Here, it also allows you to select the encryption method (ZipCrypto or AES-256). Up next, enter your password and confirm it in the Encryption section, present in the lower-right corner. Once you have downloaded and installed 7-Zip file archiver software from its official website and install it on your computer, right-click on the file or folder you wish to compress and password-protect.įrom the context menu, select 7-Zip > Add to archive. WinZip & WinRAR are not free, and so we will show you how you can add a password to your compressed and archived files using 7-Zip which is open source and free. So, ZipCrypto is compatible with several tools but not secure, whereas AES-256 is more secure but compatible with very less number of tools. Windows’ own native compression tool does not support it but many other well-known tools like 7-Zip, WinZip, WinRAR, etc. Even so, AES-256 comes with its own set of drawbacks. An efficient and more secure alternative to this isĪn efficient and more secure alternative to this is AES-256 encryption which is considered among the top ciphers. Word is out that it is quite weak and vulnerable to attacks like the known plain text attack. However, it lacks on the security forefront. First isįirst is ZipCrypto which is widely used and supported by several ZIP archive software. For starters, let us give a bit of backdrop to the various encryption and password protection methods that are supported by.

Password protect zipped file windows 10