FakeFiler

FakeFiler is an application that enables you to hide your files by changing their extension into unsupported formats to prevent programs from launching them. It can restore the original files with the help of key files or by asking you to remember them.

Installing this tool takes minimal time and effort, and the only notable aspect is that you must have .NET Framework installed.

When it comes to the GUI, FakeFiler opts for a normal window with a clear-cut structure split into two panes dedicated to creating fake files and restoring the real ones.

It's necessary to indicate the file to hide, specify the new filename, and select the new format from a drop-down menu. There are several file extensions available in this regard, such as DLL, CAB, CLASS, EXE, JAR, MSI, NFO and OCS. However, it's not possible to enter a custom format.

Before creating the fake file, you can review the full path, date of creation, real format and size (bytes) of the original file. On task completion, the original file is removed and replaced by a key file, which can be used for reconstructing the real file if you don't want to remember its extension. Unfortunately, the program doesn't remember the original filename as well.

It carried out tasks swiftly in our tests while remaining light on system resources consumption. No error dialogs popped up and it didn't hang or crash. On the other hand, we've noticed other types of issues. For example, it's necessary to click inside the box for each character you want to enter for the fake filename.

The solution offered by FakeFiler for hiding files can be achieved without its help, by manually changing file extensions into unsupported formats and then by restoring them. However, this app offers a quicker method, along with the option to create a key file if you can't remember the previous settings.