How to password protect ZIP files and folders on PC?

If you’ve ever had to send a number of attachments by email, you’ve most likely zipped your files. Zipping compresses files, but did you know you can also lock them so they stay secure from prying eyes? Here’s how to encrypt and password-protect ZIP files before sending them to anyone.

How to password protect a Zip file with 7-Zip?

1. Download 7-Zip. There are two 7-Zip versions: for Windows 32-bit and 64-bit processors. If you are not sure which one you need, check your system type by going to Settings > System > About > System Type.
2. Right-click on the file you want to compress and encrypt. Select 7-Zip and Add to archive.
3. Choose Archive format as zip to compress your files.
4. Under the Encryption section, you will find a password field. Type in your password twice.
5. Under the Encryption method, choose AES-256 and click OK.
6. If your folder contains multiple large files, it may take a few moments for it to compress and encrypt. Congrats! You now have a password-protected compressed folder.

How to open a password-protected file?

The receiver can only access your files and folders if they have 7-Zip or a similar compression tool. If you are worried that the recipient won’t be able to open the file, you could choose ZipCrypto encryption instead of AES-256. Then the recipient can easily open it using File Explorer or Windows Explorer. However, we do not recommend this as it’s not as secure as AES-256.

To decrypt and access your files:

1. Save the file to your device.
2. Right-click on the folder. Choose 7-Zip and Open the archive.
3. A new window will pop up. Double click on the encrypted folder and enter the password.
4. Congrats: you now have access to the folders!

How to password protect a folder using Windows 10 Encrypting File System (EFS)?

Windows 10 provides an encryption feature as well, and you can follow these simple steps to use it:

1. Right-click a file or a folder, and click Properties.
2. Click Advanced and tick the Encrypt contents to secure data box.
3. Click OK, Apply, and then OK.

While it’s useful to have this feature available, it’s probably not enough on its own. This option is not designed for sending ZIP files specifically, and is only present in certain Windows 10 editions, such as Pro, Education, and Enterprise.

For users concerned with genuine security, especially when sending files, a third-party program is probably still the best bet. These will allow you to more comprehensively protect individual ZIP files and folders, both on your own device and in transit.