How to lock a folder in external hard drive for Windows PC?

A simple method is to hide a folder on your external hard drive using Windows' built-in features. While this doesn’t provide strong security (since hidden folders can be easily revealed), it’s a quick way to make files less visible to casual users.

This method makes the folder super hidden (system-protected), so it won’t appear even if "Show hidden files" is enabled.

Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter to open Command Prompt.

Type the following command (replace X:\FolderName with your actual folder path):

attrib +h +s "X:\FolderName"

Example: If your folder is Secret on drive E:, use:

attrib +h +s "E:\Secret"

Press Enter. The folder will now be hidden and system-protected. 

How to Access the Hidden Folder

1. In the View tab, click Options > Change folder and search options.
2. Go to the View tab > Uncheck "Hide protected operating system files".
3. Click Yes on the warning > OK.