Now days, more and more people concern about their online privacy. No one wants to leak privacy. Although Windows can only access the folder when logged in to your user account, but some other people can also access to your private folder if your account is shared with others. Fortunately, in Windows 11, you can password protect folders to prevent others from accessing your private files or folders.
There are also various apps on the market that can password protect folders in Windows 11. However, Windows 11 Pro has built-in file encryption for all versions of Windows except Windows 11 Home. Next, we will introduce how to password protect a folder in Windows 11.
How to Hide files, folders and drives in Windows 11?
We’ll cover the first way to password-protect a folder in Windows 11. This method only works on all Windows 11 editions except Windows 11 Home. If you’re using Windows 11 Home, you can refer to the second method below.
1 Open Windows Explorer, right-click the folder you want to password protect, and then click Properties.
2 Click Advanced in the folder’s Properties window.
3 In the Advanced Properties window, check the box for Encrypt content to protect data and click OK.
4 Return to the main window and click Apply.
5 There are two options in the Confirm Property Changes window:
- Apply changes to this folder, it will only encrypt the folder;
- Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files, it will encrypt the folder as well as subfolders and files.
6 Choose between any two options and click OK.
7 You will then receive a notification asking you to back up your file encryption key. Click the Backup Now option.
8 Insert the USB flash drive into the computer. Create an encryption certificate, which includes the key to access the encrypted folder, and export it to the USB drive you plugged in.
9 Make sure the password you choose meets the following criteria:
- Contains at least ten characters.
- Contains one uppercase letter and one lowercase letter.
- Must be alphanumeric.
- If special characters are allowed in passwords, you should use that too.
10 When done, click OK.
Password protect folders with third-party software
The first method does not work for Windows 11 Home. If you’re using Windows 11 Home, you can use third-party software like Easy File Locker to password protect folders. This is a free software.
1 Download Easy File Locker from the official website first, and then install it on your PC.
2 Set a password and select the files or folders to encrypt.
Once a password is set, whoever accesses the protected file can only access the contents of the file by entering the password you set.
Access password protected folders
When using the first method to password protect files on Windows 11, you will only be able to access the folder if you are logged into your account. Double click on the folder and you will be prompted to enter the password you set, after entering the password you will be able to access all the contents of the file.
That’s all about how to password protect a folder in Windows 11. Now you can password protect your private folder on Windows 11 according to the methods in the article.
