# Can you password-protect a file folder? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2004, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327 "2004-11-06T06:03:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Spree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spree)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/1 "2004-11-06T06:03:26Z")
Is there a way to password-protect not just a file, but a whole folder (directory?) full of files? I have a shared PC, and each of us has a folder in “My Documents” with our name on it. Inside my folder I have other folders, some containing somewhat personal/private information. So if I have a folder called, say, “Spree’s Private Documents”, is there a way to protect it so that only I have access to the files inside? If it matters, I’m running Windows XP. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/2 "2004-11-06T06:56:35Z")
Would that be XP Home or Professional edition? 'cause Pro has, among other changes, more advanced permissions available that would allow you to prevent access by other people to entire directory structures. (Technically Home has this also, but you need to run stuff at the command line 'cause MS took the GUI for it out). Of course, anyone with Administrator access can see any file anyhow (well, there are a few you can’t, like the password file, but they’re special cases). If this is the case, you’re better off with some 3rd party program. I know programs exists that can imitate a new drive, with the contents being an encrypted file someplace - mayhaps you can look for such a thing. ---
**Author:** ![Spree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Spree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spree)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/3 "2004-11-06T12:21:09Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/4 "2004-11-06T13:02:41Z")
I don’t think you need to password protect it. If you go to Explorer in XP and right click on any folder, the sharing tab tells you how to make a folder private. This assumes that appropriate accounts have been set up. It is better to deny access at the system level than require users to remeber passwords. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/5 "2004-11-06T13:14:28Z")
This isn’t really to do with ‘folders’, but I’d throw it in anyway for what it’s worth. Winzip supports password-protecting files inside a ZIP archive (which windows XP treats as a compressed folder,) and XP supports access to these files using the password, though it seems to be unable, itself, to apply a password while copying items into a compressed folder. The only downside I saw here is that anyone can go inside the compressed folder and see the filenames - they are asked for the password before accessing detailed file information. Maybe this helps, I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/6 "2004-11-06T15:55:15Z")
Take a gander at “PGP disk” - there was a freeware version of it up until about 6.0, which you can still download. You can make truly secure entire disk volumes with it. I’ve used it for 6+ years non-stop and use it for work every single day. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/7 "2004-11-06T18:14:43Z")
I second **Una’s** recommendation. [PGPDisk 6.02i](http://www.pgpi.org/products/pgpdisk/) is freeware, secure and easy to use. I use it store all of my passwords, banking info, etc., and never had a problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![Spree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Spree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spree)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/8 "2004-11-06T19:33:35Z")
Thanks, everyone. I’ll definitely try the PGPDisk software. I didn’t set up individual accounts on this computer, since we pretty much just leave it running all the time and we do use a lot of shared files. I just have a few files that I’d prefer to keep private. I think the software will do the trick! ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/9 "2004-11-06T20:23:13Z")
Here’s an excellent and very easy to use software that I use for the purpose: > **[Mesh Networks vs WiFi Range Extenders - What's the Difference? Pros and Cons!...](https://www.tabbloidx.co/Mesh-Networks-vs-WiFi-Range-Extenders)** > > Today we will take a look at Mesh networks and Wifi Range Extenders for you to make an informed decision for your slow network connections... ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-password-protect-a-file-folder/273327/10 "2004-11-06T20:32:26Z")
I certainly hope that is your home PC and not a work PC. I have had users try clever stuff like this with their work PC. It always ends in tears.