Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Protect Your Privacy With Wise Folder Hider


If you share a computer with someone else, or you are in an environment in which someone else could access your computer, you’ll be aware of the need to protect your privacy. In the case of shared computers, it is easy enough to set up individual user account for everyone, each of which can be password protected and will effectively keep everyone’s files separate.
Having a folder on your desktop called ‘My super-secret files’ in which you store all of your private documents, financial information, journal entries and personal photographs is almost asking someone with prying eyes to take a peek inside. Wise Folder Hider is a free privacy tool that can be used to conceal private files and folders very quickly and easily.
The thinking behind the program is that by completely hiding files from sight – rather than just encrypting or password protecting them – you remove the element of temptation and you therefore all but eliminate the risk that someone will rifle through your documents.

Downloading and Getting Started

Fire up your web browser and pay a visit to the Wise Folder Hider web site, hover the mouse over the Products link at the top of the page and click the Wise Folder Hider entry.
Click the Free Download button and save the executable to the folder of your choice; weighing in at less than 2MB you won’t have long to wait.
Wise Folder Hider is available for free download
Wise Folder Hider is available for free download
When the download is complete, double click the executable and run through the installation process in the usual way. There are no unusual options to configure, and you should be up and running in a matter of moments.
At the end of the installation process, untick the box labelled ‘Download more free software’ and click Finish.
You can run through the installation of Wise Folder Hider in seconds
You can run through the installation of Wise Folder Hider in seconds

Setting Up

On the desktop, click the cross to close the popup that appears highlighting the new icon and then double click the Wise Folder Hider icon. Click to close the User Account Control dialog and then enter and confirm the password you would like to use before clicking OK.
This is the password that will be used to prevent unauthorized access to your files, so make sure that it is a secure one.
You'll need to pick a strong password to lock other users out of the program
You'll need to pick a strong password to lock other users out of the program

Hiding Files and Folders

The easiest way to hide files or folders from view is to simply drag and drop them onto the Wise Folder Hider window but you can also click the Hide File or Hide Folder and select anything you would like to keep out of sight.
Files and folders can be easily add to the list of hidden items
Files and folders can be easily add to the list of hidden items
A final option for adding items to the list of things that should be hidden is to browse through the contents of your hard drive in Explorer. You can then right click on any file or folder and select the Hide File/Folder With Wise Folder Hider option from the context menu that appears.
Windows' context menu can also be used to add files and folders to the hidden list
Windows' context menu can also be used to add files and folders to the hidden list
You can repeat this process for as many files and folders as you like and you will end up with a list within the main program window.
Whenever you have the Wise Folder Hider window open, you can double click anything you have opted to hide in order to make it visible once again – as soon as you close the program window, any selected files and folders will be automatically hidden again.

Extra Protection

Once you have taken these steps, the files and folders you have selected will only be accessible when you are logged into Wise Folder Hider, but it is possible to add an extra layer of protection in case you leave your computer unattended.
To the right of any item you have chosen to hide, click the arrow on the button labelled open before selecting Set Password from the menu that appears. Enter and confirm the password you would like to use as a secondary level of security and click OK.
An additional password can be created to doubly protect sensitive files
An additional password can be created to doubly protect sensitive files
Now, whenever you double click a ‘locked’ item that has been double protected in this way, you will be prompted to enter the password you have configured.
Hidden files and folders can only be accessed through program using the correct password
Hidden files and folders can only be accessed through program using the correct password

Hiding USB Drives

As well as hiding individual files or entire folders, Wise Folder Hider can also be used to hide USB drives from view. This provides you with a great way to hide or password protect a large number of files.
The process of hiding USB drives is very similar to working with files and folders. Make sure that the USB drive you want to work with is connected to your computer and click the Hide USB Drive button in the program toolbar.
USB drives can also be hidden in a few mouse clicks
USB drives can also be hidden in a few mouse clicks
In the dialog that appears, select the relevant drive from the drop down menu and then click OK. The drive will then be display in the Wise Folder Hider and it can then be treated in exactly the same way as files and folders using the techniques we have already mentioned.

Removing Protection

Passwords can be removed when they are no longer needed by clicking the arrow on the Open button and selecting the Change Password option. Enter your old password in the first box, leave the next two blank and then click OK.
Passwords can be removed from individual files by using the Change Password option
Passwords can be removed from individual files by using the Change Password option
You may also decide that you want to make a folder or file visible again – you’ll need to do this if you want to delete them, for example. This can be achieved by simply click the arrow to the right side of the Open button in the main program window and then selecting the Unhide option.
To make files publicly available, you will need to remove them from Wise Folder Hider
To make files publicly available, you will need to remove them from Wise Folder Hider

Wrapping Up

There are countless reasons that might make you want to hide files from view but this app keeps things are simple as possible while providing you with a number of fairly advanced features.
from: windows.appstorm.net

2 comments:

  1. hi.. i had done the same thing and everything was fine. you did a good job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad this worked for you. And don't forget to subscribe to this blog for more. Thank you.

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