How to set password on already existing winrar archive and encrypt it also?

Not when creating new archive, but on existing archive. I would also like to know how to do that in other archiver.

Boris_yo

Posted 2011-05-27T11:24:10.440

Reputation: 5 238

Answers

You can do it by using this method . Tools > Convert Archives > Compression > General > Set Password > then click ok and save . :)

Santhosh

Posted 2011-05-27T11:24:10.440

Reputation: 676

I don't know if this was different in earlier versions, but I found the 'set password' button under 'general' not the 'advanced' tab. Still, you got me more than half the way there! – fadelm0 – 2016-12-10T15:41:29.157

Works great. Note that WinRAR 3.42 has another password option under File->Password (I don't know what this does). – sancho.s Reinstate Monica – 2017-01-06T08:06:28.207

This also works with .zip archives in WinRar :) Also remember to check 'delete original archives' so that you can replace the original with encrypted version. Otherwise, you must manually delete the unencrypted version. – Jon Grah – 2017-03-03T02:24:09.120

And thats why nobody buys WinRar, why do they hide the options so hard? – Black – 2017-05-23T07:11:07.917

Slight clarification (or possibly a slightly different method; not sure): Double-click on the RAR file (in e.g., Windows Explorer). That opens a WinRAR session. In that session, select the RAR file > top menu > Tools > Convert archives > Compression button > General tab > Set password > enter new password > OK > OK > Yes (I'm sure I want to encrypt converted archives) > OK > enter old password > OK > Close. – Ray Woodcock – 2018-06-17T14:55:01.260

thank you so much!.. this works like a charm! =) – Brian Sanchez – 2019-02-24T02:51:58.343

5Nice! Talk about a BURIED feature! – Matias Nino – 2013-01-17T13:31:08.597

1Hahahahahahahaha.... what the ... :D – Apache – 2013-12-16T02:03:25.767

This is not possible as the password is generally used as the hash/similar for the file, so, anything that changes it will require an intensive operation to change all files.

The fastest and easiest thing by far is to extract all files and create a new archive with the security set.

Not saying it isn't possible to do what you want, but I haven't seen the option to do it.

William Hilsum

Posted 2011-05-27T11:24:10.440

Reputation: 111 572

I added file to archive and set password which casused everything to update. Now archive is password protected, but has unnecessary file. I removed it and archive remained protected. – Boris_yo – 2011-05-27T12:26:58.833

@Boris - Technically what you did was exactly what you DID NOT want to do. You actually did create a new archive it was just invisible to you. – Ramhound – 2011-05-27T15:38:19.903

1Then where is the old archive? In temp directory? – Boris_yo – 2011-05-30T13:55:34.563

-3

There is a better way of doing it. go to Options>Settings>Compression>Create Default>Set Password>Then click Ok and you're done! (At least it's easier to navigate.)

Fox Trot

Posted 2011-05-27T11:24:10.440

Reputation: 1

1That is not the answer to the question; this just sets how archives are made 'from now on.' – Jan Doggen – 2014-09-20T11:50:17.483