WinFolderLock

Problem

Windows makes folder privacy more annoying than it needs to be. If you want to keep a folder away from casual snooping, the “proper” Windows way usually involves setting up multiple user accounts and messing with permissions.

Overview

A simple Windows utility that protects folders using a custom .wflck extension. WinFolderLock integrates directly with the Windows context menu, so you can lock and unlock folders with a quick right-click.

Note: This program is intended for convenience rather than strict, enterprise-style security. It gives you an easy way to password-protect folders from casual access without having to set up multiple Windows users.

Use at your own volition, and back up important files before locking them away. I haven't run into any issues while testing, but that doesn't mean you won't.

Made with the help of GitHub Copilot.

Installation & Setup

Administrator privileges are required to install and uninstall this program.

Extract the folder and run WinFolderLock.exe to open the installation wizard.

Install/Repair: This registers the required context menu entries and places the application files in C:\Program Files\WinFolderLock.

Uninstall: It will prompt you to uninstall the program, permanently unlock any locked folders, and clean up after itself.

Basic Usage

Locking a Folder

1. Right-click the folder you want to protect.
2. Select Lock Folder.
3. You will be prompted to create or enter a password.
4. Once completed, your folder is compressed, encrypted, and replaced with a locked folder (.wflck file).

Temporarily Unlocking a Folder

1. Double-click the locked folder (.wflck file), or right-click it and select Unlock Folder.
2. Enter the password you used to lock the folder.
3. WinFolderLock creates a temporary session folder and opens it in Windows Explorer so you can work on the files.

Important: Once you close the Windows Explorer window(s) associated with that folder, WinFolderLock automatically saves any saved changes inside the folder, re-encrypts the folder, and removes the temporary access.

Permanently Unlocking a Folder

1. Right-click the locked folder (.wflck file) and select Permanent Unlock.
2. Enter the correct password.
3. The original folder is fully restored, and the locked folder (.wflck file) is deleted.

Note: Passwords mapped to locked folders are kept track of securely per local session at C:\ProgramData\WinFolderLock\passwords.json.