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A quick & easy guide to securing your files
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Do you have items you want to keep hidden on your computer? Creating a locked folder using a batch script is a fun and easy way to hide files in low-stakes situations that don't require files to be encrypted. This wikiHow teaches you how to create a locker folder using a batch file.

Locking a File with Batch File

Open Notepad and paste the batch script into a blank document. Then, change "TYPE_YOUR_PASSWORD_HERE" in the script to your password. Save the file as a batch file and run the file. Then, move the folders and files you want to lock inside the file.

  1. Notepad has an icon that resembles a blue notebook folder. Use the following steps to open Notepad:
    • Click the Windows Start Menu.
    • Type "Notepad."
    • Click Notepad .
  2. The batch script is in the box below. Highlight the entire script. Right-click it and click Copy , or press " Ctrl + C ." The script is as follows: [1]
     cls 
     @ 
     ECHO 
    OFF title 
    Folder Locker if 
     EXIST 
     "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" 
     goto 
     UNLOCK 
     if 
     NOT 
     EXIST 
    Locker goto 
     MDLOCKER 
     : 
     CONFIRM 
     echo 
    Are you sure you want to Lock the folder (Y/N) set/p 
     "cho=>" 
     if 
     %cho% 
     == 
    Y goto 
     LOCK 
     if 
     %cho% 
     == 
    y goto 
     LOCK 
     if 
     %cho% 
     == 
    n goto 
     END 
     if 
     %cho% 
     == 
    N goto 
     END 
     echo 
    Invalid choice.
    
    timeout 1 goto 
     CONFIRM 
     : 
     LOCK 
     ren 
    Locker "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" 
    attrib +h +s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" 
     echo 
    Folder locked
    
    timeout 3 goto 
     End 
     : 
     UNLOCK 
     @ 
     echo 
    off set 
     "psCommand=powershell -Command " 
    $pword = read-host 'Enter Password to Unlock folder' -AsSecureString ; ^ 
      
    $BSTR=[System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($pword); ^ 
      
    [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto($BSTR) "" 
     for 
     /f 
     "usebackq delims=" 
     %% 
    p in 
     ( 
     ` 
     %psCommand% 
     ` 
     ) 
     do 
     set 
     password 
     = 
     %% 
    p if 
     NOT 
     %password% 
     == 
    TYPE_YOUR_PASSWORD_HERE goto 
     FAIL 
    attrib -h -s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" 
     ren 
     "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" 
    Locker echo 
    Folder Unlocked Successfully
    
    timeout 1 goto 
     End 
     : 
     FAIL 
     echo 
    Invalid Password
    
    timeout 1 goto 
     end 
     : 
     MDLOCKER 
     md 
    Locker echo 
    Locker created successfully
    
    timeout 5 goto 
     End 
     : 
     End 
    
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  3. Go back to your blank Notepad document. Right-click at the top of the page and click Paste , or press " Ctrl + V " to paste the code into Notepad.
  4. Locate where it says "TYPE_YOUR_PASSWORD_HERE" in the script. It's about three-quarters of the way down. It's in the line that starts with "if NOT %password%==".
  5. Use the following steps to save the Notepad document as a batch file:
    • Click File .
    • Click Save as .
    • Click the drop-down menu next to "Save as type."
    • Select All files (*.*) .
    • Type a file name in the File Name field (i.e. LockedFolder).
    • Type ".bat" at the end of the file name (I.e. LockedFolder.bat).
    • Click Save .
  6. Once you are finished saving the Batch file, you can close Notepad.
  7. Navigate to where you saved the batch file in File Explorer. Double-click the batch file to run it. This will create a new folder called "Locker" in the same folder as the batch file.
  8. You can move objects into the folder by dragging and dropping them, or you can copy and paste them into the folder.
  9. A Command Prompt will open. It will ask you if you want to lock the folder.
  10. The Locker folder will disappear from the folder. This indicates it is locked.
  11. When you want to gain access to the folder again, use the following steps to make the Locker folder reappear:
    • Double-click the batch file to run it.
    • Enter the password you input into the batch file before you saved it.
    • Press the Enter key.
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Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I re-lock the file?
    Community Answer
    Double-click the file again. It will ask for a password. Enter the password, and you're done!
  • Question
    How do I reset the password?
    Community Answer
    Right-click on the .bat file. After doing so, click 'edit.' You can change the code through this.
  • Question
    My folder will not re-lock when typing Y. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    Are you sure you're typing everything correctly? What Windows version are you using?
See more answers
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