Thanks to its advanced encryption Folder Lock locks your drives, files and folders. The locked item(s) cannot be deleted, moved, copied, or renamed. Also your documents, photos and other confidential files are completely hidden with the file hiding feature that offers high level privacy. One significant benefit of the program is that it’s mobile. It can easily be set up to offer the same level of security on all your USB drives, external hard drives or cloud storage spaces with Dropbox and Google Drive synchronization. In addition it has the power to create encrypted virtual safes called Lockers. These virtual safes protect all the files inside them in real-time using powerful encryption algorithms like 256-bit AES.
Also, it features a Wipe option to shred data for those that want to get rid of their data permanently. It is a function that can help break up the sensitive information and make it unrecoverable before a device is sold or disposed of. Also included is a built-in password manager to help users generate robust and secure codes and save them safely in an encrypted vault.
The new version works with the latest releases of Windows 11 and Windows 10 from 2026 onwards. It’s optimized for 32-bit and 64-bit. But 64-bit usage is recommended. This is a new version that supports cloud encryption allowing users to directly encrypt and synchronize files uploaded to their cloud storage service accounts. The security layer is enhanced with advanced threats protection such as basic behavioral analysis and suspicious software activity alert system. It supports email and authenticator app login in addition to the master password. There is also an added multi factor authentication feature. They are all technical enhancements and presented in a re-designed and streamlined way that provides a faster and more intuitive user experience.
Below you can find a grouped overview of what Folder Lock does, covering all aspects.
1 ) Core Locking and Hiding Functions:
In the Folder and File Locking section you can lock any folder or file, including a Word document, Excel spreadsheet, PDF or images. The following can’t be done to these locked items:
- A – They can not be opened and deleted.
- B – They cannot be moved.
- C – Only inbuilt functions can be called.
You create a read only and non-modifiable skin of protection over your files in a manner.
The File and Folder Hiding feature allows you to invisible your files in Windows Explorer, even at the DOS command prompt without deleting them. They’re not detectable by any file search functions. It is based on the principle of security through obscurity.
2 ) Advanced Encryption and Secure Storage:
Secure Vault Creation allows Folder Lock to generate an encrypted virtual safe with a certain size on your hard drive or USB drive. This safe mounts as a drive the “L” drive for example. Everything that is added to the folder or file is immediately encrypted with military-grade encryption methods such as 256-bit AES. After that you can access your files just as you would normally access any other folder with your master password. After closing it all is again secured.
This is a much quicker and more secure approach than locking each one of the many files.
The Drive Locking feature allows you to lock a USB drive, external hard disk or local drive on the computer with full encryption, excluding C. If the drive is locked and is plugged into a computer, or access is being attempted to the drive it becomes invisible or inaccessible.
3 ) Data Destruction and Trace Cleaning:
When a file is deleted using the Secure Deletion process the file index will be deleted, but the file data will still be physically deleted from disk. With special software this data can be retrieved. With Folder Lock’s Wipe feature a file or folder can’t be recovered because it is over written with random data many times using an algorithm of your choice. Data can be erased permanently before selling or disposing of a device in this way.
The Trace Cleaner tool cleans the digital footprints left by previous programs, including recently opened files list, cookies, cache and anything else that Windows and other programs leave behind in one click. This will make you more private and you will not be able to be seen using your computer.
4 ) Other Auxiliary Security Tools:
With the Password Manager you can create strong and secure passwords for websites, emails or bank accounts and save them in a secure section of the program.
Stealth Mode can be used to run the program without showing it on the Start Menu, Task Manager, or Desktop shortcut, meaning that there is no sign of the program on the windows. The program is only opened with a specified hotkey combination. This way no one can see or know of its existence. When your computer becomes idle for a designated amount of time or when your screensaver turns on, Auto Lock comes into play, automatically re-locks all locked items and closed safes.
What are some of the user groups or situations it would be used in?
It is used by individual users to protect their own photos, videos, diaries and document scans from other users using the computer.
Used by office workers, freelance writers, and business owners to protect important business information, including customer information, financial records, project proposals, and trade secrets.
It is used by students to protect their assignments and projects relating to their thesis from being copied and removed by other students.
Other than this, it is the use of any individual who wishes to keep their files private while using a public computer (as in a internet cafe), and to totally delete personal details when returning a computer.
What to do if I lose my master password?
Unfortunately Folder Lock’s security architecture makes it impossible to recover a password. No one including NewSoftwares Inc., can reset or retrieve your password which is the key to encrypt your data. This is to ensure the utmost security to keep out malicious third parties. Therefor it is crucial to record your master password, keep it safe and never forget.
Is Folder Lock portable?
Yes it’s one of the most formidable features of Folder Lock. The program can be ported to a USB flash drive or external disk with the Portable Setup option. Then anytime you want to use your encrypted safe file or lock hide files on any Windows machine you plug in this thumb drive, you can without installation. All your security settings and encrypted files are carried on the USB device.
The Secure Vault or Locker feature and how it works?
Secure Vault is a special folder that may be added to your hard drive or memory stick that you can password lock. This is a folder on encrypted file system. All the files and folders that you add during the process are encrypted in real-time using a secure algorithm like 256-bit AES. After the safe is opened with the master password, the files can be accessed and modified as normal. Once locked all contents of the box are re-encrypted and can no longer be accessed. This is easier and less risky than locking all of the files in succession.
Is it possible to notice a significant impact on system performance?
In order to make Folder Lock as light as possible to modern systems, it does not use as many background system resources of modern systems as possible. With a Secure Vault you may notice a short spike in the processor and disk utilization, particularly during the copying of extremely large files and data that exceed several GB by importing or exporting data into the safe. This is normal and in the normal use of the program anything such as editing documents, hiding files or whatever does not have any discernable slowing down effect.
