Keep the original application
A lock changes access to the selected EXE. It leaves its contents and existing digital signature intact, so you can return to that same file after unlocking.
PCMate Free EXE Lock
PCMate Free EXE Lock for Windows
Keep a chosen app closed until you decide to use it.
Leave an occasionally used program installed without leaving its selected EXE available to open from your account. PCMate Free EXE Lock lets you choose the file, apply a permission lock and return through a password-protected manager when you need the application again.
100% free. No registration, subscription or activation.
Windows 10 & 11 · 64-bit
Choose a personal task
What would you like to keep closed?
Start with one ordinary application you know. These tasks all use the same selected-file lock, so the program stays installed and the decision remains specific.
- 01
An app you use only occasionally
Keep a local utility available for later without allowing its chosen executable to launch now. Identify its real EXE rather than its desktop shortcut.
Choose the correct file → - 02
A program you want to reopen later
Unlock the original file from the manager when your task calls for it. Check the launch at its original path before putting the manager away.
Restore launch access → - 03
Locks you want to retain over time
Save a new recovery kit when the protected list changes. Keep its export-time password and a usable manager copy with your records.
Keep recovery information →
Recognize the file you chose
Use the full path to distinguish your intended program from its installer, a shortcut or another copy. The manager checks whether the selection is eligible.
Reopen it through the manager
Use your manager password when you want to restore launch access. Keep the manager and an up-to-date recovery kit available for the files on your protected list.
Choose an app
Leave the application installed and lock the file that opens it
Perhaps you keep a photo utility or a local hobby application for occasional use. Removing it would also mean installing it again later. A selected-file lock provides a different option: keep the installation in place while making the particular executable unavailable to launch from your current Windows account. Begin with an application whose location and purpose you recognize.
Close that application, find its executable on local NTFS storage and inspect the folder and filename shown in PCMate. A desktop shortcut is a route to a program, so make sure you have identified the target EXE. Let the eligibility check confirm whether the file can be added before you apply the lock.
- Choose an eligible local program rather than an unfamiliar system file.
- Confirm the complete path, including the containing folder.
- Keep the selected application installed for a later unlock.
Use it again
Restore access when the application becomes useful
When it is time to use the program, open PCMate Free EXE Lock and enter the manager password. Select the protected executable you need and use the unlock action. Return to the original location and check that the program opens. You do not need to replace its EXE with a newly generated file.
A launch attempt while the file is locked produces a Windows access-denied message. That message is the expected result of the permission restriction; the program itself does not display a new PCMate password window. Keeping this distinction clear makes the daily workflow easy to follow: manage access in PCMate, then use the application normally after unlocking.
- Keep password entry in the lock manager.
- Unlock the specific program you are about to use.
- Test the original executable after restoring access.
Look after the list
Keep the information needed to revisit older locks
A protected-file list can change as you add another application or release an older one. Export a current recovery kit after each change so that the saved information reflects the locks you are actually using. Retain the password that was used at export time, even if you later change how you organize your passwords.
Before removing the manager or clearing its working folder, unlock every protected file and check its original location. A simple personal note of the program name and why you locked it can also help when you revisit the list months later. Keep the kit and a usable manager copy accessible rather than storing your only copy inside an area you cannot reach.
- Export again after adding or removing protected files.
- Keep the matching export-time password available.
- Unlock and verify all programs before removing the manager.
PCMate Free EXE Lock workflow
Four steps, from selection to result
Find the program you mean
Close the intended application and locate its executable on local storage. Select a file outside the lock manager's own folder, then check the full path before continuing.
Protect it through the manager
Set up the manager password and add the chosen executable. Read the eligibility result carefully, and confirm the operation only when the displayed file is the one you intended to lock.
Save a current recovery kit
After changing the protected-file list, export its latest recovery kit. Keep the password used for that export and an available copy of the manager with your recovery information.
Unlock before you uninstall
When you need the program again, open the manager and unlock it with your password. Restore every protected file before removing the manager, then check each original file path.
Questions about the product
Questions before you lock a program
Does PCMate Free EXE Lock encrypt an application or add a password prompt to it?
No. It changes NTFS permissions for the selected executable and current Windows account. The EXE's bytes and digital signature remain unchanged. Trying to launch a locked file shows Windows access denied; enter the password in the manager to unlock it.
Which program locations can I use?
Choose an eligible executable on local NTFS storage, outside the manager's own folder. System files, security software, the manager itself, network locations and non-NTFS files are excluded. Check the displayed eligibility result rather than assuming that every installed application can be locked.
Will it stop a program that is already running?
It does not terminate an existing instance. Close the intended application before locking its executable. The lock addresses launching that selected file from your current account, so an already-running copy continues to run until it is closed.
Does one lock cover other users or another copy of the program?
No. Its scope is the chosen file and current account. Another executable copy or another Windows account is outside that lock, and an administrator can change permissions. It is not a computer-wide application policy or an administrator-proof barrier.
Can the recovery kit unlock files if I forget its password?
The kit requires the password used when it was exported. It does not bypass that requirement. Keep a current export, its corresponding password and the manager available, and restore all protected files before uninstalling the application.
Is it free, and which Windows versions are supported?
The included features are 100% free, with no registration, subscription or activation code. Use the signed Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit installer. Installation may show an optional RelevantKnowledge invitation; you can decline or skip it and still use PCMate Free EXE Lock.
PCMate Free EXE Lock
Keep your first application closed with PCMate
Download PCMate Free EXE Lock, choose one eligible local EXE and keep the recovery information for your lock. All included functions are free to use, without registration or an activation code.
100% free. No registration, subscription or activation.
Windows 10 & 11 · 64-bit
Download options
Windows setup: a signed installer for PCMate Free EXE Lock.
Portable ZIP: extract the entire folder and keep its runtime, icon, brand.ini and notices together.
Setup may present an optional RelevantKnowledge invitation. You can skip or decline it and use the application.