How to lock a folder on Windows 11

How to lock a folder in Windows 11 Pro using encryption

If you are using Windows 11 Pro, you can encrypt files directly in Windows.

However, if you are using Windows 11 Home edition, then you will not be able to follow these steps and you will need to try another method.

To lock a folder in Windows 11 Pro with encryption:

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder you want to lock folder.
2. Right-click the folder and select Properties.
   
3. Under the General tab, click Advanced.
   
4. At the bottom of the window, check Encrypt content to protect data.
   
5. Click OK.
6. Click Apply to apply your changes.
   
7. Determine whether you want to apply changes to this folder only or apply changes to this folder, subfiles folders and files,and clickOK.
   
8. If you have not done so before, you will see a message encouraging you to back up your file encryption certificate and key. Click Backup Now and follow the instructions to save a copy of the encryption key.
9. Enter a strong password and click OK.
10. To access a locked folder, double-click it as usual. When prompted, enter your password. You can now access your folder.

How to use WinRAR to lock a folder in Windows 11

If you are using Windows 11 Home edition or you do not want to use the built-in encryption feature in Windows 11 Pro edition, then It is possible to use third-party archiving applications such as WinRAR. You can also use an alternative like 7-Zip instead.

This application will prompt you to purchase a license, but you can use the evaluation version to encrypt and decrypt your folders.

To lock a folder in Windows 11 using WinRAR:

1. Download and install WinRAR.
2. Navigate to the folder you want to lock in File Explorer.
3. Right-click the folder and click WinRAR.
   
4. Check Delete files after archiving, otherwise you will have both a protected archive and an unprotected folder on your computer.
   
5. Click Set Password.
   
6. Enter a strong password and click OK.
   
7. Your archive will now be created.
8. To open the archive folder, double-click it in Windows Explorer.
9. Double-click the folder name to view the files contained within.
   
10. When you double-click a file to open it, you will be asked to enter your password.
    
11. After entering the correct password, your file will open.
12. If you decide that your folder is no longer locked, select the folder and click Extract to".
    
13. Enter the location where you want to extract the folder to and click OK.
    
14. You will be asked to enter your password. Once entered correctly, your folder will be extracted to the selected destination and unlocked again.
15. If you no longer need the archive, you can delete it now.

How to lock a folder in Windows 11 using other third-party apps

There are many third-party apps you can use to lock a folder. We'll see how to use one of these. The free version of Wise Folder Hider allows you to hide files and folders up to 50 MB, or you can upgrade to the paid version to hide unlimited files and folders.

To use Wise Folder Hider to lock folders in Windows 11:

Download and install Wise Folder Hider.

1. Open the application. You will be prompted to create a password to log into the application. Choose a strong password and make sure it's one you can remember.
2. 
   To lock a folder, drag and drop it from Windows Explorer into the Wise Folder Hider window.
3. 
   Your folder will no longer show up in Windows Explorer, which means no one can open it.
4. To open your folder again, launch the Wise Folder Hider app.
5. Click on your folder, then click the down arrow
next to Open,
6. then select Unhide.
   Your folder will now reappear in Windows Explorer. You will be able to open it as usual.
7. Protect Your Windows 11 Files

If you are new to PC, learning how to lock folders on Windows 11 can help protect you if anyone accesses your computer document. There are other ways to adjust settings in Windows 11 to make it more secure.

You can enable tamper protection in Windows 11 to stop any unwanted changes from being made. To increase your protection against phishing, you can also enable enhanced phishing protection.

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