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

Sathyajith Bhat
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Boris_yo
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3 Answers3

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

Miserable Variable
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Santhosh
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    Nice! Talk about a BURIED feature! – Matias Nino Jan 17 '13 at 13:31
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    Hahahahahahahaha.... what the ... :D – Apache Dec 16 '13 at 02:03
  • 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 Dec 10 '16 at 15:41
  • Works great. Note that WinRAR 3.42 has another password option under File->Password (I don't know what this does). – sancho.s ReinstateMonicaCellio Jan 06 '17 at 08:06
  • 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 Mar 03 '17 at 02:24
  • And thats why nobody buys WinRar, why do they hide the options so hard? – Black May 23 '17 at 07:11
  • 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 Jun 17 '18 at 14:55
  • thank you so much!.. this works like a charm! =) – Brian Sanchez Feb 24 '19 at 02:51
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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
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  • 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 May 27 '11 at 12:26
  • @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 May 27 '11 at 15:38
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    Then where is the old archive? In temp directory? – Boris_yo May 30 '11 at 13:55
  • This is the correct answer. The picked answer actually recompresses the archive, so it's not what OP wants. Neither what I want... been looking to set a password to a 60GB archive that took 12 hours to make without recompressing it... and it's not possible. Since I have no choice, it'll end up as a rar in a rar situation. – JasonXA Feb 27 '22 at 00:32
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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
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