Can you lock a folder

Also, yes, the FolderLocker file can be reverse engineered by someone who understands the process, but this isn't meant to keep tech-savvy folks out, just nosy family members who you don't trust.

Here's how to password protect a folder in Windows 10 , so you can fill it with files you want to keep secret — and how to lock it, open it and repeat. Right-click inside the folder where the files you want to protect are located. The folder you want to hide can even be on your desktop.

Hit Enter. It doesn't matter what the file will be named. You can delete this text file once the lockable folder has been made. Replace "Your-Password-Here" with the password you want to lock the folder with.

Click Enter , and the Folder Locker window will disappear, along with the Locker folder itself! If it can happen to them, it can happen to you. One way to deal with these risks is to add a password to your most sensitive files, one-by-one. Sharing a computer becomes a worry-free situation after that, and sending email attachments will be less of a nail-biter, too. Yes, the requirement to enter a password every time you access that file may slow you down a bit, but the peace of mind is undoubtedly worth it.

Just remember to always use strong passwords. In fact, click on over to the free Avast Random Password Generator whenever you need one, and instantly get a unique, near-uncrackable password you can use immediately. Another way to deal with this is to use your Windows software to encrypt an entire folder. This is an easy process to implement and to use. There are also third-party tools you can use for full encryption.

To encrypt a file or folder in Windows 7 , 8, or 10, follow these steps:. Right click on the item. Click Properties, then click the Advanced button. Check Encrypt contents to secure data. Windows then asks whether you wish to encrypt the file only, or its parent folder and all the files within it as well. We recommend you opt for full folder encryption, just to be on the safe side. Now, once you navigate to the encrypted folder, you will see a small yellow lock on the file icon.

Also, when you add new content to that folder, it will automatically be encrypted too. To be clear, Windows file encryption protects your files against anyone who gets their hands on your computer. The encryption is tied to your Windows account, so when you are logged in, the files decrypt on the fly by the operating system. However, if someone were to log in through another account, they would not be able to access files that were encrypted under your username.

This is why it is critical to create a strong login password in the first place. Power users can also use this method by LaptopMag. Someone need only log in with your account to access your content. Read on to find out how to keep your files safe should your account be hacked. These tools offer more security than built-in Windows security features and are highly recommended for sensitive data.

A content protection feature for Windows worth looking at is called Folder Lock. By default, Folder Lock uses a master password to control locked content. Each Locker can be assigned its own password and you can limit the amount of disk space it can take up. Folder Lock comes with a powerful file shredder and a cloud-based backup solution, too. You can try a demo for free.

The interface is extremely simple to use. After installation, the tool will ask you to create a master password to manage all your locked content. All locked folders will no longer be visible on the drive until you unlock them. LocK-A-FoLder is free and is the least resource-hungry folder locker out there, making it an ideal solution for older computers.

Finally, passwords are almost always the weakest link in a security chain. A password strength checker can be of great use here. Online tools like The Password Meter and my1login are great tools to use here. While strong password protection will be enough for most users, if you have sensitive data, then more advanced methods such as third-party encryption tools can be used to safeguard data.

Beyond regular password protection, you can also use disk-encryption software that offers more robust security measures. These tools can block even the most advanced cold-boot and brute-force attacks, which try to crack passwords and encryption keys using different combinations. This free, open source software can be used on any computer, and virtually any Windows system. It is essentially a file archiver that uses high compression and strong AES encryption.

Your files are protected by being compressed and encrypted, so when you go to access them yourself, you simply need to decompress the file first.

To secure your data with 7-Zip , follow these steps:. Download the latest version of 7-Zip. Run the installation program. In your Windows directory, select 7-Zip File Manager. From the 7-Zip control panel, select the file or folder you would like to protect, and click the Add button.

Choose your compression options see image below. A - Type in the name you would like the encrypted file to be named. D - Click OK. Click the Extract button.

With support for AES, Serpent, and TwoFish keys, VeraCrypt is a free, cross-platform data security tool that can encrypt your files any way you require. VeraCrypt comes with full disk encryption but can encrypt at the volume level as well. Users can decide whether they want specific folders encrypted or entire systems.

Open the target folder, right-click an empty area and select New. Step 4. Find Your-Password-Here and replace it with the password that you want to lock the folder with.

Step 5. Step 6. Name the file as FolderLocker. Step 7. Double-click the FolderLocker file to generate a Locker folder. Step 8. Drag or move all the files that you need to protect into the Locker folder. Step 9. Click the FolderLocker file again, type Y in the command prompt window, and hit Enter to confirm that you want to lock the folder.

Step Now the folder is locked and you can barely see it in its original location. To unlock the folder, click the FolderLocker file, enter your password in the command prompt window, and hit Enter. Folder Properties is a Windows built-in tool to check details and change settings to an existing folder on Windows computers.

You can also use it to lock a folder by encrypting it. Right-click the target folder that saves your essential files, select Properties. Another normal way to securely lock a file folder is to use a file compressing tool, such as WinRAR or 7 Zip to compress the folder. Right-click the target folder, and select Add to Archive.

Set the archive name , format , compress level , size , etc. The last way that you can try to protect folders from visible is to hide folders on Windows PC. It's also in Folder Properties.