The only catch to this tool is that you have to decompress the folder for the safety measures to activate. It does a great job of password-protecting your more critical data. Options include 7-Zip, an open-source zip compression utility that’s readily available for free courtesy of Russian developer Igor Pavlov. For most Windows users, adding a password to a folder requires a third-party archiving utility or some form of compression software. Versions of Windows OS that come before Windows 10 Pro offer no protection for your folders, and even Windows 10 Pro’s safety options could use some improvements. Password protecting Windows folders with 7-Zip Your folder and all of its data are now password-protected by your account. You can tell that it’s worked by the little padlock symbols now on each file within. It’s certainly worth the wait, though, because you will have gained the highest level of security with encrypted data that is impenetrable to outside threats and for your eyes only. When you’ve decided, click OK.ĭepending on the size and contents of the folder, it may take a while to complete. Step 4: Click Apply, and when prompted, choose whether you want all folders within that directory to be encrypted or merely the top-level one. Step 3: Tick the box next to Encrypt Contents to Secure Data and click OK.

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