Introduction
We already know to lock any folder in Windows 10 operating system through locker software like “Folder Locker”,” File Encryption”, “Crypto Forge” etc. But in this article, we can learn how to lock and safe your folder without using any software. Here is the step to protect a private folder in Windows 10.
Step 1
Firstly, open my computer (
This PC in Windows 10) window or file explorer using keyboard short cut key Windows + E or double click my computer icon. Here's the image,
After opening
My Computer (
This PC in Windows 10) window we can double click on any drive like I clicked the “E-Drive”, then opened a new window as in the following screenshot.
Step 2
In this screenshot, we can see the folder “SONU” circled by a red pen. Now that time I am safe my private data which is located in the “SONU” name folder. so that I want to lock my folder “SONU”. To do this work, firstly we are creating a new folder. Remember you can give the folder any name like “abcd”,” Sachin”,” Locker” etc, so I have created a “Locker” named new folder and also remember always create a new folder parallel with private folder like ”SONU”. After creating a new folder we can see a new folder as shown below.
Note
This trick or method mostly works at only any drive entry-level not worked at the folder in folder level, so to save your private data and folder always located at drive entry-level, for example, “E:\”,”D:\”,”F:\” etc.
In this window, we can see a new folder “Locker” named circled by green color. After these steps, we can move the folder “SONU” into the “locker” folder using cut, paste or drag and drop.
Step 3
After moving folder “SONU” into “Locker” folder we can see “SONU” named folder is removed from the current windows and will look like the following:
In this window, the “locker” named folder is left and the “SONU” named folder is successfully moved into the “Locker” folder. Now we can press the “Alt+D” key from the keyboard on that window to open a new “CMD” window then type “cmd” directly from the keyboard and press the “Enter” button.
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Finally, a new “CMD” window opens and look like the following:
After opening this window we can type command code syntax “attrib <Folder Name> +s +h”, for example, “attrib Locker +s +h” and press “Enter”. Doing these steps we can go to the main E drive window. Look and see the “Locker” named folder do not display that means “SONU” folder is successfully locked and your private data is not visible to any user it is fully protected from unauthorized user/person.
Step 4
After performing the 3 steps the next step is to retrieve our private data and folder which is a fully locked form. To open the locked folder window and again press the “Alt+D” key and type the folder name, for example, “Locker” press “Enter” and see it.
We can see the directly locked folder ”SONU” and easy access to our private data.
Note
This functionality follows the same process called entry-level form so that we can’t type a folder named “Locker” in the nested folder or folder in the folder. It is working only root drive directory.
Step 5
If we want to remove the folder lock functionality on the locked folder "SONU", then again open the “E-Drive” window and press Alt+ D key from the keyboard. After that type “CMD” again and press “Enter” and this will open the same “cmd” window. Now type the new syntax “attrib <Folder Name> -s –h”. For example, “attrib Locker –s –h”, press the “Enter” button from the keyboard.
After this process, we will click the same window and finally press the function key “F5” and see the folder “Locker” again as a normal folder.
Summary
In this article, we learned about how to secure a folder in Windows 10.