This Itechguide teaches you how to password protect a folder on Windows 10. The guide covers 2 steps to password protect a folder on Windows 10 – 1, install 7-zip. 2, use 7-zip to password-protect a folder.
Step 1: Install 7-zip
- Open 7-Zip.org from a browser on your PC.
- Then, click the Download link for the version and edition you want to install. If you are not sure which edition to download, download the 32-bits.
- Save the file to a folder on your computer.
- Then, open the folder you saved the 7-Zip installer and double-click the 7-zip installer file.
- If you receive a User Account Control confirmation screen, click Yes.
- Then, on the 7-Zip installation screen, click Install.
- When the application is installed, click Close.
Step 2: Password Protect a Folder with 7-zip
This section has 2 sub-sections: 1, how to password-protect a folder. 2, how to unzip a password-protected Zip file.
Option 1: Password-protect a Folder
- Open the folder containing the folder you want to password protect on Windows 10 and copy the folder path.
- Then, type 7-zip in the search box. From the search results, click 7-Zip File Manager.
- When 7-Zip File Manager opens, paste the folder path you copied in step 1 above and press enter. The folder path will open in 7-Zip.
- Highlight (click once) the folder you want to password-protect. Then, on the top left of 7-Zip, click Add. Add to Archive will open.
- Then, on the Add to Archive window, click the Archive format drop-down and select zip.
- Finally, to password protect a folder on Windows 10, on the bottom right of the Add to Archive window, beneath Encryption, enter a password on the Enter password field.
- Then, re-enter the same password on the Reenter password field and click OK.
- A Zip file with the folder name will be created and passworded.
Option 2: Unzip a Password-protected Zip File
- To unzip the passworded file and access the original folder, right-click the zip file and select Extract All…
- On the Select a Destination and Extract Files screen, click Extract.
- Enter the password you used when you passworded the folder with 7-zip and click OK.
- The zip file will be extracted and your original folder will become available!
As you can see, it is very easy to password protect a folder on Windows 10! I hope you found this Itechguide helpful. If you found it helpful, click on “Yes” beside the “Was this page helpful” question below.
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