Windows doesn’t natively support password protection of individual folders. However, there are several methods to protect your data on a Windows system. Here’s a few:
Third Party Software
You can use third-party applications like 7-zip or WinRAR to compress and encrypt the folder with a password. But remember, anyone can delete the folder even though they can’t open it.
VeraCrypt
VeraCrypt is a free and open-source disk encryption software. You can create an encrypted file container acting like a normal file that you can mount as a real disk. All files stored in this disk will be automatically encrypted on-the-fly.
BitLocker
If you have Windows 11 Pro, you can use BitLocker to encrypt the whole drive. Click here to read more about Bitlocker.
Windows Encrypting File System (EFS)
This allows you to encrypt individual files or folders. Anyone logging into your user account (which could be password-protected) could access them, but anyone else cannot. Click here for more information on Windows EFS.
Remember, the availability and specifics of these features can change, so it’s always a good idea to check the most current information based on your actual operating system and software versions.