How to password protect files and folders in Windows, by How-To Guide on YouTube. 1 min 45 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 45 s
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Open File Explorer and find the file or folder you want to protect. Keep it on an NTFS drive, since the option is missing on FAT32 drives.
Right-click the file or folder and choose Properties from the menu.
On the General tab, click the Advanced button near the bottom.
Under Compress or Encrypt attributes, tick Encrypt contents to secure data and click OK.
Click Apply. In the Encryption Warning box, pick Encrypt the file only for a single file, or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files for a folder, then click OK.
Click OK again to close Properties. The icon now shows a small padlock, which means the file is protected by your Windows account password.
Test it by signing out and back in, then opening the file. It should open normally for you and be unreadable to other accounts on the PC.
To remove the protection, right-click the file, open Properties, click Advanced, untick Encrypt contents to secure data, then click OK and Apply. The padlock disappears.
Tips and common mistakes
Encryption is tied to your Windows account, so a password reset by an administrator or a wiped profile can lock you out of your own files.
Back up your key first: run cipher /x from Command Prompt to export the certificate and key, and store the file somewhere safe.
Windows Home has no Encrypting File System, so use a password-protected zip with AES encryption or BitLocker instead.
Files you add to an encrypted folder later are encrypted automatically, so check the folder rather than each new file.
Questions
Does this ask for a password every time I open the file?
No. It uses the password of the Windows account you are signed in with, so the file opens without a prompt for you but stays locked for other users.
Why is the Encrypt option greyed out?
The drive is probably formatted as FAT32 or exFAT, or you are on Windows Home. Move the file to an NTFS drive and check your Windows edition.
What happens if I forget my Windows password or reinstall Windows?
You will lose access to the files unless you exported the encryption certificate and key beforehand. Restore that backup before trying to open them.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
