How To Password Protect A Folder In Windows 10

If you've got files you lot'd rather others couldn't access, locking them up with a countersign can be the simplest mode to get peace of mind. Windows has born support for bones password protection, letting you proceed your files rubber from prying eyes.

Earlier we get started, we should offering a warning – while this method is elementary and effective, it's not intended for large-calibration or mission-critical utilise. It goes without saying you should invest in purpose-built encryption software if you lot're storing really sensitive information on your device.

File properties menu screenshot

To begin, use File Explorer to find the file or folder you wish to protect. Right-click on it and click "Backdrop" at the lesser of the context carte du jour. From hither, press the "Advanced…" push button in the Attributes section of the window.

File properties window screenshot

At the bottom of this pane, tick the "Encrypt contents to secure data" checkbox. Click the "OK" push button to get back to the master Properties window. At present printing "Apply" and Windows will begin to encrypt your files.

File Attributes window screenshot

When the procedure completes, you'll be prompted to back-upwardly your encryption key if you lot've never used the feature earlier. Click the toast notification and follow the prompts to brand a note of your encryption key. Yous'll need this information if you e'er lose access to your encrypted files, so it's important you take the time to dorsum information technology up at present.

Backing up encryption keys

With the redundancy washed, your files are now secured. They're encrypted with a key that's tied down to your Windows user business relationship. If anyone else tries to access the file – whether from another user account, or by physically removing your hard drive – the contents will appear to be meaningless garbled text.

File Encryption details window

You lot can reverse the encryption at any time by heading dorsum to the Backdrop window and opening the Advanced Attributes pane again. Just untick the "Encrypt contents to secure data" checkbox and click OK to close the windows. Afterwards encryption, you can besides press the "Details" button next to the checkbox to encounter information about the encryption certificate and available recovery procedures.

That's all there is to it. Once over again, we'll remind yous this method isn't intended for loftier-security purposes. However, information technology'southward ideal if you're using a shared PC and just want to keep some files inaccessible to other user accounts on the device. Just remember to lock your account (Win+L) whenever you walk away from the screen – your files will be unencrypted as soon as you login!

If you need stronger protections, you might want to consider investing in third-party software that'due south specially designed for this purpose. Enabling Windows' BitLocker characteristic (Pro and Enterprise edition only) tin can also give peace of mind if you want all your files to exist encrypted. This offers full-disk encryption with the keys tied down to a TPM, a hardware module dedicated to certificate storage.

BitLocker operates at a different level to file-based encryption, solving different problems. The characteristic encrypts the entire drive, not individual files – so one time Windows starts, everything on the drive is decrypted and made available to everyone. File-based encryption gets unlocked only after yous login, and deals with individual files and folders.