Giving your laptop for repair? How to protect your files first
The laptop won't charge, the screen cracked, the keyboard stopped working, and the service centre wants it for three days, often with your Windows password. Everything on it is then in a stranger's hands: photos, ID scans, bank statements, saved browser passwords. Here's how to protect your files before you hand it over.
The checklist (30 minutes before you go)
- Back up your important files to an external drive. Repairs sometimes mean a reinstalled or replaced drive.
- Install Clavis Encrypt and encrypt private files: photos, ID scans (Aadhaar/PAN guide), bank and tax documents, work files. Each becomes a
.encfile with a random name. - Lock Clavis (or quit it from the tray) so nothing is open.
- Create a technician account: Settings → Accounts → Other users (on Windows 10: Family & other users) → Add account → "I don't have this person's sign-in information" → "Add a user without a Microsoft account". Give them that password, not yours.
- Sign out of Chrome or Edge, Gmail, WhatsApp Desktop, banking sites and password managers, or remove saved passwords.
- Remove anything you don't need on the laptop at all.
- If the drive is being replaced, ask to keep the old one, or make sure your files on it are encrypted.
When you get it back
- Delete the technician account and change your Windows password if you shared it.
- Check that your encrypted files still open, and that no unknown programs were installed (Settings → Apps).
- Turn on Device encryption or BitLocker if your laptop supports it. See BitLocker vs Device encryption.
Why "just hiding" files doesn't work
| What you do | Can a technician see your files? |
|---|---|
| Nothing, and give them your password | Yes, everything |
| Hide the folder | Yes: one setting shows it, and search finds it |
| Give them a separate Windows account | Not easily, but an admin account or a removed drive can still read them |
| Encrypt with Clavis Encrypt | No: without your password the files can't be opened, even from another account or another PC |
Questions
How do I protect my personal files before giving my laptop for repair?
Back up first, then encrypt private files with an app such as Clavis Encrypt so they can't be opened without your password, sign out of browsers and email, and give the technician a separate Windows account instead of your own password.
Should I give the service centre my Windows password?
Avoid it if you can. Create a separate local account for the technician. If you must share your password, encrypt private files first and change the password when the laptop comes back.
Can a repair shop recover my deleted files?
Often, yes. Deleted files can be recovered from many drives. Encrypting files protects them; for a drive you're giving away permanently, use full-disk encryption or a proper wipe.
Will encrypting files slow down my laptop or the repair?
No. Encrypted files just sit on the disk; the technician can test and repair the laptop normally, and Windows works as usual.
Sources
- Clavis Encrypt — security design (AES-256-GCM, Argon2id)
- Clavis Encrypt — BitLocker vs Device encryption on Windows 11 Home
This guide explains general practice, not legal advice. Laws and rules change; check the current text or ask a lawyer for your situation.