# Windows 7 Home Premium: Encrypt My Documents How? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 18, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-home-premium-encrypt-my-documents-how/638166 "2012-10-18T21:26:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-home-premium-encrypt-my-documents-how/638166/1 "2012-10-18T21:26:55Z")
Okay. I’ve just picked up a nice new Lenovo IdeaPad Y580. Because I’d really hate to lose control of my personal data if it was stolen, I’d like to encrypt the “My Documents” folder on the system for my personal user, at the very least. If I had the Ultimate Edition, this would seem to be pretty darned easy. I’d rather avoid shelling out the money for this upgrade, though. Any sane options? Not looking to encrypt the whole drive or whole partition. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-home-premium-encrypt-my-documents-how/638166/2 "2012-10-18T21:35:46Z")
Additional request: The current scheme, lacking encryption, backs up all files in the BACKEDUP subfolder of My Documents to the IDrive service. I’d like something compatible with restoring files backed up there directly to other devices, without having to transfer the key. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-home-premium-encrypt-my-documents-how/638166/3 "2012-10-18T21:48:57Z")
> [@](#): > > **Encrypt or decrypt a folder or file** > > ``` > Encrypting folders and files is a way to protect them from unwanted access. Encrypting File System (EFS) is a feature of Windows that allows you to store information on your hard disk in an encrypted format. Encryption is the strongest protection that Windows provides to help you keep your information secure. > **To encrypt a folder or file** > > ``` > > [ol] > [li] Right-click the folder or file you want to encrypt, and then click Properties.[/li][li] Click the General tab, and then click Advanced.[/li][li] Select the Encrypt contents to secure data check box, and then click OK.[/li][/ol] > **[Windows help and learning](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows)** > > Find help and how-to articles for Windows operating systems. Get support for Windows and learn about installation, updates, privacy, security and more. If you don’t want to go that route, Truecrypt allows you to encrypt a partition or even and entire storage device. [http://www.truecrypt.org/](http://www.truecrypt.org/) I don’t use Win 7 encryption so I cannot tell you the good and bad points about it. I do use Truecrypt because I store my data on external hard drives. It’s very powerful, in terms of encryption and access. If you ever forget your password, there is no turning back. It’s gone. ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-home-premium-encrypt-my-documents-how/638166/4 "2012-10-18T21:50:30Z")
I’ve heard good stuff about [TrueCrypt](http://www.truecrypt.org/). Haven’t used it (yet), but iirc it can do just a regular folder, partition, or entire disk, even making a hidden drive should that be a user’s concern. Flexible, in other words. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-home-premium-encrypt-my-documents-how/638166/5 "2012-10-19T13:43:48Z")
Thanks for the TrueCrypt suggestion, I’ll take a look at it.