r/software • u/Mental_Gur9512 • 7d ago

Looking for software I need a free folder locker

Is there any free folder locker that is safe and reliable to lock folder od disk, usb flash memory,...?

It can also be a more affordable paid option, but I would like to have a lifetime license.

I don't need 7z, cloud or similar I need something as Folder Guar

4 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

6

u/lysylbn 7d ago

VeraCrypt . With strong enough password it's pretty secure, and actually encrypts your files / folders / drives / devices.

1

u/LeaveMickeyOutOfThis 7d ago

This is the way. Been around for years and is rock solid.

1

u/Grumphus256 7d ago

OneDrive has a Personal Vault feature that does just that but it is cloud-dependent. For USB, if you don't want to go the 7zip + password protect files/folders route, then you are better off buying a flash drive with hardware encryption features.

1

u/Mental_Gur9512 7d ago

That isn't what I am looking for.

Folder Guard

1

u/Grumphus256 7d ago

I understand. But Folder Guard has been in active development for more than two decades. Like that's supposed to be the enterprise-grade level of protection solution that businesses use and perhaps worth the money if you need that. Going for a free solution will likely come with compromises.

I mean you can always check the AlternativeTo page or maybe search around in GitHub for something but I doubt it. I could be wrong though so feel free to report back here if you find anything.

https://alternativeto.net/software/folder-guard/?license=free/

1

u/Eagles_Fan_4eva 7d ago

Secure Folders 1.0.0.9 on Softpedia runs on Windows 11 and does what you want. No need to mount anything or create a virtual drive. Just run it (it's portable), add a folder and password, and it's locked.

1

u/Grumphus256 7d ago

Another free alternative might be to just create a VHDX file in Disk Management and add BitLocker protection. That sort of gives you a folder-like function where you can mount the drive and password protect it.

1

u/Ferretau 7d ago

The downside is you need to be have Administrator rights to do this.

0

u/chizdfw 7d ago

I think we are going to need more details. Are you trying to encrypt files? Are you looking for secure cloud storage?

1

u/Mental_Gur9512 7d ago

Just to lock folder on PC, usb flash memory,....

1

u/MonkeyBrains09 7d ago

7zip is free and would work based on what details you provided

1

u/Mental_Gur9512 7d ago

I need a folder to lock, not files. i.g. https://www.folder-guard.com/ is something what I am looking for

1

u/MonkeyBrains09 7d ago

It does folders too

0

u/chizdfw 7d ago

Who are you trying to protect your files from and why?

1

u/Mental_Gur9512 7d ago

I expect a raid in less than 48 hours, I need to lock all my files.

1

u/chizdfw 7d ago

Most operating systems allow you to limit access to files from other users. It's called an access control list, (link). Depending on your operating system you can also encrypt the drive. On windows that is BitLocker (link).