Protecting folders with a password - here's how

If you use your computer with other people or want to transport a folder safely via a USB stick, you can protect it with a password. This may require third-party software. Tools such as 7-Zip or WinRAR are particularly suitable.

How to protect a folder with a password

If you want to protect a folder on your computer with a password for security, you can do it with programs like 7-Zip or WinRAR. The procedure works under all Windows versions from Windows 7 onwards.

1. First download one of the free programs from a website of your choice and follow the instructions to install the tool.
2. After installation, start the program and go to the folder you want to encrypt using the integrated file manager.
3. Then right-click on the folder.
4. In the drop-down menu that opens, select the item "Add files to archive".
5. Now click on the option "Set password". Choose a secure password that consists of upper and lower case letters, numbers and characters. Wahlweise können Sie sich mithilfe eines geeigneten Programms ein zufälliges Passwort erstellen lassen.
6. Bestätigen Sie die Auswahl anschließend mit „Ok“ und klicken Sie danach erneut auf „Ok“.
7. Der Ordner wird nun gepackt und mit einem Passwort versehen. Er kann jetzt nur mit dem Passwort entpackt werden.