If you have a large batch of files to compress and you want to add password protection to each of them, what is the simplest or quickest way to do so? Today’s SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a curious reader’s question.
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The Question
SuperUser reader DAE wants to know how to zip and password protect files in as few steps as possible:
How do you zip and password protect files in as few steps as possible?
Is there a command that I can add to the batch file that includes the password? Or alternatively, how can I create a batch file that will password protect the compressed files?
The Answer
SuperUser contributor DavidPostill has the answer for us:
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Use the -p option, -p (set password) switch, which specifies the password.
Syntax
-p{password}
{password} specifies the password
Examples
Compresses *.txt files to archive.7z using the password “secret”. It also encrypts archive headers (-mhe switch) so that the file names will be encrypted.
7z a archive. 7z -psecret -mhe *. txt
If compressing folders:
“C:\Program Files (x86)\7-Zip\7z. exe” a “%%X. zip” -psecret “%%X\”
Extracts all files from archive.zip using the password “secret”.
7z x archive. zip -psecret
Source: -p (set Password) switch