📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses methods to password-protect folders on Windows 8, with initial suggestions focusing on adjusting folder permissions and encryption options like "Encrypt contents to secure data." Contributors mention third-party tools such as RoboForm, VeraCrypt, and BitLocker for further security, with some emphasizing the limited security due to multiple users sharing a single administrator account. Overall, the consensus indicates that built-in Windows features can provide some protection, but combining them with third-party encryption tools offers more robust privacy for sensitive folders.
I

IndianApple

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Thread Author #1
Hello,
Is there Any freeware to enable password protection on a folder on windows 8 ?


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Solution
JoKelly
You may follow these steps to set a password to secure your file folder.
  1. Select the file or folder you want to encrypt.
  2. Right-click the file or folder and select Properties.
  3. Click the Advanced button.
  4. Check the box for the "Encrypt contents to secure data" option.
  5. Click Apply and then Ok.
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Trouble

Trouble

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#2
On any NTFS volume, access to a folder is controlled by the security tab in the folder's properties.
Any particular folder you have in mind?
Don't fiddle with system folder's security.
If you create a new folder in the root of C:\ and give it a name (whatever you want to call it), right click it and choose properties and then the Security tab, use the advanced button to "Disable inheritance" as there will always be permissions to new folders that are cascaded down from the parent.
At that point you can remove all inherited permissions and add the users or groups you specifically want added and the level of access you want them to have.
As I've already said, don't fiddle with folders that are part of the OS.
 

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I

IndianApple

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Thread Author #3
Trouble said:
On any NTFS volume, access to a folder is controlled by the security tab in the folder's properties.
Any particular folder you have in mind?
Don't fiddle with system folder's security.
If you create a new folder in the root of C:\ and give it a name (whatever you want to call it), right click it and choose properties and then the Security tab, use the advanced button to "Disable inheritance" as there will always be permissions to new folders that are cascaded down from the parent.
At that point you can remove all inherited permissions and add the users or groups you specifically want added and the level of access you want them to have.
As I've already said, don't fiddle with folders that are part of the OS.
Click to expand...
There is only 1 user on this laptop.


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Trouble

Trouble

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#4
Well.....
That sounds pretty secure then already.
What exactly is your goal? Some specifics might help someone to provide further suggestions as to how to proceed.
 

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I

IndianApple

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Thread Author #5
There are 5 users operating the same administrator account on the laptop. Few folders needs to be password protected. Thats all.


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Echo5354

Echo5354

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#6
Roboform.

But you need to know, the free software may have security problem.
 

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Neemobeer

Neemobeer

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#7
VersaCrypt which is a fork of TrueCrypt. Link Removed
 

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JoKelly

JoKelly

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#8
You may follow these steps to set a password to secure your file folder.
  1. Select the file or folder you want to encrypt.
  2. Right-click the file or folder and select Properties.
  3. Click the Advanced button.
  4. Check the box for the "Encrypt contents to secure data" option.
  5. Click Apply and then Ok.
 

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Solution
Trouble

Trouble

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#9
IndianApple said:
There is only 1 user on this laptop.
Click to expand...
BUT.....
IndianApple said:
There are 5 users operating the same administrator account on the laptop
Click to expand...
And therein lies the rub.
I'm not sure anything that is done by one of those admin users couldn't be un-done by one of the others if it had any impact on any of the others, since they all seem to be sharing a single account, I wouldn't expect that it would, without a third party solution and keeping the encryption password secret (if that would even work).
 

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Neemobeer

Neemobeer

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#10
Well if they are using a version of Windows that supports bitlocker then yes it would be doable without any extra software.
1. Create an empty folder
2. In disk management create a VHD file and mount it to the empty folder (mount point)
3. Assign it a drive letter also.
4. Open Computer, right click the drive letter and use bitlocker to encrypt it

Now when you want to access it you mount it and enter the password. Will work on the same account just make sure to lock it.

Encrypting it as JoKelly suggested uses the account SID to encrypt the folder and it would be accessible from anyone using that account. You can use this method but would need to make separate admin accounts
 

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