9 Best Folder and File Locker Software For Windows 10 and Other Versions

In this article, I am going to list the best folder and file locker software for Windows 10, 8, and 7 PCs. The software listed in the article should be able to work on all versions of Windows including the latest Windows 11.

Locking Files and Folders on your PC becomes essential when you have sensitive data stored. You might be anxious about the data when you share your computer with someone else or you may be worried about cyber attacks by hackers.

Thanks to files and folder lock software developer companies now, you can keep your data locked and encrypted so no one can have access to your data.

Top 9 Best Files and Folder Locker Software For Windows 10, 8, 7 PC

There is a lot of software available in the market which are able to lock your files and folders which may get you confused to choose the best one. Here I have listed the best software to lock your folders and files.

1. Folder Lock
2. Protected Folder By Iobit
3. Gilisoft Privacy Protector
4. Anvi Folder Locker
5. WinZip
6. WinRar
7. Folder Guard
8. Instant Lock
9. Lock-A-Folder

1. Folder Lock:

Developed by NewSoftwares Folder Lock is well-known software in the industry. It has many advanced features which make it one of the best folder locker software for Windows PC. When I installed the software on My PC, I was very impressed by its design. You have to set a password first to use it.

Here are the main features of this software:

• It has an enticing and easy-to-use User Interface.

• Folder Locker: This feature allows you to lock folders and files on your PC. You can add files, folders, and drives or just drag and drop them.

• Encrypt Locker: This feature lets you create a locker on your PC at your chosen location. Then you can set passwords for your locker. Files saved in this locker are encrypted.

• Secure Backup: this feature lets you sync and backup your lockers so you can restore them if required.

• Protect USB: This feature is pretty advanced, using this feature you can lock your USB drives.

• Password Wallet: It is like a safe vault on your PC.

• Shred Files: This feature lets you permanently delete your files and make them unrecoverable.

• Clean History: This feature will delete all the history on your Windows PC in case you don’t want to leave any traces for anyone.

First I decided to keep this software at the second spot but after seeing so many amazing features I decided to place this Folder Locker in the first position.

2. Protected Folder By Iobit:

Another useful tool by IObit software. This software is very easy to use. When I installed this software on my PC It asked me to set a password and I did so. After this, the software was opened.

Now I added some folders and files by clicking the add button and the files were successfully added. Then I clicked on the lock and exit buttons. After this, I saw that the files and folders I added were not at their location then I opened the software and entered the password that I entered in the starting. And here I found the files and folders that I added.

It is more like a safe vault for your files and folders. I performed the actions to lock files and folders on my Windows 7 PC. I installed this software only for testing purposes but Now I am going to keep this tool on my PC.

Here are the features of this file and folder locker for Windows PC:

• It gives 22 free trials means you can open this software 22 times (whether to lock or unlock files or just to see files). But don’t worry read the next point.
• I tested it 22 times and it gave me a notification to register the paid version when 3 trials were left. But, don’t worry if you have opened this software 22 times and added some files or folders you can still have access to those files and folders and even unlock them. It is just you cannot lock any file or folder after 22 trials. If you want to do that you have to buy the paid version.
• Can add folders and files by clicking on the “Add” button or just drag and drop.
• The lock and exit button will lock the added files and close the software.
• If you want to unlock a file you can just select the files and click on unlock.
• Lightweight and fast response.

 

3. Gilisoft Privacy Protector:

This is another popular file and folder locker tool to protect your files and folders. When I installed this software on my Windows 7 PC it first asked me to restart the computer but I clicked “No” and launched it from the start window.

It was installed and launched successfully. Then I clicked on the evaluate option and it asked me to set my email id and password as I was using this software for the first time. After entering my email id and password the software opened.

And I saw the following features in it:

Note: I could not test any of the features listed below maybe because I was using the trial version. I am going to explain the features as shown in the software.

Local Disk:

Hiding Files: This feature can hide files and folders on your local hard disk

Locking Files: The tool can lock files that exist on your local hard disk./

Protecting Files: If you want someone to only read files and don’t want your files to be changed by anyone then you can use this feature.

External Disk:

Hiding Files: Same as local files you can also hide files on the external disk

Locking Files: Using this feature you can lock files on an external disk.

Encryption: Using this feature you can encrypt files in the AES encryption algorithm.

Shredder: Using this feature you can securely delete files and make them unrecoverable.

Also Read: 8 Best USB Port Locker Software To Block USB Ports in Windows 10, 8, 7

4. Anvi Folder Locker:

This is another folder and file locker software. It is simple to use the software. When I installed this software on my Windows 7 PC it first asked me to set a master password and it has to be at least 6 characters.

To lock files and folders using this software you can click on add button and select the folder or file.

Here are other features of this software:

Hide and Lock: This is a by-default setting in this software. This feature will lock files in this password-protected software and hide files from the original location.

If you click on the green “hide and lock” text then you will be able to see other features.

Hide: This feature will only hide files

Lock: This feature will just lock the files in the software vault.

Read Only: This feature will not allow anyone to make changes to the selected files as long as you keep this setting on in the software.

Password: This feature will password-protect your files.

Unprotected: This is like un-selecting the folder, after choosing this the file or folder will come to its previous state and location.

I got to say that this is one of the best file and folder locker software for Windows 10, 8 7 PC and it is my personal favorite software because it is very easy to use and provides specific features.

5. WinZip:

WinZip is one of the most popular file compression software. When you want to send multiple files in a compressed, secured, and convenient way then WinZip is the best option. And the icing on the cake is, that it also provides a file encryption facility.

 

When I downloaded this software, my 30-day trial was already expired, so I could not test this software. I am going to list the features that I found on the internet:

• Encrypt: This is the most important feature with respect to this article because that’s what we have been talking about in the blog. You can easily drag files into the software and encrypt them with a password. The software has 256-bit encryption.

• Unzip: It can unzip files from RAR, 7Z, Zip, and many other popular file formats.

• Zip: You can use this feature if you want to send large files in compressed form

• Files Management: This software can also be used as a file management software to access files in your system and do activities like editing, renaming, deleting, etc.
• Other Features: compress photos, convert PDFs and add watermarks.

As we can see that it has a lot of features, which makes it more than a files locking tool. That’s why it deserves a place in the list of the best files and folders locker software for Windows PC.

6. WinRar:

WinRar is a popular compression tool that also helps to lock files in your Windows PC. It is available for Windows 10, 8, and 7 PC in 64 and 32-bit. It is a must-have PC software if you want to extract zipped files.

How to Lock Files using WinRar:

Step 1: Click on add button

Step 2: Select the file or folder to add.

Step 3: Select the files type

Step 4: Now click on the set password button

Using these steps you can lock any files or folder using a password.

 

Here are some other notable features of this best file lock utility:

Add: You can use this software to compress files in Rar and 2 other formats

Extract: Using this software you can extract files from a zip folder

Delete: This will do the same thing that you do with the delete button on your keyboard.

Find: This feature can find files in your system.

7. Folder Guard:

It is another software to password-protect your files and folders on Windows PC.

It has a 30-day trial period so, I started the free trial on my PC and I am going to explain what I saw in this software:

 

• Like other tools, it asked for a password when I started it the first time.
• Locked: Using this feature you can browse folders from your system that you want to lock. Now the folder I locked was on its location but when I clicked on it, I saw that the folder is empty and there was a small button on the folder guard to unlock the folder. So, it is more like a password protection software.

Note: This software can only lock folders not files.

• Pause: This button will pause the action performed which means it will undo the action and remove the passwords from the files and folders.
• Restricted: When I clicked on the restricted button it showed me two separate buttons to select files or folders. It hides the files from the location so, no one knows the existence of the file you have restricted.

Note: When I searched the files in the search bar that I restricted, I saw the file name but couldn’t open it. Which is good.

• Password: This feature is used to change the password you set before.

8. Instant Lock:

This is another popular tool to lock files and folders on your Windows 10, 8, and 7 PC. Although I could not find the official website of this software, it was listed on many popular software websites like Softonic, Softpedia, etc. I downloaded it from Softonic.

It is very simple to use software When I installed this software on my PC it asked me to enter passwords like other files and folders lockers software listed above.

Note: This software can only lock folders not files.

Here are the features of this Folder lock tool:

Add: Using this feature you can add folders to the lock. When I added a file using this feature the file was not available at its original location. It was accessible only on the software. But when I open the folder it is automatically unlocked. So, you will have to lock the folder again whenever you open the folder in this software.

Lock: After adding files you will have to click on the lock button to lock the files

Open: This feature will open the folders locked in the software.

Remove: This feature will remove the folders from this software.

Note: Also, I found that the software would stick on your screen until you close it. This means no files or programs can be seen over this on the screen.

9. Lock-A-Folder

This is another popular folder locker software available for Windows 10 8, and 7 PC. I could not find its official website but I found it on many popular software download websites like Softonic, CNET, etc.

Here are the features of this software:

• Set master password to open the software
• Lock folders on your system
• Hide files on the system so no one else can see them.
• It is available in 64-bit
• It is a lightweight software.
• Unlock Selected folder: Using this feature you can unlock a folder that you have locked previously.

So, These were the 9 best files and folders locker software for Windows 10, 8, and 7 PC in 2023. Some of them only lock folders. If you have any other file locker program, please suggest it in the comment section.

FAQs:

Question: Which is the best free folder locker software?

Answer: Protected Folder By Iobit, Folder Lock, and Gilisoft Privacy Protector are the best software to lock folders and files and there is a free version available for a limited period.

Question: How can I password-protect folders in Windows 10?

Answer: You can use a manual method or use software like Anvi Folder Locker

Question: Is there an online tool to securely save files?

Answer: Google Drive can be considered a good option to save files online.

Question: Is it safe to use a folder lock?

Answer: Top 3 software in my list are very good I have tested them myself and they did not cause any trouble to me. So, I can say that they are safe to use.