- How To Zip A Folder On Pc Mac
- How To Zip A Folder On Pc
- How To Zip A Folder On Pc Dell
- How To Zip A Folder On Pc Drive
Would you like to prevent unauthorized people from accessing sensitive data that you store on data servers and shared computers, or send via email? Then it's best to use password-protected archive files, like those in ZIP format.
You can password protect ZIP files on both Windows 10 and macOS. However, the range of functions provided by your system's password-protection tools are limited. For this reason, we recommend using external software.
Step 1: Locate File Explorer on the Windows 10 taskbar (the folder icon). Step 2: Locate the files you want to add to a single ZIP file. Step 3: Select all files by holding down the mouse button. First, plug your USB flash drive into a USB port on your Windows 10 PC. Give your PC a minute to recognize the drive and automatically install any needed drivers for it. (These instructions will work for other external storage devices, too, including SD cards and USB hard drives.) Then open the Start menu, type 'This PC,' and hit Enter.
Password Protect ZIP Files with Windows System Tools
Microsoft Windows 10 provides a feature for password protecting files and folders which is integrated in the operating system. Windows password protection can also protect ZIP files from unauthorized access, without having to use third-party software. To activate password protection for your files, follow these steps:
Windows password protection is only available in the editions Microsoft Windows 10 Pro, Education, and Enterprise, not in Windows 10 Home.
Step 1: Using the right mouse button, click on the ZIP file that you would like to password protect.
Step 2: In the shortcut menu, select the 'Properties' option to open the file properties.
Step 3: In the 'General' tab, click on 'Advanced' in order to open the 'Advanced Attribute' dialog window.
Step 4: In the 'Advanced Attributes' dialog window, select the check box next to 'Encrypt contents to secure data'.
Step 5 How to take picture of computer screen. : Close the 'Advanced Attributes' dialog window by clicking on 'OK' and save the change in file properties by clicking on 'OK' or 'Apply'.
The file icon now displays a padlock. This indicates that the corresponding file is password protected. But what does this actually mean?
After you have activated password protection, you'll note that you can still open the file without a password prompt. File content can also be displayed and processed without changes. Nevertheless, the file is password protected – with a key generated by Windows that is stored in your user account.
You have access to the file as long as you are logged into your user account. By contrast, other users will be denied access. This can be very practical in many situations. However, only in a few application cases does it serve as a password-protected ZIP file. For instance, this feature is not intended for sending password-protected ZIP files. For this, we recommend using a compression program with an encryption feature.
How To Zip A Folder On Pc Mac
Encrypting File Folders with macOS Standard Tools
Though it's true the Apple operating system macOS does not offer any native features for password protecting ZIP files, you can however protect the directories – in which ZIP files are located – as image files. To do so, follow these steps:
Step 1: Create a new folder in Finder – macOS' standard file manager.
Step 2: Relocate all ZIP files that you'd like to protect into the folder you just created.
Step 3: Open the macOS hard drive service program. You can do this via Spotlight search.
Step 4: Click on 'File' in the menu bar above and choose 'Image from Folder' under 'New Image'.
Step 5: Choose the folder you created at the beginning that has the files you wish to protect and click on 'Open'.
Step 6: Give the image a name and choose a save location.
How To Zip A Folder On Pc
Step 7: Choose the type of encryption:
- 128-Bit-AES encryption (recommended)
- 256-Bit-AES encryption (more secure, but slower)
Step 8: Enter a password of your choosing and confirm entry by clicking on 'Choose'.
Step 9: Make sure that the image format is set to 'Compressed' and complete the process by clicking on 'Save'. Imovie how to move audio.
The encrypted image is created in .dmg format in the save location you specified.
Select the image by double-clicking on it and entering your password to access the password-protected file.
An open .dmg file is displayed as an integrated drive in Finder.
Eject the image via Finder if you are no longer using the protected files. Otherwise, they will remain accessible without a password prompt.
To make sure that your data is protected from unauthorized access, you should delete the unencrypted original data.
Password Protecting ZIP Files with Third-Party Software
Since the options for each operating system are limited, we recommend using a third-party program. For example, we have chosen 7-Zip, a free packer application with a high compression rate and reliable encryption. It creates archive files in the 7z, TAR, WIM, and ZIP formats. The program's encryption feature is available for 7z and ZIP files.
Follow these steps to create a password-protected archive file for any file folder of your choosing:
Step 1: Download the open-source 7-Zip compression program from the provider's website and install the software on your system.
7-Zip is automatically integrated into the Windows Explorer shortcut menu.
Step 2: Using the right mouse button, click on the file folder that you would like to encrypt.
Step 3: Choose '7-Zip' in the shortcut menu and click on 'Add to archives…' in the pop-up menu.
Step 4: In the packer program's configuration mask, you'll find the required settings for the save location, archive format, compression strength, compression method, and encryption.
Enter a password, then enter it again.
In archive format, 7z is available with AES-256-bit encryption. This can also be used for password protecting ZIP files. What's more, the latter can be encrypted with the ZipCrypto algorithm.
Opening an archive file that has been password protected with 7-Zip requires you to enter a password. How do you use google chrome.
Windows users often utilize the WinZip packer program for password protecting ZIP files. The programs WinRAR, Peazip, Bandizip, and Ashampoo Zip Free also offer encryption features. We provide you with a detailed comparison of the range of features in our article on the most popular WinZip alternatives.
Related articlesHow to Zip files on Windows 10?
Windows offers built-in utility to help you zip unzip files easily. You can use this option to compress large files in smaller zip files. To do this, follow these steps:
- If you are planning to zip multiple files and folders, then try to put them all in a single folder(you can create a new folder here).
- Once done, right-click on this single folder and select Sent to and then, choose Compressed (zipped) folder
Now you will see a new zip folder is created with the same name in the same folder. You can email or transfer the zipped folder easily.
How to Unzip files in Windows 10?
Just like you zip a file by following a few steps, you can unzip them instantly. To do this, follow these steps:
- To unzip the entire compressed folder, right-click on it and select Extract All.
- Now, you need to click on the Browse button to choose a destination where you can store extracted files. Tick Show extracted files when complete By default, it will store unzipped files to the same folder as the zipped file).
- Last is to click Extract option to unzip files immediately to the specified folder.
Alternatively, you can also unzip a specific file from the zipped folder. To do this, follow these steps:
- Double-click the zipped folder to view all internal files & folders.
- Once there, select and right-click the file and click Cut and Paste it to another location. You can also drag & drop these files to a new location.
Unzip Files Online
Now that you have tried manual process to zip/unzip files or folders, you can also use best online tools if you want to unzip files in batches. These free smart online tools help you save time and deliver instant results. Let's review some of these best tools here.
1. EzyZip
EzyZip is one of the best unzip file online tools that ensure accurate results every time. It supports all operating systems running a modern browser, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS. You can use this smart solution to zip and unzip all popular file formats. It doesn't have file size restrictions; thus, you can zip/unzip files in batches. It runs locally on your system to deliver quick results. It works well with all popular browsers and their variants.
2. Unzip-online.com
Unzip-online.com offers secure compress process. It deletes all compressed files after 24 hours from its servers to keep your data safe. The best part is, you can still view your files. Using this online zip tool is easy as you need to upload a file and click compress or uncompress file option to let it done the process. You can use this free online tool to uncompress files with a file size up to 200MB. You can also use this tool to convert a file to rar or unrar it.
3. Files2Zip
To use File2Zip, click on Browse button, select the file and let this advanced online tool to unzip files to do its magic. It doesn't require you to register for its services or download any software. Instead you can perform all tasks online effortlessly. It offers secure file compression process while saving lot of time. The tool supports multiple language options to help users around the world. It also works as an advanced photo editor and YouTube trimmer tool.
4. Archive Extractor
Try Archive Extractor to extract over 70 types of compressed files, including zipx, 7z, exe, rar, tar, dmg, and many more. You can use this smart online tool to zip or unzip files from local device storage or Google Drive or Dropbox location. You can even paste URL to extract images and compress them. It supports password-protected archives to deliver secure results. To select the files, you can choose them from local storage or simply drag-&-drop files.
5. B1 Online Archiver
B1 Online Archiver offers the simplest way to extract files and compress them. You can use this powerful online tool to unzip files or compress files in batches to save time. It allows you to view files before you compress them. This free tool has a few clicks simple process to deliver instant results. It provides a secure compression process where only you can view your files. It holds all major file formats to provide effective results.
How To Zip A Folder On Pc Dell
Conclusion
How To Zip A Folder On Pc Drive
Now, this was a detailed discussion on how to zip or unzip files in Windows 10 using the manual process and using best zip unzip file online tools. Do try these steps and share your experience in the comments below.
7 Responses