Game Protector (Windows)
The first of the useful resources I want to tell you about is Game Protector. It is a free software for Windows operating systems which, as the name implies, although it has been specifically designed for videogames, allows you to protect both programs and games with a password of your choice, also changing the icon. in such a way as to disguise its presence on the PC. Here's how it works.
The first thing you need to do to use it is to go to the Game Protector website and click on the blue button Download Now, located at the bottom of the page, in order to download the program.
When the download is complete, open the .exe file obtained and click on Si and, in the window you see appear on the desktop, press the button Next. Then accept the license to use, putting the check mark next to the item I accept the agreement, click your Next for four consecutive times and then on install e Finish to finish the installation process.
With Game Protector started, click on the button Open and double-click the icon of the program or game you want to password protect. Then type the keyword you want to use (in the two boxes contained in the section Password of the window), select the icon you want the protected element to assume and write the name you want to assign it (using the field Rename).
To conclude, click on your button Protect to complete the operation. Then press on the button OK in response to the warning that appeared on the screen confirming the success of the operation.
At this point, every time someone tries to start the program / game you have protected with a password, they will be asked to enter the password, without which access will be denied.
When you deem it appropriate, you can eliminate the request for entering the password when starting the selected program or game by simply opening Game Protector again, selecting the reference program by clicking on the button Open at the section Game Program, by typing the reference password in the appropriate fields and then pressing the button UnProtect down. Then press on OK in response to the warning that appeared on the screen and that's it.
ExeLock (Windows)
Another little program that in my opinion deserves to be mentioned in a guide like this one ExeLock. It is a free software that works on all versions of Windows which, similar to the one mentioned above, allows you to avoid the unauthorized execution of files in .exe format (therefore programs and even games), as the name implies. , requesting the typing of a specific password. It does not require installation and is quite simple to use.
To download it to your PC, go to the program download page and click on the button Download which is at the top left. When the download is complete, start the executile file obtained and, in the software window that appears on the desktop, click on the button Select ... on the left to select the program or game to block.
Then type the password you want to use to set the block in the appropriate fields below and press the button Lids. Then press on OK in response to the warning that appeared on the screen. Trying then to start the reference element, a specific message will appear on the screen indicating that a block has been applied by the system administrator.
When and if you want you can then unlock the blocked program or game by starting ExeLock, selecting the reference file again by clicking on the button Select ... and then pressing the button Unlock and subsequently on OK.
If the thing interests you, I will then point out that by clicking on the item Options Always attached to the ExeLock window you can adjust the operation of the program to your liking by setting the date and time of expiry of the block. Convenient, right?
WinGuard Pro (Windows)
As an alternative to the aforementioned program you can appeal to WinGuard Pro. It is a commercial software (but usable in a free trial version for 30 days without limitations) running on all Windows operating systems that allows you to block programs and games with passwords and to do the same also on folders, hard drives, task managers and Windows Explorer / File Explorer. It also allows you to block the installation of new programs. In short, it is an enhanced variant of Game Protector and ExeLock. Try it now and you will see that it will satisfy you.
To use it, connected to the download page on the Softpedia website, click on the button Download which is at the top left and presses up Softpedia Secure Download (US) in the window that appears on the screen.
When the download is complete, start the .exe file obtained and click on Si. Now, press the button Next twice in a row, then on install and, to conclude the setup, press on Finish.
Then start WinGuard Pro by calling it from Start menuclick your Si I awarded her OK in the pop-up window on the desktop. Once the main screen of the program is displayed, to serve your purpose first go to the tab Password and fill in the fields New Password: e Confirm New Password: with the password you want to use to block the use of the program then press the button Apply which is below and then up OK.
Then go to the tab Program Lock and press pulsating Lock Program ... which is on the right, start the software or game you intend to block any unauthorized execution and wait a few moments for its name to appear in the additional WinGuard Pro window on the screen. If this does not happen automatically, click on the button Rrefersh.
Now, select the program or game to block in the list, press the button Lids that is below and it is done. Starting from this moment, trying to start the reference element a special message will appear on the screen indicating that a lock has been applied by the system administrator.
To remove the lock applied, just start WinGuard Pro again, type the password set previously, select the program or game from the list Locked Programs on this PC: that you find in the card Program Lock and press the button Unlock Program which is to the right. Finally press the button Apply below to ensure that the changes made are applied.
AskAdmin (Windows)
Did the above programs not particularly convince you and are you looking for an alternative resource? Then try now to take a look at AskAdmin and you will see that you will not regret it. It is a small free tool for Windows OS that allows you to block programs and games with a simple click but which, unlike the resources I have already told you about, does not require the entry of a special password, at least not in its free version (to obtain this functionality, it is necessary to buy the paid version of the software). However, I chose to include it in my guide because I consider it a very valid tool.
You ask me how to use it? I'll explain it to you right away. First, connected to the download page of the program and presses the button Download that you find below in order to start downloading the software immediately. At the end of the download, extract the ZP file obtained in any Windows location and start the .exe file contained within it.
Then click on Si and then Agree and you will find yourself in front of the program window. To serve, click on the button with the sheet and the "+" symbol at the top left, select the program or game to block and click on OK in response to the notice that appears on the screen. Done! The program or game you selected is now locked.
If you want, you can add additional games or programs to be blocked by repeating the same steps seen together above. There is no limit to the maximum number of items you can block.
For each program or game added to the list, you can change its name, view its path, related info and perform various other operations simply by right-clicking on the reference element and then using the items attached to the menu you see appear.
When you then need, you can unlock a given program or game added to the list by simply clicking on it and then pressing the button with the sheet and the "x" found at the top of the program window.
AppLocker (Mac)
Are you not using a Windows PC but a Mac? Then the suggestion I feel like giving you is to use AppLocker. It is a specific application for macOS, free (but offers in-app purchases to unlock the function that allows you to set restrictions for multiple user accounts) and very simple to use thanks to which you can lock any application with a password directly and comfortably from the menu bar.
To use it, first connect to the appropriate section of the Mac App Store Onlineclick on your bottone See in the Mac App Store that you find on the left and, in the window of the Mac App Store "Real" that opened on the desk presses the button Ottieni / Installa. If prompted, also enter your Apple ID password.
Therefore, wait for the app download and installation procedure to be started and completed, then click on the AppLocker icon that has been added to the Launchpad to start the application immediately.
Now set the password you intend to use to block access to programs and games, then click on the AppLocker icon on the menu bar, type the previously set password, click on the button "+" from the menu that has opened and select, from the window you see appear on the desktop, the application or game to be blocked. Done!
If you try to open a protected application, you will be prompted for the password you set for the first time and you will not be able to use it until it is entered correctly.
Note that always from the Mac menu bar, by clicking on the AppLocker icon you can view the list of protected applications and manage other app features such as deciding whether or not to start the app automatically when macOS starts, whether to remove blocked applications by clicking the "X" next to their name and whether or not to enable use of the program.
How to password protect programs and games
