Password protect Windows 10 files and folders
- Using File Explorer, right-click on a file or folder you want password protected
- Click on Properties at the bottom of the context menu
- Click on Advanced…
- Select “Encrypt contents to secure data” and click on Apply
- You’l be prompted to back up your encryption key, you’ll need it if you lose access to your encrypted files
Applies to All Windows 10 Versions
If you’ve got files you’d rather others couldn’t access, locking them up with a password can be the simplest way to get peace of mind. Windows has built-in support for basic password protection, letting you keep your files safe from prying eyes.
Caution: When you create a password for a document, write down the password and keep it in a secure place.If you lose the password, you can't open or gain access to the password-protected document.Passwords in Excel for Mac and Word for Mac have a 15-character limit. 2017-9-6 Password protect a folder in WIndows 10. Let me answer you query to password protect a particular folder/file. I follow the Microsoft encryption directions precisely, and the encryption box is greyed out. When I try to click on it, nothing happens. The encryption is unavailable, so the Microsoft directions do not work at all!
Before we get started, we should offer a warning – while this method is simple and effective, it’s not intended for large-scale or mission-critical use. It goes without saying you should invest in purpose-built encryption software if you’re storing really sensitive information on your device.
To begin, use File Explorer to find the file or folder you wish to protect. Right-click on it and click “Properties” at the bottom of the context menu. From here, press the “Advanced…” button in the Attributes section of the window.
At the bottom of this pane, tick the “Encrypt contents to secure data” checkbox. Click the “OK” button to get back to the main Properties window. Now press “Apply” and Windows will begin to encrypt your files.
When the process completes, you’ll be prompted to back-up your encryption key if you’ve never used the feature before. Click the toast notification and follow the prompts to make a note of your encryption key. You’ll need this information if you ever lose access to your encrypted files, so it’s important you take the time to back it up now.
Sep 11, 2019 How to protect a folder with password on Windows 10. Although Windows 10 doesn't include an option to add a password to a folder, you can set up a virtual disk with BitLocker, which gives you the. 2020-3-31 Microsoft 365 Event. How to password protect a folder or file in Windows 10. By James Walker Email Twitter: @jheronwalker Nov 1st. Use File Explorer to find the file or folder you wish to.
With the back-up done, your files are now secured. They’re encrypted with a key that’s tied down to your Windows user account. 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.
You can reverse the encryption at any time by heading back to the Properties window and opening the Advanced Attributes pane again. Just untick the “Encrypt contents to secure data” checkbox and click OK to close the windows. After encryption, you can also press the “Details” button next to the checkbox to see information about the encryption certificate and available recovery procedures.
That’s all there is to it. Once again, we’ll remind you this method isn’t intended for high-security purposes. However, it’s 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!
Jul 29, 2016 There is no need to purchase a third party software to password protect your folder on a Mac because you can do it for free with encrypting a folder with Disk Utility. The most efficient way to password protect folders on your Mac OS Sierra for free is by creating an encrypted image and then mount the folder as a virtual disk.
If you need stronger protections, you might want to consider investing in third-party software that’s specially designed for this purpose. Microsoft outlook for mac os. Enabling Windows’ BitLocker feature (Pro and Enterprise edition only) can also give peace of mind if you want all your files to be 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 feature encrypts the entire drive, not individual files – so once Windows starts, everything on the drive is decrypted and made available to everyone. File-based encryption gets unlocked only after you login, and deals with individual files and folders.
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Although Windows 10 doesn't have an option to protect folders and files with a password, it doesn't mean that you're data isn't secure. One of the reasons why you can't set a password to a folder is because your account is already protected from unauthorized access with a password and even encryption if you use BitLocker to encrypt your entire device.
However, if you have precious family and friends photos, bank information, and other business documents that you feel would be more secure using a password, you can use a combination of a virtual hard disk and BitLocker to password protect folders and files on your computer. And all without the need for third-party tools or complicated scripts, which are probably not as secure as using the Windows 10 built-in encryption feature.
In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to protect a folder with a password using a virtual hard disk and BitLocker available with the professional version of the OS.
How to protect a folder with password on Windows 10
Although Windows 10 doesn't include an option to add a password to a folder, you can set up a virtual disk with BitLocker, which gives you the ability to mimic the same password protection experience and extra security without complicated steps.
Creating a virtual hard disk
To create a virtual hard disk on Windows 10, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Disk Management and click the top result to open the app.
- Click the Action menu.
Click the Create VHD option.
- Click the Browse button to select a location to store the virtual disk.
Specify a name for the drive. For example, folder_vault.
- Click the Save button.
- Under the 'Virtual hard disk size' section, specify the amount of space that you want to reserve for storage. For example, 8GB, but you can use any amount based on the content that you want to protect.
- (Optional) Under the 'Virtual hard disk format' section, select the VHDX option.
Select the Dynamically expanding option so the storage will only grow as you save files.
- Click the OK button.
Right-click the 'Disk x,' and select the Initialize Disk option.
- Check the new Disk x.
Select the MBR (Master Boot Record) option.
- Click the OK button.
Right-click the 'Unallocated space,' and select the New Simple Volume option.
- Click the Next button.
Use the default settings for the volume size.
- Click the Next button.
Use the 'Assign the following drive letter' drop-down menu to select a letter for the new drive.
- Click the Next button.
- Use the 'File system' drop-down menu, and select the NTFS option.
- Use the 'Allocation unit size' drop-down menu, and select the Default option.
- In the 'Value label' field, type a descriptive name for the drive. For example, folder_vault.
Check the Perform a quick format option.
- Unless necessary, clear the Enable file and folder compression option.
- Click the Next button.
- Click the Finish button.
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Once you complete the steps, you'll end up with a virtual hard disk that you can treat as a folder and password protect using BitLocker.
Enabling BitLocker on a virtual hard disk
To set up BitLocker on a virtual hard disk on Windows 10, use these steps:
- Open Control Panel.
- Click on System and Security.
- Click on BitLocker Drive Encryption.
- Under the 'Fixed data drives' section, select the folder_vault drive.
Click the Turn on BitLocker option.
Check the Use a password to unlock the drive option.
- Create a password to protect your folders inside the drive.
- Click the Next button.
Click the Save to a file button.
Select a location to store the recovery key.
Quick tip: If you forget the password or lose the recovery key, you won't be able to recover your files, so make sure to keep this file in a secure place.
- Click the Save button.
- Click the Next button.
Select the Encrypt used disk space only option.
- Click the Next button.
Select the Compatibility mode option.
- Click the Next button.
Click the Start encryption button.
- Click the Close button once the encryption has finished.
After you complete the steps, you can begin using the virtual disk as a folder to protect your content with a password.
Locking and unlocking folder with password
Once you created a virtual drive and configured BitLocker, you'll need to know a few steps to lock and unlock your files and folders.
Unlock folders with password
To access folders and files protected with a password on Windows 10, use these steps:
- Open File Explorer.
Browse to the folder with the folder_vault.vhd file.
Double-click the VHD (VHDX) file to mount it to File Explorer.
Quick note: If you receive a 'is not accessible' and 'Access is denied' message, this is normal behavior because you mounted the drive, but you haven't unlocked it with the password yet.
- Click on This PC from the left pane.
Under the 'Devices and drives' section, double-click the drive to open the sign-in page.
Type the password to unlock the drive with your important files and folders.
Quick tip: If you can't remember the password, click the More options link, click the Enter recovery key option, and type the 48-digit recovery key available in the text file that you should have saved when setting up BitLocker on the virtual hard disk.
- Click the Unlock button.
Once you complete the steps, you will be able to access your important files and folders.
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Lock folders with password
When you no longer need to access your files, use these steps to lock the drive:
Mac Reset Password
- Open File Explorer.
- Click on This PC from the left pane.
Under the 'Devices and drives' section, right-click the BitLocker drive, and select the Eject option.
After you complete the steps, the folders will remain encrypted and protected using the BitLocker password. The next time that you need to access those important files and folders, you'll need to follow the unlock instructions, which include entering the password again.
The best part about using a virtual hard disk with BitLocker to add a password to a folder is that you can continue to unlock your files on the same or different computer using the above steps.
More Windows 10 resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:
UH OHMicrosoft may have delayed Windows 10X and Surface Neo beyond 2020
Microsoft's upcoming Windows 10X and Surface Neo products may not be shipping in time for the holiday after all, according to a new report from ZDNet's Mary-Jo Foley. This means that other Windows 10X devices from third-party manufactures also won't be launching at the end of this year like originally planned. Microsoft's dual-screen Windows 10X effort has been put on pause.