Smartphones and laptops are often misplaced, so it is very important to ensure that all your confidential files and folders are well protected. One of the best ways to do this is to password protect your confidential data on your MacBook and Windows 10 PC. We have already discussed how to password protect your files and folders on a Mac, so today we will learn how to lock and password protect files and folders on your Windows 10 PC.
Use Passwords to Protect Files and Folders in Windows 10
With news of data leaks and hacks becoming more common every day, online data security and privacy is more important than ever. So, follow our tutorial below to password protect your hidden files and folders in Windows 10. It ensures that your privacy is not compromised even if unauthorized persons access your laptop.
1. BitLocker Encryption: The Best Password Protection Option in Windows 10
BitLocker is a volume encryption feature built into some recent versions of Windows starting with Windows Vista. You can use it to encrypt and password protect all non-system and non-recovery partitions in Windows 10. To encrypt a drive, follow these steps:
note: BitLocker is only available on Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 10, so this option will not work for you if you are using Windows 10 Home..
- To turn on BitLocker, you must first type ‘BitLocker’ in the Windows search bar and press ‘Enter’ to open the BitLocker Drive Encryption settings page. Here, Click ‘Turn on BitLocker’ for the drive If you want password protection on your Windows 10 PC.
- Once encryption is in place, you will need to enter your chosen password after each reboot to access this drive. You can also use a USB flash drive for added protection.
2. Built-in Encryption Option
Windows 10 offers yet another native option to encrypt and secure your folders. This method does not add password protection to a folder, but ensures that other user accounts cannot access the folder. When you encrypt a folder, the folder can only be accessed through your user account and password. Here’s how it works:
- Right click on the target folder and select Features. Inside general tab, ‘DevelopedPress the ‘ button and activate’Encrypt content to protect data‘. Then click ‘OK’ to apply the encryption properties to the folder. Once complete, you’ll see a lock icon over your folder’s icon.
note: This feature is hardware dependent and not available on all devices. The ‘Encrypt content to protect data’ option is greyed out if you don’t have it on your computer.
3. Third-Party Utilities: Easy File Locker, Folder Protection, and More
One of the best utilities for locking folders in Windows 10 is a free program called. Easy File Cabinet. The software gives you options to hide a folder, make it inaccessible, reject any changes and make it undeletable. All you have to do is set a password and select a file or folder in Easy File Locker. Then choose from Access, Write, Erase and Visibility options and click ‘Start Protection’. When you lock a folder or file, you can unlock it simply by entering the chosen password.
Folder Protection for Windows 10 (free trial) and Folder Lock (free trial). Note that both are paid apps with a price tag of $39.95 in any case. If you are looking for free software other than Easy File Locker, you can check out SecretFolder (free), works mostly as advertised. However, I recommend Easy File Locker as it is free, easy to use, and has a comprehensive set of features.
Download Easy File Locker: (free)
4. File Compression Tools: 7Z, WinZip, WinRAR, etc.
You can also use a file archiving tool like 7-Zip (free), WinZip (free) or WinRAR (free), to compress a folder and add password protection to it via archive options. To do this, install any of the programs we mentioned above. Make sure you allow the installer to add the relevant options to the Windows Explorer right-click context menu. If you don’t know what that means, install using the default values.
note: We are using WinRAR for demo, but you can also use 7Z or WinZip. All three will be able to password protect your folders in Windows 10.
- After installing the program, a ‘Add to Archive‘ (or similar) option in the Windows Explorer context menu. So go ahead and right click on your target folder and select that option.
- Then, click on ‘set password‘.
- In the next popup, enter the password and hit OK. The folder will now be archived and Require a password for decompression.
5. OneDrive Personal Vault
Another option to password protect your confidential files in Windows 10 is OneDrive Personal Vault. OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage service that competes with apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Apple iCloud. But the service sets itself apart by offering you a ‘personal vault’ across the web, mobile app and Windows 10.
Personal Vault not only allows users to password protect their files and folders on the device, but also Additional layer of security with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). OneDrive is available on home and personal plans, but not OneDrive for work or work and school accounts. To use the feature, simply sign in to OneDrive; You will see your Personal Vault sitting next to all your other folders.
note: If you don’t have a Microsoft 365 Family or Personal subscription, you can store up to three files in your OneDrive Personal Vault. If you get a subscription, you can add as many files as you want (up to your storage limit).
Password Protect Your Files and Folders in Windows 10
We have detailed five easy ways to password protect folders in Windows 10. So go ahead and lock all the hidden folders on your computer to enhance your digital privacy. If you know any other tips for locking files and folders in Windows 10, go ahead and share them with us in the comments section below. We will take care to update our article accordingly.
In the meantime, if you’re looking to boost your digital privacy even more, check out some of our other articles on the subject. You can learn how to disable location tracking on your Windows 10 PC, start using Onion forwarding and other useful Windows 10 features.
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