How Do I Open A Folder Guard?

To open a Folder Guard-protected folder, you must use the correct password or temporarily pause the program's protection .

How to open a password-protected folder

If you are a regular user trying to access a folder protected with a specific password, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the protected folder in File Explorer.
2. Double-click the folder icon. A password prompt will appear.
3. Enter the correct password and click "OK."
4. The folder will unlock, and you can access its contents.
5. Re-lock the folder when you are finished by clicking the "Lock" button in the folder's window. Alternatively, set an option to automatically lock the folder when the window is closed.

How to unhide a hidden folder

If the folder was hidden by Folder Guard, it will not be visible in File Explorer. To access it, you must pause the program's protection.

1. Launch the Folder Guard program from its desktop shortcut or Start menu.
2. In the main window, click the "Pause" button.
3. Enter your Master password when prompted. This will temporarily disable the protection.
4. The hidden folders will become visible again, and you can access them as usual.
5. When you are done, run Folder Guard again and choose to "Resume" the protection to hide the folders again.

How to open the main Folder Guard program

If you are an administrator and need to change protection settings, you must run Folder Guard and enter the Master Password.

1. Run Folder Guard from your desktop or Start menu.
2. The program will display a prompt to either resume or pause protection. Click "Change folder protection settings".
3. Enter your Master password to access the main configuration interface.
4. From here, you can add or remove protected folders, change passwords, and manage other restrictions.

What to do if you forget the Master Password

If you forget your main Master Password, you will need to use the Emergency Recovery Utility.

1. Download and run the Emergency Recovery Utility from the official WinAbility website.
2. The utility will prompt you for the Master Password.
3. Click the "Forgot your password?" link on the password window.
4. To proceed, you will need to enter your Folder Guard license information exactly as it was provided to you after purchase. This is a security measure to prevent unauthorized access.
5. If the information is correct, the utility will erase the Master Password and unprotect your computer.
6. You can then run Folder Guard and create a new Master Password.

What to do if you forget a folder's individual password

If you forget a password for a specific folder but remember your Master Password, it is a simpler process.

1. Run Folder Guard and enter your Master Password.
2. Navigate to the list of locked folders.
3. Select the folder with the forgotten password and use the appropriate command to set up a new one.

Using the right-click context menu

For faster access to individually password-protected folders, you can enable a setting to add "Lock" and "Unlock" commands to the Windows right-click menu.

1. Go into the Folder Guard settings.
2. Enable the option to "Show Unlock commands on the icon menu".
3. You can then right-click on the protected folder in File Explorer and choose "Unlock."

Security considerations

It is crucial to remember that Folder Guard protects files by controlling access, not by encrypting them. While this is effective against casual users, a determined individual with enough expertise could potentially bypass the protection by disabling the software services. For more robust security, consider using an encryption program like Encryptability.

Always maintain a backup of your important files before using any security software. This practice ensures you can restore your data in the event of an unforeseen issue or forgotten password.