The system currently lacks the capability to secure folders with passwords on Windows.
The system currently lacks the capability to secure folders with passwords on Windows.
They essentially handle permissions to grant specific users access while others require an account with viewing rights. You can also secure the entire account and its files using password protection, and Windows offers encrypted folders for added security.
The concept already handles permissions. If a user lacks access rights, they can't reach the folder without someone with the proper credentials, acting like a password-protected lock.
A simple solution is to mark the folder as a system file. This needs "Hide protected OS files" checked in folder settings. In the command line, use attrib +s +h followed by the folder path to conceal it from Explorer and command prompts, even when hidden files appear. The effect can be reversed with the same command but using a different method, such as right-clicking the folder and selecting "Lock with password."
Permissions settings could help in some situations, but if your goal is to share a folder with someone—like on an external drive or USB stick they already own—just in case they misplace it, a straightforward password or 2FA solution would be ideal. For example, I have a big external drive with large video and VFX files. I need to send a folder containing sensitive project info, but I don’t want to encrypt the whole drive since it would slow things down and is unnecessary for just 400GB. I also don’t want to risk breaking an NDA if the drive gets lost or misplaced. A basic password protection should suffice to prevent unauthorized access. It feels like the only real options are advanced features for power users, but a consumer-friendly solution seems missing.
Are you concerned about someone accessing your files after logging into your account? The goal is to ensure each user has exclusive access to their own data. Logging out or securing your PC prevents unauthorized entry, while sharing login credentials introduces additional risks.
The files are stored on an external drive that I must send, but encrypting the remaining 15TB of data is not needed and would take a long time since only a limited amount is sensitive.