How to password protect a zip file in Windows 11?

Windows 11 has a built-in compression utility that is integrated into File Explorer, which allows you to quickly create and decompress ZIP files with AES-256 encryption (encrypting only the contents of the file, not the filename).

You can compress files directly from the right-click menu, but you need to manually password protect zip file by clicking on the “Encrypt” button within the ZIP file, which is simple but basic, and suitable for light daily use. For more security (e.g. encrypting filenames) or flexibility, we recommend using a free utility such as 7-Zip.

How to protect protect a zip file in Windows 11

1. Right-click on the file or folder to be compressed and select "Compress to ZIP file".
2. Double-click the generated ZIP file to go inside the zip archive.
3. Click "Home" → "Encrypt" (lock icon) on the top menu bar.Enter the password and confirm it, click “OK”.
4. Close the ZIP file window and the password takes effect immediately.
5. When you open the ZIP again, the system will ask for the password.

IMPORTANT:

You must manually click "Encrypt" after compression, otherwise the file is not password protected.

Encryption is only for the files in the current ZIP, new files will need to be re-encrypted.