Password-protect file opening. How to put a password on a folder on a computer? Tips for users

A folder protected with a complex password on a computer or laptop that can be accessed by several people is a reliable way to save important information. The secret word code will protect digital data from viewing and editing, and will also protect it from deletion. Let's find out how you can put a password on a folder in Windows 10? Are there alternative methods of protection?

Setting a password using standard Windows tools

The Windows 10 operating system does not have built-in functionality that can be used to protect a specific folder. There is a simple way to restrict access to a user account by placing a code word at the entrance (thereby blocking access to any file). There is also a more complicated one - use the built-in BitLocker disk encryption function (it will be impossible to open it without entering the cipher word). The problem with using the BitLocker service is that if the system crashes or the user forgets the password, emergency measures will have to be taken to recover the files.

And the operating systems of the Windows family have one unique functionality that allows you to make an object invisible to users. Using it, there is no need to come up with a complex cipher for opening, which can be forgotten over time.
To hide a folder proceed as follows:
Important! Both protection methods are valid for all versions of the Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, Home, Vista OS family.

An alternative way to protect folders

A large percentage of users, instead of the built-in Windows 10 explorer, use the Total Commander program or file managers with similar functionality: Free, Double, Troll, Midnight Commander or other products. With their help it is very easy to set a password on an object. This can be done after the standard installation of any file manager. The procedure is as follows:

Important! After the procedure, opening files will be available only after entering the secret code. If the user needs to hide an object and encrypt it, this can be done in Commander. You need to go through the procedure of hiding a folder through the “Properties” menu (described above), and then:

The object is now protected and invisible. You can use separate archiver programs WinRar and 7-Zip, but if you have a file manager on your PC or laptop, installing them is impractical.

Setting a password using third-party resources

There are many software products that can improve the security of storing personal data - Flash Crypt, dirLock, Secure Folder, WinMend Folder Hidden, Wise Folder Hider, My Lockbox, Easy File Locker, Anvide Seal Folder and many others. Most of the utilities are free, equipped with a multilingual interface and functional. The Wise Folder Hider software product from the reliable and proven developer WiseCleaner is suitable for all Windows OS families and for those new to folder encryption

You can download Wise Folder Hider for free online. Its installation is standard and fast (free version online with Portable prefix). The only condition is a password to open the utility. You can put any one. Then proceed like this:

After completing the procedure, the object will disappear from the list of folders on the disk (hidden) and will be accessible only through the application. Another small and easy to use utility is Secure Folders. It has a little more functionality and an English-language interface. But it does not complicate the work, since the software offers a minimum number of operations. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the code word is set to open the program itself - that is, you need to enter and come up with one code, which is easier to remember. After adding a folder to the Secure Folders application, it is impossible to open it without opening the program itself.

Use the software like this:

Important! To access an object, you need to temporarily remove it from the application by clicking the red cross on the right side of the line. Once the document work is completed, the object is added back to the application.

If you need a more functional software product that will allow you to encrypt any PC objects, it is better to download the Hide Folder utility. Its interface is Russian, the installation is standard. After installation, proceed as follows:

Access to the facility is limited. The built-in capabilities of the Windows 10 operating system are quite sufficient to protect files and documents. The main security secret is a competent and complex password. If one is installed, then it will be virtually impossible to break it, regardless of what program was used for encryption.

Surely each of you has a folder on your computer that you would like to hide from prying eyes. And probably many of you share your PC with someone else (or at least let them use it sometimes). In this case, you should know how to put a password on the folder on your computer. Unfortunately, by default Windows does not provide us with such an option and we have to resort to the help of third-party programs. In this article we will talk about such programs and how to use them.

The easiest way to put a password on a folder on your computer is to use Win RAR. Everyone is familiar with this utility. WinRAR is the most popular archiver program today. It allows you to create and unpack a variety of types of archives and has quite a wide range of functionality.

Actually, WinRAR will not help you set a password for a folder as such. But with its help, you can place this very folder in an archive and put a password on it. One way or another, your data will be protected from strangers. This is all done quite simply.

After this, your archive will be created. You will be able to open it and even see the names of the files inside, but to open them you will have to enter a password.

How to put a password on a folder using Folder Lock

Folder Lock is a fairly popular program for setting passwords. After downloading it, you will immediately see its main disadvantage - the lack of Russian language. But don't worry, the controls here are quite simple and intuitive. In addition, the following instructions will help you:

This is another option to put a password on the folder. If you later want to unlock it, you will need to highlight the directory name from the list in the application, and then click “Unlock” in the bar at the top. If you want to remove a folder from the program registry, you will need to click on the “Remove” button.

It is worth noting that FolderLock is also a paid utility. For free, you can only download a trial version, which will only work for twenty starts. After this you will need to pay.

Setting a password using Anvide Seal Folder

The Anvide Seal Folder utility is notable because it has a portable version. This version can be installed on a flash drive and put a password on the folders that are stored there. Of course, it can also be used on PC. You can select the version you need directly on the website before downloading. Both versions work on the same principle.

After this, the password will be set. To remove it, select your folder again through the application and press the open lock button. You can only remove your password if you remember it, as you will be asked to enter it.

How to put a password on a folder on a computer without third-party utilities

You can set a password for a folder without any software. Windows 7 and later versions allow you to do this using a special script. To do this, you need to open the Notepad application and write the following text in it:

@ECHO OFF

title Folder Private

if EXIST "Compconfig Locker" goto UNLOCK

if NOT EXIST Private goto MDLOCKER

:CONFIRM

echo Are you sure you want to lock the folder (Y/N)

set/p "cho=>"

if %cho%==Y goto LOCK

if %cho%==y goto LOCK

if %cho%==n goto END

if %cho%==N goto END

echo Invalid choice.

goto CONFIRM

ren Private "Compconfig Locker"

attrib +h +s "Compconfig Locker"

echo Folder locked

goto End

echo Enter password to unlock folder

set/p "pass=>"

if NOT %pass%== PASSWORD_GOES_HERE goto FAIL

attrib -h -s "Compconfig Locker"

ren "Compconfig Locker" Private

echo Folder Unlocked successfully

goto End

echo Invalid password

goto end

:MDLOCKER

md Private

echo Private created successfully

goto End

Instead of " PASSWORD_GOES_HERE” enter the text of your password.

After that, click on the “File” tab, and then select “Save As...”. The resulting document must be saved where you want to store the folder. The name can be anything, but you definitely need to set the format to “.bat”.

After that, you need to find and run the resulting file. After this, a folder named “Private” will be created. In this very folder you need to place all the files that you want to protect. Then run the file again and in the window that appears, enter “Y” and press “Enter”.

After this, the folder will disappear. To call it again you just need to run the file again. Remember that the file calling the folder will not disappear anywhere. In this regard, it is recommended to change his name to something that does not attract attention.

This way you can mess up a folder without programs. But this method has only one drawback - files protected using a script can be hacked very easily. To do this, just right-click on the file, select “Edit” and in the window that opens, find the line “if NOT %pass%==”. The password will be written next to it.

Although there is no need to worry too much about this. If you give a file an inconspicuous name and hide it somewhere in the system directories, no one will find it there. And even if someone does find it, it is unlikely that they will even understand what the file is, let alone how to hack it.

Now you know how to put a password on a folder. This skill will be especially useful for those who share a computer with family or with colleagues at work. After all, no one wants their personal files to become public knowledge.

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Quite often, everyone in the household uses a computer and there is a need to hide certain information in a folder from prying eyes. There is a stereotype that it is difficult to do this. But with a little effort, in just a couple of minutes you can put a password on a folder or file.

To this day, the Windows operating system does not have the ability to hide information in folders and files. Microsoft provides the ability to restrict access to certain users. But several people can use the computer and this option is not entirely convenient.

You can find and install the program on the Internet. You just have to spend a lot of time studying the nuances of its work. In this case, the WinRar archiver will come in handy. As a rule, it is installed on almost every computer. It’s hard to work without an archiver, and sooner or later you’ll have to download it.

To set a password using the WinRar archiver you need to:

1. Right-click on the folder or file to which you want to close access. Then select “Add to archive” in the context menu that appears.

2. A small window will open where you can set the parameters. Click on the “Set password” button. To do this, you need to set them in the “Advanced” tab by clicking on “Set password”.

3. After this, a window will open where you will need to enter the desired password and confirm it. Here you can also select additional options: display the password as you enter (the characters you enter will be shown) and encrypt file names (file names will be in the form of asterisks, additional protection).

4. The password is set to archive. An asterisk next to a file means it is password protected. You can add any file or folder to the created archive by first entering a password.

5. When opening the archive, a window will appear asking you to enter a password.

Files archived with WinRar archiver open without problems.

Let's figure out how to put a password on a folder using the free Dirlock program. This is a fairly simple way to protect personal data. Download and install the program ().

After this, just right-click on the folder that we want to protect with a password and select “Lock/UnLock”.

In the next window, enter the password for the folder 2 times and press the “Lock” button. If you check the box next to “Hide”, the folder will become hidden. You can find it in the folder with the installed program C:\Program Files\dirLock\. To open a folder, you need to click on the folder and select “Lock/UnLock” again, and then enter the password.

I would like to note that the program does not work correctly in, at least for me.

Developers release thousands of different programs every day. This is how Password Protect USB was born in the software sector. It is distributed free of charge and finding it will not be a problem.

After downloading the program, you need to install it. In order to put a password on a folder using Password Protect USB, you will need to perform a number of simple steps:

1. Launch the program and click Lock Folders. Next, a window will appear in which you need to specify let to the folder. These actions can be done in just a few clicks: right-click on the folder and select Lock with Password Protect USB from the context menu that appears.

2. A small window will open where you need to create a password and enter it for confirmation. Click Lock Folder.

3. A message will appear that the folder is password protected, and there will be a red icon on the folder itself. If one of the users tries to open it, he will see a window where he must enter a password.

By setting password protection on a folder, you can transfer various documents to it. Access to them will be closed.

Using Password Protect USB, it is possible to set a password for folders that are located both on the computer and on flash drives.

The Anvide Lock Folder program allows you to do similar actions. You need to launch it and click on the big plus sign. Then find the required folder in the list and click “Ok”. A folder will appear in the program window indicating its location. To set a password, you must first select it, and then click on the lock and enter the password. Anvide Lock Folder differs from similar software in that it provides a password reminder function. The folder can only be accessed through the program.

While it is possible to password protect a Microsoft file in a couple of clicks, problems arise with folders, since Windows does not have a built-in function to resolve this task. But since this topic is relevant and most users need to protect their data, programmers have created various third-party solutions. To implement them you will need to install the program.

If you still have no idea why this useful function might be needed, let me explain. For example, you store any kind of information that is important to you, regarding business, personal life, and so on. Or you have albums with photos on your computer that you would not like to show to anyone. Any personal folder can be reliably protected not only from prying eyes, but also in the event of theft or hacking, you will thus protect yourself from intruders.

I suggest you familiarize yourself with two ways to set passwords for folders, each of which has its own advantages.

WinRAR archiver

This archiver is installed by users almost immediately when the computer starts for the first time, so it is unlikely that you will need to install it. If WinRar is not installed, go to link and download the Russian version. You can also use the archiver 7zip.

So, let's say you have data that needs to be password protected. First, go to the archiver and find the folder. Select it by clicking on it once with the cursor and click on the function “ Add ».

The window “ Archive name and parameters ", in which you will see that the documentation will be copied and converted into an archive. If necessary, rename the folder. In the " Are common"or in some cases - " Additionally ", you will find a button asking you to set a password, click it.

A window will open where you will need to enter the same password twice and then click “ OK ».

The most insecure and popular passwords are dates and names. Try to avoid such encryption, otherwise they can easily break it if desired. Set a password with numbers and upper and lower case letters.

The folder is ready and if you want to unzip it, you will be asked for a password.

If you often change the data in a folder or view it, then constantly unzipping and archiving is not only tedious, but also makes no sense, especially if there are alternative methods.

Anvide Lock Folder utility

This little program is free and allows you to set a password directly on a folder. Among its advantages, I will also highlight the fact that the utility is Russian-language, does not require installation (it is launched from a file) and is equipped with a simple interface. After installation, it hides the folder and it becomes invisible until you remove the password from it.

You can download the utility from the manufacturer's website. Go to the archive and click on the installation file.

You can create a shortcut for the utility on your desktop if you plan to use the program frequently. In the meantime, follow the instructions. Accept the license agreement.

You can refuse the updates offered in the next step.

That's all, the interface is open in front of you.

Add a folder that requires a password by clicking on the yellow plus.

Once the documentation is highlighted and confirmed, click on the padlock image.

Enter password.

If you want to set a hint if you forget your password, answer positively to the next question of the utility.

Enter the text that exactly you will associate with the answer, but you should not write something that an outsider can easily answer.

By confirming your actions, you are blocking access to the folder. If you want to remove the password from it, you should press the lock next to it. Don't be surprised that the folder has disappeared, it's just hidden. If you need to work with it, go back to this program and double-click on the folder, it will appear again in its original place.

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P/S

Best regards, Alexander Sergienko

Simple instructions for setting passwords for folders in Windows. If you need to protect certain personal data, you can, of course, set a password when loading the operating system or create a new account with adjusted rights. But often only a small portion of your information needs protection. Therefore, many users are looking for answers to questions about how to password-protect a folder on a computer.

Content:

The most obvious way would be to simply hide it, but this is not the best option. As soon as the function to show all hidden files is enabled in the settings, the folder will be immediately visible. So you shouldn’t do this if the safety of your files is really important to you.

Surprisingly, Windows does not have the ability to set passwords for folders. You will have to use third party software. It should be borne in mind that this approach will not protect folders, for example, from deletion or transfer, so be careful.

The most common options for setting a password are archiver programs, specially developed utilities and bat scripts. To learn more about how to password-protect a folder in Windows, let’s look at each of these methods in general terms.

Initially, archivers were created so that it was possible to pack one or more files into an archive, while being able to compress the total amount of information occupied. But, in addition to this, these programs can be used to set a password for the required data folder. The most suitable options would be WinZip, WinRar, Hamster Free ZIP Archiver and 7-Zip.
Let's look at setting a password in Windows using the Winrar program as an example:
1. Install Winrar on your computer.
2. Using the right mouse button, open the context menu of the required package and select “add to archive” from it.
3. Next you will see the “name” and “archive parameters” window. By clicking through the various tabs, you can change the type of compression and many other parameters, but there is no need to waste time on this, because we only need to set a password.
4. Find the “set password” button in the “advanced” tab
5. In the “password entry” window, you can enter it. It is recommended to first click the “show password” checkbox so that you can be sure that everything is correct. If you want the files to change their names after this, you can check the “encrypt file names” checkbox. Next, click OK.
6. After these steps, the window will change its name to “archiving with password”. Click ok and you will receive an archive that will require your password to open.
In turn, if you enter the wrong password, you will not gain access to the files.

Utilities of this kind resort to the use of element encryption. Even if these programs are removed, the files will remain locked. In addition, you have the opportunity to set a password to enter directly into the programs themselves, further securing your data. Using the Anvide Lock Folder or Flash Crypt applications, you can easily figure out how to password protect a folder.

Let's look at setting a password using Flash Crypt as an example:
1. Install Flash Crypt on your computer.
2. On the required folder, call the context menu, and there select the “protectwithflashcrypt” item.
3. In the window that appears, you need to enter your password twice, which must be at least 4 characters. Do not change the remaining fields, then click “protect”.
4. After the encryption process, the Flash Crypt icon will appear on the folder. When you enter the correct password, the folder will be decrypted and you will have access to the data.

Setting a password using a bat script

This method is the most unsafe, as it simply uses simple hiding of folders in Windows. A user who understands how to enable viewing of hidden data will easily gain access to the information. So this option is suitable only for those who are confident that the person who can search for hidden folders is inexperienced.

To start the encryption process, create a file in Notepad and copy the script there:
:lable
cls
set /p disk_flash="Vvesti buky flash drive: "
cd /D %disk_flash%:
if %errorlevel%==1 goto label
cls
cd /D %disk_flash%:
del *.lnk /q /f
attrib -s -h -r autorun.*
del autorun.* /F
attrib -h -r -s -a /D /S
rd RECYCLER /q /s
explorer.exe %disk_flash%:

After this, you need to change the file type; to do this, change the extension from txt to bat, after which it will be ready for use. The essence of the script is as follows:

• During the first click, a folder named “Papka” will be created, where you will need to copy all the necessary data.
• After the second click, the “Secretno” folder will be distributed, which will immediately be hidden.
• The next time you press, you will be prompted to enter your password. If you enter incorrectly, the script closes and you need to enter it again.
• After entering the correct password, the folder will become visible and will have the name as in the first paragraph.

Also keep in mind that instead of MOI-PAROL, you can use any password you want.
Thus, you have become aware of the basic ways to set passwords. Now all that remains is to choose the right one. The safest options are archiving programs or special applications.

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