How to protect folder on Win with or without software?

Do you want to prevent unauthorized access to folder and files in your computer? Do you want absolute control over access to your folders and files in Win? The built-in feature of password protection of Win helps you protect folders and files in computer quickly. With its assistance, you can ensure nobody else can access your folders and files without permissions.

On a computer with Windows operating system, users can set a admin Windows account and password to ensure all his/her data and information are private. The Windows system can protect the files and folders in admin account by requiring the users to input users name and password when trying to log in the account. This protecting admin account method eliminated the need of password protection for folders and files in local computer. Folders and files in local computer need extra protection if you want to share or exchange files and folders on local computer. Set password on folders and files, and then the directory will be also protected and all users will be asked for password to access to the files and folders every time.

How to set password for folders and files?

1.       Close the files and folders you want to password protect

You must close the folders and files you want to protect before setting a password. You must ensure all the files including executable files in the folder stop, otherwise the system will fail to password protect the folders. If you can’t stop some executable files in the folder, press ctrl+alt+delete to view the Windows task manager to stop the programs running.

2.       Password protect the target folders and files

Right click on the folder or files you want to protect and select “Properties”.

Click on “Advanced” button in the popup properties menu, check “Encrypt contents to secure data” and then click on “Ok”.

And then you’re back to properties menu, and you will be asked if you wish to encrypt the files and subfolders in the folder when you click on “Ok”. Check “Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files” in the popup window and then click on “Ok”.

In order to ensure you can get back your files and folders when you lose your password or computer gets damaged, you are advised to back up the protect folders before the protection. This protection method can be used to prevent unauthorized users accessing the folders in admin account, but they can also access to the folders if you have entered your account and left away from your computer for a while. And the protection launched by Windows system is not strong enough and can easily be breached. To ensure important and sensitive folders and files security, you’d better adopt the third party tool such as folder protector that’s adopting 256-bit on-the-fly AES encryption technology to encrypt folders. This kind of programs is portable and easy to use. You can just unprotect the folder temporarily for viewing the contents in it, and then the program will automatically restore protection after you close the folder.