Last updated: July 16, 2022
To prevent a family member or friend from accessing your data, you can protect your sensitive files with a password.
On the web, there are dozens of programs for securing access to files with a password, but which are very often complex to use and take time to configure them.
In this article, I will show you two methods that I use often, and which may be of use to some. By the end of this article, you will be able to protect a file without any software.
Protect a Windows folder with a Batch script
Step 1:
The first step is to create a .bat file. To do this, open the program " Notepad »(Notepad) is insert this piece of text and save it as locker.bat.
@ ECHO OFF
title Folder Private
if EXIST "Control Panel." {21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} "goto UNLOCK
if NOT EXIST Private goto MDLOCKER
: CONFIRM
echo Do you want to lock this folder (Y / N)
set / p "cho =>"
if% cho% == Y goto LOCK
if% cho% == y goto LOCK
if% cho% == n goto END
if% cho% == N goto END
echo Invalid choice
goto CONFIRM
: LOCK
ren Private "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
attrib + h + s "Control Panel. {21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
echo Folder locked
goto End
Unlock
echo Enter your password to open this folder
set / p "pass =>"
if NOT% pass% == funinformatique goto FAIL
assign -h -s "Control Panel. {21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
ren "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" Private
echo Folder unlocked successfully
goto End
: FAIL
echo Invalid password
goto end
: MDLOCKER
md Private
echo Private folder created successfully
goto End
: End
You can replace the password which is by default in the code " FunInformatique »With the password you want to put in the file.
Step 2:
Now click on your new locker.bat file. A folder named "private" will be created automatically. Place all your files to hide there.
Step 3:
Click locker.bat again. A black Windows console will open and ask you if you want to hide your folder. Write Y if yes, or N if not. Press ENTER.
Finally your file will be gone. Click on the locker.bat file if you want to unlock it. A black Windows console will open and ask for the password. Enter your password and press ENTER.
Protect a Windows folder without any software
There is another solution that allows you to protect a file and that works well on Windows XP, 7 or Windows 10.
To do this, follow the steps above:
Step 1:
Start by creating a folder named "Private"eg. Then open notepad and iInclude this piece of text:
Step 2:
Save the file created with Notepad under the name locker. Beat for example . Copy to your folder Private all the files you want to hide, and double click on the file locker. Beat to activate protection. You will get this:
Step 3:
To unlock it: right click the file Beat, then " Edit ". Replace the previous text with:
Save, and double click on the file asked.