
Warning: If you have gotten some extremely sensitive data to protect, we recommend you utilize the password-protect or archive method as they offer more security and protection than this one. And so, it’s not effective for securing critical documents from unwanted access.

The built-in lock feature will do all the work, so you wouldn’t have to install any other folder lock software.Īlthough this method works fine, it is pretty basic. Locking a folder using File Explorer in Windows 10Windows File Explorer is the most straightforward method to lock folder in your Microsoft Windows PC. Therefore, while using this type of protection, a strong password is highly recommended because simpler ones are easy to crack. However, it requires a special set of characters or a password to acquire access to the password protected folder. Like encryption, the password-protect feature also secures your private data from meddling eyes. To view the original document, a key will be needed, which is the user account of the person who created the encrypted folder or encrypted file. That means if a person without authority tries to open the encrypted document, he will only see a bunch of random letters. How to lock a folder in Windows 10 Password Protection vs Encryption – What is the difference?Since we will be frequently using the terms “ Password Protection” and “ Encryption” throughout this guide, it’s essential to understand their meaning to use them correctly.Įncryption is a process that converts simple, legible text to an unreadable and complex form, making it difficult to understand for an unauthorized entity.

However, for the complete safety of your documents, you might need some better and more reliable alternatives to this technology.īelow we have explained three ways to lock a folder in a Windows 10 device.


Thankfully, Windows 10 features an in-built encryption capability, which lets you protect your sensitive data without any third-party app. There are two common ways of doing this: Encryption and Password Protection. Locking your private files is the best way to keep them confidential and secure, especially when the same PC is used by other members of the house. Do you know how to lock a folder in Windows 10 to keep your data safe? If not, keep reading as we’ll be focusing on that matter throughout this article.
