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Protect files from other users 8You may not want other users of your computer having access to certain data on your machine. In this guide you’ll learn about permissions and how to apply them to drives, files, and folders in Windows 7 and Vista.

One of the readers of Windows Guides asked me how to protect an entire drive from access by other users, which is something you too may want to do. The procedure for this is very simple and very effective.

Protecting Your Files from Other Users

This guide will show you how to deny access to other user accounts; you can also easily do things like give certain users read-only access (they cannot edit or delete files you protect) if you need to.

Do the following:

  1. Right click on the drive, folder, or file you want to protect (never choose the entire C drive) and select Properties
    Protect files from other users 1
  2. Select the Security tab and click Edit…
    Protect files from other users 2
  3. Now click Add…
    Protect files from other users 3
  4. Type the user’s login name and click OK
    Protect files from other users 4
  5. Select Deny next to Full control (Alternatively you can customize permissions here)
    Protect files from other users 5
  6. The files permissions will now be updated. This may take some time.
    Protect files from other users 6
  7. Now login as the user to test the permissions; the drive/folder/file should not be accessible
    Protect files from other users 7
  8. Double clicking on the file should produce a similar error to the one below
    Protect files from other users 8

    You are now done!

About Rich

Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix them.

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Comments

10 thoughts on “Block Drives, Folders, and Files from Other 7/Vista User Accounts [How To]”

  1. Best Windows Freebies and Guid says:

    […] Block Drives, Folders, and Files from Other Vista User Accounts [How To] […]

  2. Ollie Wilson says:

    ok thanks

  3. Ollie Wilson says:

    ok thanks

  4. Ollie Wilson says:

    ok thanks

  5. Jason8100 says:

    Can i block other administrators too?

  6. Umar Azhar says:

    There is another account, but when I try to add its name after Edit, it says this name is not found!

    What should I do?

  7. Ricky Suri08 says:

    Thanxxx man……. ossom… post and suggestion…… : )

  8. vikki thakur says:

    but i cannot find the username to be blocked after edit …..?

  9. Rishikesh Jaiswal says:

    thanks for the post .. it helped

Comments are closed.


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