Password Protect Folders
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How To Password Protect Folders - 3 Free Ways Using Windows
The Windows operating system (OS) comes with several ways to password protect folders, subdirectories and any files contained in the folder. This article focuses on the three most commonly used ways.
1. Simple Folder Lock
In Windows XP, you can use the NTFS file system format to password protect folders from being opened and read by other users on the PC or network.
- Open Windows Explorer and go to the folder you wish to protect.
- Right click the folder and select the Properties item.
- In the pop-up window select the 'Sharing' tab. Enable the checkbox 'make this folder private' and hit the apply button for it to take immediate effect.
- You will be prompted to enter a password only if you don't have one for logging into Windows.
- Open Windows Explorer and go to the folder you wish to protect.
- Right click the folder and select the Properties item.
- In the pop-up window select the 'Sharing' tab. Enable the checkbox 'make this folder private' and hit the apply button for it to take immediate effect.
- You will be prompted to enter a password only if you don't have one for logging into Windows.
2. Password Protect Folders That Are Really Zip Files
Windows started displaying zip files as directories when XP was released. It is possible to password protect folders using the zip protection features as follows.
- Open Windows Explorer and go to the folder you wish to protect.
- Double click the folder to open it in WinZip (or whichever other tool you use).
- In the application, go to the File > Add A Password menu item and enter a password to be used specifically with this zip folder and all its contents.
This also works nicely as part of computer backup options, as you can zip up any file to backup, password protect the zip then copy the one file to DVD/storage for safekeeping.
- Open Windows Explorer and go to the folder you wish to protect.
- Double click the folder to open it in WinZip (or whichever other tool you use).
- In the application, go to the File > Add A Password menu item and enter a password to be used specifically with this zip folder and all its contents.
This also works nicely as part of computer backup options, as you can zip up any file to backup, password protect the zip then copy the one file to DVD/storage for safekeeping.
3. Password Protect Folders With Added Encryption
Similar to the first approach, this option also encrypts whatever sub-directories and files are contained beneath the folder.
- Open Windows Explorer and go to the folder you wish to protect.
- Right click on the folder and select the properties item.
- On the General tab, hit the Advanced button.
- In the pop-up that opens there is an option near the bottom to 'Encrypt Contents To Secure Data'. Enable the checkbox to activate this.
- As before, if you do not log onto Windows with a password then you will be prompted to provide one before Windows password protects the folders.
- Open Windows Explorer and go to the folder you wish to protect.
- Right click on the folder and select the properties item.
- On the General tab, hit the Advanced button.
- In the pop-up that opens there is an option near the bottom to 'Encrypt Contents To Secure Data'. Enable the checkbox to activate this.
- As before, if you do not log onto Windows with a password then you will be prompted to provide one before Windows password protects the folders.
by RDunne
RDunne
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