Do you often share your PC with family, friends, or colleagues but worry about sensitive files—like work contracts, personal photos, or financial records—being accidentally deleted, edited, or snooped on? Or maybe you’re working on a confidential project and want to keep it hidden until it’s finished? With Gilisoft File Lock Pro, you can easily create a private folder to secure your important data, either by hiding it from view or locking it with a password. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started.

Step 1: Download and Install Gilisoft File Lock Pro

First, you need to get Gilisoft File Lock Pro on your Windows 11 or 10 PC:

1. Visit the official Gilisoft website (ensure you download from a trusted source to avoid malware) and find the “Gilisoft File Lock Pro” download page.
2. Click the “Download” button—most versions offer a free 30-day trial with full functionality, and no credit card is required to start.
3. Once the installer file is downloaded, double-click it to launch the setup wizard.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts: agree to the user license agreement, choose an installation path (the default path works for most users), and click “Install” to start the process.
5. After installation, click “Finish” to launch the software (you can also check the “Create a desktop shortcut” box for easier access later).

Step 2: Launch Gilisoft File Lock Pro and Set a Master Password

The first time you open Gilisoft File Lock Pro, it will prompt you to set a master password—this is the key to accessing the software and managing your private folders, so choose a strong one (mix of letters, numbers, and symbols) and remember it:

1. In the pop-up window, enter your desired master password twice (to confirm no typos).
2. Optional: You can set a password hint (e.g., “birthday + pet’s name”) to help you recover the password if you forget it.
3. Click “OK” to save the master password. The software will now open to its main dashboard, where you can see all protection options (e.g., “Lock File/Folder,” “Hide File/Folder,” “Protect USB Drive”).

Step 3: Choose the Folder to Make Private

Before setting up protection, decide which folder you want to secure. For testing (if you’re new to the software), we recommend creating a test folder on your Desktop or in the “Documents” folder (e.g., name it “Test Private Folder”) and adding a few dummy files to it. Once you’re ready:

1. On the Gilisoft File Lock Pro main dashboard, select either “Lock File/Folder” or “Hide File/Folder” (choose based on your needs—see below for details):
   • Lock Folder: The folder will still be visible in File Explorer, but anyone who tries to open it will need to enter the password.
   • Hide Folder: The folder will be completely invisible in File Explorer—even if someone enables “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” in Windows settings, it won’t appear.
2. Click the “Add” button (usually a “+” icon) in the top-right corner of the selected tab.
3. In the file browser window that pops up, navigate to the folder you want to protect, select it, and click “OK.” The folder will now appear in the list of “Pending Protection” items on the software dashboard.

Step 4: Customize Protection Settings (Optional)

Gilisoft File Lock Pro lets you tweak protection settings for more control:

• For Locked Folders: After adding the folder, you can set a separate password for it (instead of using the master password). To do this:
  1. Right-click the folder in the “Locked Folders” list and select “Set Password.”
  2. Enter a unique password and confirm it, then click “Save.” This is useful if you want to share access to a specific locked folder with someone (without giving them your master password).
• For Hidden Folders: No extra password is needed here—hiding a folder relies on the software’s system-level protection to make it invisible. However, you can choose to “Exclude from Protection” for specific users (e.g., let your admin account see the hidden folder while hiding it from other user accounts). To do this:
  1. Right-click the hidden folder in the list and select “User Settings.”
  2. Uncheck the boxes next to the user accounts you want to exclude (e.g., “Administrator”), then click “Apply.”

Step 5: Enable Protection for the Private Folder

Once you’ve added the folder and adjusted settings (if needed), it’s time to activate protection:

1. Double-check that the correct folder is selected in the list (a checkmark should appear next to it).
2. Click the “Protect” button (usually a green “Shield” icon) at the bottom of the dashboard.
3. A confirmation pop-up will appear—click “Yes” to confirm. The software will now apply the protection:
   • If you chose “Hide Folder”: The folder will disappear from File Explorer immediately.
   • If you chose “Lock Folder”: The folder will have a small “Locked” icon overlay in File Explorer, and opening it will prompt for the password.

Step 6: Access the Private Folder Later

When you need to open, edit, or add files to your private folder, follow these steps:

1. Launch Gilisoft File Lock Pro from your desktop shortcut or the Start menu.
2. Enter your master password to unlock the software.
3. To access a hidden folder:
   • Go to the “Hide File/Folder” tab, find your folder in the list, and uncheck the box next to it.
   • Click the “Apply” button— the folder will now reappear in File Explorer, and you can use it like any other folder.
4. To access a locked folder:
   • You can either:
     1. Go to the “Lock File/Folder” tab, right-click the folder, and select “Unlock” (enter the password if prompted), or
     2. Navigate to the folder in File Explorer, double-click it, and enter the folder’s password when prompted.

Step 7: Resume Protection After Using the Folder

Don’t forget to re-enable protection once you’re done with the private folder:

1. If you unlocked a hidden folder: Go back to the “Hide File/Folder” tab, check the box next to the folder, and click “Apply”—it will disappear again.
2. If you unlocked a locked folder: Go to the “Lock File/Folder” tab, right-click the folder, select “Lock,” and click “Apply”—it will be locked again.
3. You can also close Gilisoft File Lock Pro directly— the software will automatically prompt you to “Resume Protection” if any folders are temporarily unlocked. Click “Yes” to confirm.

Why Use Gilisoft File Lock Pro?

• Dual Protection Modes: Hide folders completely or lock them with passwords—choose what works best for your needs.
• System-Level Security: Hidden folders won’t appear even if Windows “Show hidden files” is enabled, and locked folders can’t be bypassed with basic Windows tricks.
• Easy to Use: The dashboard is intuitive, and you can manage all protected folders in one place.
• Extra Features: It also supports protecting USB drives, encrypting files, and setting access permissions for different user accounts.

Ready to secure your private files? Download Gilisoft File Lock Pro for free (30-day trial, no credit card required) and start creating your private folder today. Happy (and secure) computing!