How To Lock Folders On Windows

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Desire to hide files in a secret locked folder in Windows 10 or xi? Encrypting a folder allows yous to lock the folder to anyone who doesn't have an encryption key. We'll show you how to encrypt files in Windows 10 or 11 Pro or Enterprise editions in File Manager, and how to employ AxCrypt to lock folders if you're using Home edition.

1

Press ⊞ Win+E to open up File Explorer . The File Explorer icon is a folder with a blue clip. You can click the File Explorer icon in the Windows Beginning bill of fare or press the Windows Central + Eastward to open up File Explorer.
2

Navigate to the folder you want to lock. Use File Explorer to navigate to where the folder y'all desire to encrypt is stored on your reckoner.

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3

Right-click the folder and click Properties . Right-clicking a binder displays a context menu. Click Properties at the bottom of that context menu.
iv

Click Advanced . Information technology's the push button at the lesser of the Properties menu under the "General" tab. This displays the Advanced Attributes menu.
5
Click the checkbox next to "Encrypt contents to secure data" and click Ok . This selects the option to encrypt the folder.
- This option is non bachelor in Windows ten & 11 Home Edition.
6

Click Utilise . It'due south at the lesser of the Backdrop carte du jour. This applies the changes you have made. A pop-up menu will announced asking if you want to encrypt just the folder or all the subfolders and contents within the folder.
7
Select "Utilise changes to this binder, subfolders and files" and click Ok . It'southward the second radio option in the pop-upwards carte. This applies encryption to all the folders and all the contents within.
- Alternatively, you can click "Utilize changes to this folder but" to apply the encryption to the folder only, and not to whatever of the subfolders or contents within.
viii

Click Back up your file encryption key . When you apply the encryption, you lot will receive a notification in the lower-correct corner request you to back up your file encryption primal. Click the notification to display the options for bankroll upwards your encryption key.
9

Click Back up at present (recommended) . It'south the starting time option that appears in the pop-up when you click the notification.
10

Click Next . This folio explains that the document consign wizard will help you export the certificate for the encryption key. Click Next in the lower-correct corner to continue.
11
Select the format you want to use and click Adjacent . The default file format is "Personal Data Substitution (.pfx)," merely you lot can select one of the other options if yous would rather use them instead.
- If you are not sure which choice to select, get with the default Personal Data Exchange. Click Adjacent to continue.
12

Click the checkbox next to "Password," create a password and click Adjacent . To create a countersign, click the checkbox next to "Password" and and so enter a countersign on the line beneath it. Enter the exact same password again on the line below "Confirm password" so click Next in the lower-right corner.
thirteen

Insert a USB thumb drive. Since the document contains the key needed to open your encrypted folder, the safest identify to relieve this file is on an external hard drive, such every bit a USB thumb drive. Insert a USB thumb drive into any bachelor USB port on your computer.
14

Click Browse and select a location of your thumb bulldoze. Click the button that says "Scan" next to the bar that says "Filename." And so select your USB drive.
15
Enter a filename and click Salvage . Enter the filename for the encryption key certificate in the line that says "File name." You can enter whatever filename you want, but you should utilise a filename that you recognize as the encryption central for your binder. Click Save when you lot are done.
- Be certain to salve the USB drive in a safe location. You will need it if y'all are not able to access the encrypted folder for any reason.
16
Click Next and then click Terminate . After saving the encryption cardinal certificate, click Side by side to continue to the last page in the Export wizard. The last folio shows a recap of all the steps y'all have taken. Click Cease to close the export magician. The folder is now locked to all other users except for yous.
- Yous can access your encrypted folders every bit long as you are signed into Windows under your user account. No other Windows user (including the admin) volition be able to admission the folder.
- If your user countersign is changed by an administrator, or you move the encrypted folder to another computer, you volition not be able to access the binder. Yous will need to import the encryption key certificate to regain access to the binder.^[i]
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1

Insert the USB drive with your encryption key certificate. Locate the USB thumb bulldoze yous used to salve your encryption key certificate. Insert it into any USB port on your calculator.
2
Click the Windows Beginning menu . Information technology'due south the icon with the Windows logo in the lower-left corner by default.
- If your Windows countersign has changed or you lot move your encrypted files to another computer, you lot will need to import the document with the encryption key in order to regain access to your encrypted folder.
3

Type certificates. This displays a list of all apps that manage certificates on your Windows computer.
4

Click Manage User Certificates . This opens the Manage User Certificates app.
5

Click Personal . It's the offset option in the list on the left in the Manage User Certificates application.
6

Right-click Certificates . Information technology'south the first choice in the panel on the right side under Object Type.
vii

Select All Tasks . It's the starting time option in the context bill of fare that appears when y'all correct-click "Certificates."
eight

Click Import . It's the second option under the "All Tasks" menu. This opens the Import Certificates wizard.
9

Click Next . It'due south in the lower-correct corner of the Import wizard. This screen explains that the Magician volition walk y'all through the procedure of importing your certificates once again.
10

Click Browse and select your encryption key document and click Next . Your encryption key document should be stored on your USB bulldoze. Click Browse in the popular-upwards and navigate to the encryption key certificate on the USB drive, select it, and then click Adjacent.
11

Enter your countersign and click Next . This imports the certificates and allows you to access your encrypted binder again.

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i
Download and install AxCrypt. Windows Habitation Edition does not have the power to encrypt and lock folders. Nevertheless, AxCrypt is a free 3rd-political party tool you tin can use to encrypt and lock folders on all versions of Windows. Utilise the post-obit steps to download and install Axcrypt:
- Go to https://axcrypt.net/download in a spider web browser.
- Click Download AxCrypt
- Click the AxCrypt Setup file in your web browser or Downloads binder.
- Click the checkbox next to "I agree to the license terms and agreement."
- Click Install.
- Click Yes.
2
Click New User? Sign Upward . It's at the bottom of the window that appears when you launch AxCrypt. This opens upward a web page that allows you lot to sign upwards for a new AxCrypt account.
- If you already take an business relationship, enter the electronic mail and password associated with your AxCrypt account and click Ok.
iii
Sign upwardly for an business relationship. You can sign upwards for a basic business relationship for complimentary. A basic account allows yous to encrypt and lock folders on Windows. Utilize the following steps to sign up for an business relationship:
- Click Free below the business relationship options.
- Enter your email accost in the bar that say "Email."
- Click the checkbox next to "I am not a robot."
- Click Sign Upward.
- Cheque the electronic mail yous used to sign upward with and open the verification email from AxCrypt.
- Click Verify AxCrypt ID.
- Enter a countersign you want to utilise.
- Enter the password again and click Verify.
four

Launch AxCrypt. AxCrypt has a green icon with an image that resembles a padlock. Click the AxCrypt icon in your Windows Start carte or Desktop.
5
Sign in to AxCrypt. Enter the email accost and password you used when y'all signed upwards for an AxCrypt account and click Log In.
- You may be asked if you want to try a gratuitous thirty trial of the premium version of AxCrypt. If you lot don't desire to sign up for a premium subscription, click Not Now. You can continue to use the gratis version of AxCrypt for equally long as yous want.
6

Press ⊞ Win+East to open File Explorer . File Explorer has an icon that resembles a folder with a blueish clip. Click the File Explorer icon in the taskbar or Windows Commencement menu, or printing the Windows Fundamental + Due east to open File Explorer.
7

Right-click the folder yous want to lock. Employ File Explorer to navigate to the folder you want to encrypt. Right-click the folder to display a context menu next to it. You should see "AxCrypt" equally an option in the context menu.
eight

Hover over "AxCrypt" and click Encrypt . It's the outset pick in the AxCrypt submenu.
9
Click Ok in the AxCrypt customer. This begins encrypting all the files in the folder. They volition be converted to ".axx" files. This indicates the files are encrypted. All encrypted files volition exist inaccessible until they are decrypted using AxCrypt.
- To decrypt a file or binder, make sure you lot are signed in to the AxCrypt client, right-click the file or folder, hover over AxCrypt and click Decrypt. Then click Ok in the AxCrypt client.
- You practise not demand to enter your AxCrypt password as long as you are signed in to the AxCrypt customer.
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Add New Question

Question

What happens if I forget the countersign?

1. Click Showtime > Open the "Run" dialog > Type: regedit and striking Enter. 2. Open Registry Editor and get to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER. three. Click "Software" > "new software" > "folder lock" > "Uninstall". 4. Edit the value to 0; 5. Become to Control Panel and uninstall Folder Lock.
Question

if binder locker.bat got deleted then How the locked folder will be accessed? Will deleting folderlocker.bat volition delete the locked file?

Type this into command prompt: cd "" attrib -h -south "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" ren "Control Console.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" Locker.
Question

Have locked folders on a USB but after they are locked can even so search with a file extension (eg. docx) and all files with that extension volition show up! Not much point locking them.

Chris Gootos

Community Answer

What'due south the logic to lock the folders? To not allow access to files or to completely hide the folder from search parameters? You can correct-click, then properties, and then on the bottom you lot tin choose "hide"; however, you're probably best off by restricting the permissions of the folders to access only by you through the System Permissions of the file or folder.
Question

What's to prevent someone unauthorized from accessing the lock.txt doc where the password is clearly visible?

Chris Gootos

Customs Reply

There is zip stopping them from opening the give-and-take.doc file if the password is visible; however, you can lock all Office files with a secure countersign, merely you will have to provide the password key to the recipient to enable the file to be opened. It seems every bit if the optimal goal is to keep unauthorized users from seeing the content, and so put the password protected file in a restricted access folder.
Question

Can I delete the original "lock" file that we created?

When you lot run into a locked folder in Windows 10, the organization won't let yous to do anything with it -- open it, delete it, or movement it -- without the password. For folders that you didn't lock, finding the password often isn't an option. You tin't open these folders, but you can delete them -- fifty-fifty though a unproblematic correct-click "Delete" won't work, nor will the delete button.
Question

How to lock folder without hiding command and application?

Joseph Purcell

Community Answer

ane) Locate the folder on your desktop. Right-click the folder you want to protect and click "Backdrop". ii) On the Full general tab, click "Advanced". 3) Check the "Encrypt contents to secure data" data checkbox. ... 4) Click the "Apply" button of the Properties panel.

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Commodity Summary X

1. Open the folder.
2. Create a new text file called "lock.txt" within.
3. Open the file.
four. Re-create the lock lawmaking from https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/password-protect-folder-windows-ten.
5. Paste it into the file.
6. Supervene upon "Your-Password-Here" with a password.
vii. Salve the file equally "FolderLocker.Bat" and shut the window.
8. Double-click FolderLocker.Bat in the folder.
9. Drag files to protect to the new fodler chosen "Locker."
ten. Double-click FolderLocker.Bat and press the Y key.

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