.
Options include 7-Zip, an open-source zip compression utility that’s readily available for free courtesy of Russian developer Igor Pavlov. It does a great job of password-protecting your more critical data. The only catch to this tool is that you have to decompress the folder for the safety measures to activate.
Step 1:Navigate to the7-Zip download pageand select the right download for you. Most users should opt for the64-bit x64Windows build. Once downloaded, install it as you would any other software and run it.
Step 2:Locate the folder you wish to password-protect within the main 7-Zip interface and select theGreen addition signin the application’s upper-left corner. Alternatively, drag and drop the folder anywhere within the main 7-Zip interface.
Step 3:Ignoring the bulk of presets in the resulting pop-up window, selectZipfrom the drop-down menu directly beside theArchive formatoption to ensure the folder remains compatible with computers without 7-Zip installed. Then, enter and re-enter your desired password for the folder in the text fields located on the window’s right-hand side. Select theOKbutton when finished and allow the utility to create a compressed, encrypted duplicate of the folder you wish to password protect.
Step 4:Once the password-protected zipped file is created, test it to ensure that it’s working correctly by trying to access any of the content held within. Once you know it’s protected, delete the original folder so it can no longer be located. There’s no need to have two instances of the same data, especially since the original folder will remain unprotected.
Adding password protection to folders in macOS
Like most versions of Windows, Apple’s macOS lacks the native ability to add password protection to folders. Still, what you lose in convenience, you definitely gain in security — don’t forget anantivirus. Adding a rudimentary password will require you to create an encrypted disk image through the operating system’s nativeDisk Utility— an app that comes pre-installed on nearly allMac devices.
Once it’s created, you’ll be able to access the folder as a mounted virtual disk, which will allow you to edit, add, and delete content after entering a designated password. Any changes you make while the disk is mounted will automatically become both encrypted and password-protected upon dragging the disk to the Trash.
Step 1:SelectDisk Utilityfrom the Applications folder. You can also use Spotlight to search for it. Open the application.
Step 2:After you’ve opened the app, selectFile. Then chooseNew imagefrom the resulting menu, then selectImage from folder. Now, you’re able to find the file that needs password protection. Select it, then chooseOpen.
Step 3:Once you’ve tagged and named the folder that needs protection, clickRead/Writefrom the drop-down menu underImage format. You’ll see another drop-down menu underEncryption. Choose128-bit AES encryption.
Step 4:Enter and verify your password in the open fields. SelectChoose, thenSave. Disk Utility will inform you when it has finished creating the image with password protection.
Step 5:You’ll want to ensure that you’ve adequately protected your image. First, attempt to open the image. You should get an instruction to put in a password. If you do, enter the password and selectOK.
Step 6:You should then put the original folder in your Trash and then empty your Trash folder to prevent anyone from opening it.
More ways to protect folders
Beyond password protecting the folder on your computer, try one of the following techniques:
