How to password folder on Windows 7. How to put a password on a folder - six ways, plus video reviews. We use third-party programs

Everyone loves secrets, but not everyone knows how to password protect a folder with files in Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7. In some cases, a protected folder on a computer is quite a necessary thing in which you can store passwords for very important accounts on the Internet. work files that are not meant for others and more.

Programs to set a password for a folder in Windows 10, Windows 7 and 8

Let's start with programs designed to protect folders with a password. Unfortunately, among the free tools for this there is little that can be recommended, but still I managed to find two and a half solutions that can still be advised.

Attention: despite my recommendations, do not forget to check free software downloads on services such as Virustotal.com. Despite the fact that at the time of writing, I tried to select only “clean” ones and manually checked each utility, this may change with time and updates.

Anvide seal folder

Anvide Seal Folder (previously, as I understand it - Anvide Lock Folder) - the only adequate free program   in Russian to set a password on a folder in Windows, which is not secretly attempting (but openly suggests elements of Yandex, be careful) to install any unwanted software on your computer.

After starting the program, you can add to the list a folder or folders to which you want to put a password, then press F5 (or click on the folder right click   mouse and select "Close access") and set a password for the folder. It can be separate for each folder, and you can “Close access to all folders” with one password. Also, by clicking on the image of the "Lock" on the left in the menu bar, you can set a password to launch the program itself.

By default, after closing the access, the folder disappears from its location, but in the program settings you can also enable encryption of the folder name and file contents for better protection. Summing up - a simple and understandable solution that will be easy for any novice user to understand and protect their folders from unauthorized access, including some interesting ones. additional features   (for example, if someone incorrectly enters a password, you will be informed about this when you start the program with the correct password).

Official site where you can download free software Anvide Seal Folder anvidelabs.org/programms/asf/

Lock-a-folder

Free open-source program Lock-a-folder is a very simple solution for setting a password on a folder and hiding it from the explorer or from the desktop from outsiders. The utility, despite the absence of the Russian language, is very easy to use.

All that is required is to set the master password when you first start it, and then add the folders you want to block to the list. Similarly, unlocking takes place — launch the program, select a folder from the list, and press the Unlock Selected Folder button. The program does not contain any additional offers installed along with it.

Details about the use and about where to download the program:.

Dirlock

DirLock is another free program for setting passwords on folders. It works as follows: after installation, the “Lock / Unlock” item is added to the context menu of the folders, respectively, to lock and unlock these folders.

This item opens the DirLock program itself, where the folder should be added to the list, and you, accordingly, can set a password for it. But, in my check on Windows 10 Pro x64, the program refused to work. I also did not find the official site of the program (in the About window only developer contacts), but it is easily located on many sites on the Internet (but do not forget about the virus and malware scan).

Lim Block Folder (Lim lock Folder)

The free Russian-language utility Lim Block Folder is recommended almost everywhere where it comes to setting passwords on folders. However, it is strictly blocked. windows protector   10 and 8 (and also SmartScreen), but at the same time from the point of view of Virustotal.com - pure (one detection, probably false).

The second point - I could not get the program to work in Windows 10, including in compatibility mode. However, judging by the screenshots on the official website, the program should be easy to use, and, judging by the reviews, it works. So, if you have Windows 7 or XP you can try.

The official website of the program - maxlim.org

Paid programs for setting a password on folders

The list of free third-party folder protection solutions that you can recommend is limited to those indicated. But there are paid programs for these purposes. Perhaps some of them will seem more acceptable to you for your purposes.

Hide folders

The program Hide Folders is a functional solution for password protection of folders and files, their hiding, which also includes Hide Folder Ext for setting a password to external drives   and flash drives. In addition, Hide Folders in Russian, which makes its use more simple.

The program supports several options for protecting folders - hiding, locking with a password, or a combination of them, is also supported remote control   protection over the network, hiding traces of the program, calling on hotkeys and integration (or lack thereof, which may also be relevant) with Windows Explorer, export of lists of protected files.

In my opinion, one of the best and most convenient solutions of such a plan, albeit a paid one. The official website of the program is http://fspro.net/hide-folders/ (a free trial version lasts 30 days).

IoBit Protected Folder

Iobit Protected Folder - very simple program   for setting a password on folders (similar to the free utilities of DirLock or Lock-a-Folder), in Russian, but at the same time paid.

Understanding how to use the program, I think, can be obtained simply from the screenshot above, but some explanations will not be needed. When you lock a folder, it disappears from Windows Explorer. The program is compatible with Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7, and you can download it from the official site ru.iobit.com

Folder Lock by newsoftwares.net

Folder Lock does not support the Russian language, but if this is not a problem for you, then perhaps this is the program that provides the most functionality when protecting folders with a password. In addition to actually setting a password for a folder, you can:

• Create “safes” with encrypted files (this is more secure than a simple password for a folder).
• Enable automatic blocking when you exit the program, from Windows or turn off the computer.
• Safely delete folders and files.
• Receive reports of incorrect passwords.
• Enable the hidden work of the program with a call on the hot keys.
• Create backups encrypted files online.
• Creating encrypted "safes" in the form of exe-files with the ability to open on other computers where Folder Lock is not installed.

The same developer has additional tools to protect your files and folders - Folder Protect, USB Block, USB Secure, which have slightly different functions. For example, Folder Protect, in addition to setting a password for files, can prevent them from being deleted or modified.

All developer programs are available for download (free trial versions) on the official website http://www.newsoftwares.net/

Set the password for the archive folder in Windows

All popular archivers - WinRAR, 7-zip, WinZIP support setting a password for the archive and encrypting its contents. That is, you can add a folder to such an archive (especially if you rarely use it) with setting a password, and delete the folder itself (that is, so that just the password-protected archive remains). Wherein, this way   It will be more reliable than simply setting passwords to folders using the programs described above, since your files will actually be encrypted.

Password for a folder without programs in Windows 10, 8 and 7 (only Professional, Maximum and Corporate)

If you want to do really reliable protection   for your files from outsiders in Windows and do without programs, while on your computer windows version   With BitLocker support, I could recommend the following way to set a password on your folders and files:

From what Windows itself can offer, this is probably the most reliable way   Protect files and folders on your computer.

Another way without programs

This method is not too serious and does not really protect much, but for general development I cite it here. To begin with, create any folder that we will protect with a password. Next - create text Document   in this folder with the following content:

CLS @ECHO OFF title Folder with password if EXIST "Locker" goto UNLOCK if NOT EXIST Private goto MDLOCKER: CONFIRM echo Are you going to lock the? (Y / N) set / p folder if you cho\u003e\u003e% cho% == Y goto LOCK if% cho% == y goto LOCK if% cho% == n goto END if% cho% == N goto END echo Wrong choice. goto CONFIRM: LOCK ren Private "Locker" attrib + h + s "Locker" echo Folder locked goto End: UNLOCK echo Enter the password to unlock the set / p folder "pass =\u003e" if NOT% pass% == YOUR_PROLL goto FAIL attrib -h -s "Locker" ren "Locker" Private echo Folder successfully unlocked goto End: FAIL echo Incorrect password goto end: MDLOCKER md Private echo The secret folder created by goto End: End

Save this file with a .bat extension and run it. After you run this file, the Private folder will be automatically created, where you should save all your super-secret files. After all the files have been saved, run our .bat file again. When asked if you want to lock the folder, press Y - as a result, the folder will simply disappear. If you need to reopen the folder, run the .bat file, enter the password, and the folder appears.

The way, to put it mildly, is unreliable - in this case the folder is simply hidden, and when you enter the password it is shown again. In addition, someone more or less savvy in computers can look into the contents of the bat file and find out the password. But, no less a topic, I think that this method will be of interest to some novice users. Once I also learned from such simple examples.

How to put a password on a folder in MacOS X

Fortunately, on iMac or Macbook, setting a password on the file folder is not at all difficult.

Here's how to do it:

1. Open the "Disk Utility" (Disk Utility), located in the "Programs" - "Utility programs"
2. In the menu, select “File” - “New” - “Create image from folder”. You can also just click "New Image"
3. Specify the image name, size (more data will not be saved into it) and the type of encryption. Click Create.
4. At the next stage, you will be prompted to enter the password and confirm the password.

That's all - now you have a disk image, which you can mount (and therefore read or save files) only after entering the correct password. In this case, all your data is stored in an encrypted form, which increases security.

That's all for today - we have considered several ways to put a password on a folder in Windows and MacOS, as well as a couple of programs for this. I hope for someone this article will be useful.

Recently, I had to password folder on my computer and I had to sort through a bunch of programs for this. In the end, I chose a few worthy of attention and decided to tell you about them.

There are also “classic” encryption methods, which will be discussed at the end of the article. I think this topic will be interesting to many, and who is too lazy to read - at the end of the article there is a video.

How to put a password on any folder by programs

This method will appeal to most of you. It makes it easy to hide folders from the eyes of users. But this topic has a flaw - in order to remove the password protection from the folder you need to run the program each time. I found three, worthy of attention, the program.

Free Anvide Lock Folder

After installation, a folder appears with shortcuts on the desktop. To set a password for a folder, you need to transfer it to the program window or click on the “plus sign” and select it manually. Then click on the folder in the program window and click the "lock". We come up with a password, enter it twice and voila - the folder completely disappears from view!

You can not enter the password hint, but do not forget it! To enter the closed folder yourself, you need to start the program, click on the item in the list, click on the “open lock” and enter the password. It is interesting that the “attacker” will not be able to find your data on the computer and, even knowing the password, will not understand where to enter it. Even after booting from another operating system   he won't find anything!

In the settings (click on the "wrench") there are several convenient options:

Set a password to start and change the program settings, check the box “Close access to all folders after exiting the program” and “Forcibly close access to folders”. The latter is needed if the files in your directory will be occupied by another program and “ALF” will not be able to set a password for it.

To make this option available, click "Configure" and specify the location of the file "unlocker.exe" (usually in "C: \\ Program Files \\ Unlocker"). This is a program for the usual way. You will need to install it.

Remember before reinstalling windows   Be sure to open access to all folders!

Paid Thing - Password Protect USB

Do not pay attention to the prefix "USB", the program works with different drives. It is paid, costs about $ 40, but those who know can use it for free. The program has a 30-day test period and the limit on the size of protected data is 50MB.

To put a password on the folder, click on it with the right button and select “Lock with Password Protect USB” or launch the program yourself:

The presence of this item in the context menu favorably differs from the free “ALF”. If the password setting dialog does not appear automatically, then click the “Lock folders” button and manually find the folder on the disk. Then set a password and, if desired, a password hint.

The operation of Password Protect USB is somewhat similar to an archiver, since The folder is hidden in a file with the extension “.___ ppp”, which can be deleted with a little effort. This, I think, is the only, but very significant, cant of the program. On the other hand, these files can be transferred to a USB flash drive and safely reinstall Windows. Then install “Password Protect USB” again and select “Search for Locked Folders ...” at the very bottom.

Clicking on the ".___ ppp" file launches "PPUSB" and a password prompt appears to remove the protection. You can also manually tick off the items from which you need to remove the password, and click the "Unlock folders" button:

After work, do not forget to set passwords again!

Hide folders

In a nutshell, I'll introduce you to another great “freebie” - Hide Folders. Works like "ALF", i.e. the folder is completely hidden. We also transfer the catalog to the window or press the "plus sign" and select it on the computer ourselves.

Then we press the “Hide” button, thereby turning on the working mode, and tick the hidden folders, while the status column says “Hidden”. To remove protection, remove the checkmarks from the desired items in the list, or click "Unhide" to turn off the program for all folders.

The important difference is that the password is set one for the entire program, which is asked at startup.

Watch the video on working with the described software

How to set a password on the archived folder

If you need to hide a small amount of information, for example, several documents, then I recommend not to bother with installing masterpieces of programming, but limit yourself to any of the famous archivers of our time.

I mean, the easiest way is to archive the file with your favorite archiver. with password. In this case, when from the archive you will need to enter a password. Personally, I use. To place files or a folder in a password-protected archive, select them, right-click and select “Add to archive”:

Then click “Set password ...” and enter your unique and unique password for the folder twice (in older versions, go to the “Advanced” tab). If you tick the “Show password when entering” checkbox, you will not need to repeat the input. The option "Encrypt file names" will not allow your household (or who you are encrypted from there) to see what is inside the archive, not to mention getting files from there

Everything, archive and delete the source files. You can manually or put a tick on the tab "General" - "Delete files after packaging."

With a complex password (8 characters with large / small letters, numbers and special characters) to crack such an archive is almost impossible at home. But this method has drawbacks: it is inconvenient to work with large amounts of data, it is difficult to store and run programs and the ability to simply lose the archive if it is deleted

There is another slightly more convenient way using archiving. By default, there are so-called zip folders in Windows. This is when the zip-archive is displayed in Explorer not as a file, but as a folder. With this directory, you can work almost as usual.

If the archive is password-protected, then to open files from such a folder, a password will be requested. Please note that in file managers like Total Commander or FAR, the archive will still be displayed as a regular file.

The trouble is that when installing WinRAR windows Explorer   displays zip archives as normal files. Instead, he can use the program. It does not disable zip folders and allows you to archive files into a zip archive with a password.

Congenital Security Windows

In Windows, you can restrict access to files and folders even with built-in tools. If your discs are formatted in nTFS system, then individual files can be set permissions. But it will make sense only if every computer user has his own account   in the system and it is NOT with the rights "administrator".

That is, we will indicate in the properties of the folder those users who can use it. If the person does not have rights, he will not receive access or a password will be requested. So, to do this, click on the folder or file in the Explorer with the right button and select "Properties" - "Change"

Here you have to click "Add" and enter the logins of users to whom you will deny access. Then click "Check Names" to make sure there are no errors:

If you need to close for everyone, then write the user name "All", the system will understand. Then you need to put all the checkboxes, or which you need, in the column "Forbid" and click "OK"

Everything, now these users will not be able to get access to the folder when they log into the system under them. But they will be able to open access if logged in with administrator rights, for example, by booting from a flash drive.

You can also remove all users from the access list and add only the necessary ones. But most likely an error will be generated when trying to delete at least some item, because by default they are inherited from the parent directory. Therefore, you will need to go through the buttons "Advanced -\u003e Change permissions ..." and uncheck "Add permissions inherited from parent objects"

The system will ask "Add" or "Delete." If you select the first, then you will be able to remove items from the list, and if the second, then the inherited rights will be deleted. Now you can go back to setting permissions and add only those people who will have access. Checkboxes, of course, now need to put in the column "Allow".

Windows 7 still has encrypted file system   EFS, which allows you to encrypt data at the physical level. Only those who have the key file will be able to access them. It is added to the repository once and you work with your data as usual, but others do not, and no password will help them.

To lock a folder you need to right-click on it, select “Properties -\u003e Others” and tick the “Encrypt content for data protection” checkbox.

To regain access to the encrypted data under a different user, or after reinstalling the system, double-click on the key (file extension.pfx), enter the password and finish importing the key to the storage:

Do not lose keys and passwords in any of the ways described! Restore anything with email   (as usual) will not work!

Summarize

That's all, I finished my review. So use special programs   - This is the easiest way to put a password on folders in Windows 7. If a computer is used by several users under different logins, then the easiest way to restrict file permissions. In this case, you will save yourself from having to enter passwords to access your data. On the crook, you can use data encryption - EFS.