How to Password Protect a Zip File

In this article, we will show you how to password protect compressed folder in Windows 11 or how to password protect a zip file.

Let us get started.

Why do you need to password protect a file?

Keeping your personal files protected from unauthorized access all the time is extremely important.

The following are some of the reasons that encourage you Password Protect a file, folder, or compressed documents:

· If your computer is a shared computer accessed by other people.

· If you share files between different computers on a network that’s not properly secured.

Windows 11 Popular Articles:

· CMD Commands List

· 300 Run Commands for Windows 10

· How to Make Your Computer a Hotspot

· How to Determine Ethernet and Wi-Fi Network Adapter Speed

· How to Install Windows 11 using Windows 11 Media Creation Tool

How to Password Protect a File

WinRAR is the most popular file compressor tool used around the world which can help you easily compress files and folders into one compressed file.

It can also be used to Password Protect compressed folder. Download and install WinRAR on your Windows 11 computer.

If you haven’t already installed it, get the free distributed trial version of WinRAR.

The following are the two ways that help you to Password Protect compressed folder by using WinRAR.

How to Password Protect a File/Folder while Zipping

Follow the steps shown below to password protect your uncompressed / unzipped files:

1. Right-click on the file/folder you want to compress with a password.

2. Select Add to archive from the context menu.

3. Select the General tab in the Archive name and parameters dialog box.

4. Type a name for the archive or use its default name under the Archive name.

5. Select RAR under Archive format, and then click the Set password button.

6. Enter your password and re-enter it for verification. Make sure your password is strong enough not to be hacked by others. Note: Check Encrypt file names if you want the names of individual files on the compressed file not to be shown.

7. Click OK.

8. Click OK again.

Windows 11 Popular Articles:

· How to Disable Cortana

· How to Fix We Cant Set Up Mobile Hotspot

· How to Format USB to FAT32 in Windows 11

· How to Fix File is too large for the Destination File System Error

· How to Use Rufus to Install Windows 11

· How to Update All Drivers Windows 11

Finally, your new password-protected compressed file is saved in the directory where the original file/folder was located.

Then, you can delete the original file and continue accessing it by entering a Password into the new compressed file.

How to Password Protect an Existing Compressed/Zipped File

Follow the steps shown below to password protect your existing compressed/zipped file:

1. Right-click on an existing compressed file, you want to password protect, and select Open with WinRAR from the context menu.

2. Click on the Tools menu, and select Convert archives.

3. In the Convert archives dialog box, keep zip checked in the Archive types section and click Compression.

4. Select RAR under the Set password button.

5. In the Enter Password dialog box, enter your password and re-enter it for verification. Make sure your passwords are strong enough. Note: Check Encrypt file names if you want names of individual files on the compressed file not to be shown.

6. Click OK again.