Windows has always had a number of important applications that we love. With the advent of Windows 10 and the Universal app platform, the number of Windows 10 apps is growing exponentially. Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc. Even popular chat and social media applications such as This means that you need to protect your data more, as a laptop or computer tends to be shared among family members. Windows 10 a built-in App Locker serviceLimited to Windows Enterprise and Education editions. If you’re using another version of Windows, don’t worry – here’s how to lock apps on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Lock Certain Apps in Windows 10
In this article, we talked about 4 different methods you can use to lock apps in Windows 10. And all these methods work on both Windows 10 Home and Pro editions. You can use the table of contents below to jump to a specific section you want.
Note: Most of these apps should work with Windows 11 when available. So, if you want to lock apps in Windows 11, you can consider using these apps for that.
Lock Apps in Windows 10 with My Lockbox
one. you can use My Lockbox software To lock apps in Windows 10. Therefore, first of all download and install the software on your computer.
2nd. When you first open My Lockbox, the software prompts you. set a password It will be used to lock apps on your PC. You can also add a password hint and an email idIt will help you recover passwords in case you forget them.
3. Then you can select the folder to protect and click “OK”. you can here select the folder where the app or software you want to lock is installed. Windows software is usually installed in C:/Program Files or Program Files (x86) so you can just go and find the software you want to lock. You can even select the Program Files folder to lock all the apps inside.
4. The folder and software will then be locked.. Therefore, when you try to access the application from anywhere in Windows, you will receive a message saying that you do not have the appropriate permissions.
5. To unlock an app, you can go to the My Lock Box control panel and press the “Unlock button”. You will need to enter the password to open the My Lockbox app so not everyone can access it. Moreover, the software prompts for the password even when you try to uninstall itthis is quite useful.
My Lockbox is available in a free version, but unfortunately it’s pretty limited as you can only lock one folder. You need to buy the full version to get the unlimited folder lock feature ($29.95). While My Lockbox works pretty well, you can also try other great app locker software. Here are some of the best out of My Lockbox:
Other App Locker Software for Windows 10
1. Folder Protection
We talked in detail about Folder Protection when listing ways to password-protect folders in Windows 10, but it deserves a mention here as well. This is because the software also lets you lock apps. Like My Lockbox, you can lock the folders where a software is installed to prevent access from any shortcut. It also requires a password when you try to remove it, which makes things more secure. Some people may even like Folder Protection more. ability to set different passwords for different folders/apps.
Folder Guard is available for a free 30-day trial, after which you’ll need to purchase the full version ($39.95).
2. GiliSoft EXE Lock
As the name suggests, GiliSoft allows you to lock executable EXE program files i.e. software and applications. The software works quite well because unlike other software, it allows users to unlock an app with a password as soon as they open the app, instead of going to the locker app and unlocking the apps there. Besides password protection to the software, GiliSoft also protects users from viruses that try and modify the system..
Although GiliSoft EXE Lock is available in a free trial version, it is basically useless as it has a fixed password that anyone can easily see. So, if you want to use GiliSoft’s app locker software, you will have to buy the full version ($19.95).
3. Smart-X AppLocker
If you are looking for a simple app locker to prevent access to some apps from children, then the Smart-X AppLocker software should be good enough. The software is very easy to use and you can lock apps with ease, It includes a list of apps you can lock, but you can add more just by entering the name of the EXE files. While locking apps with ease, it’s not really safe because almost anyone can uninstall it or access it To unlock locked apps In general, we only recommend the app if your unlocking needs are simple.
Use Windows 10 Parental Controls
If you want to lock apps (or websites) for a user account of a member of your family, you can use Windows 10’s parental control feature to do so. However, there is a problem as you cannot lock certain apps in the account until the user has already used it. Basically, if you have a child user account and you monitor your children’s activities, you can see the apps and games they are using and then block the apps you don’t want them to use. If that’s okay, check out our post on how to install and configure Windows 10 parental controls for full details.
Use Group Policy to Disable Apps in Windows 10
If you are using Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, you can also use Group Policy to lock apps in Windows 10. In that:
- Press Windows+R and type ‘gpedit.msc’ and hit enter. This will open the Group Policy Editor.
- Go to ‘User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System’.
- Double click on ‘Don’t run specified Windows applications’.
- Select ‘Enabled’ and click ‘Show’.
- Add the names of the apps you want to block. You have to enter the names of the exe files.
- Click ‘Apply’.
- Click ‘OK’.
The applications you specified will now be disabled on your computer and will not start. This isn’t exactly locking apps, but it’s a built-in method you can use on your Windows 10 PC. Also, if you are using Windows 10 Home, gpedit is not installed. However, you can easily enable Group Policy Editor in Windows 10.
Lock your private apps in Windows 10!
The software mentioned above should work well enough for your application locking needs and make sure that no one can access your private information or run in different applications and software. Alternatively, you can even use Windows 10 parental controls, but that won’t work if you want to lock apps in your own user account. So, install one of these apps and let us know how they worked for you. Mute the sound in the comments section below.
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