Open WinRAR: Right-click on the file or folder you want to compress and encrypt with a password. Then, select "Add to archive..." from the context menu.
Set Archive Name and Format: A dialog box will appear. In this dialog, you can specify the name of the archive and choose the format (ZIP or RAR).
Set Encryption: In the same dialog box, look for the "Set password..." button. Click on it.
Enter Password: A new window will pop up asking you to enter a password. Type the password you want to use. For security reasons, it's good practice to use a strong, unique password.
Confirm Password: After entering the password, you'll be prompted to confirm it. Type the password again to confirm.
Encryption Method: WinRAR allows you to choose the encryption method. You can choose between ZIP 2.0 legacy encryption and AES-256 encryption. AES-256 is more secure and recommended.
OK and OK Again: Once you've set the password and encryption method, click "OK" in both the "Set password" window and the main WinRAR window.
Compression: You can also set compression options like compression level, split size, and other settings according to your preferences.
Finish: Click "OK" in the main WinRAR window to create the password-protected ZIP file.
Now, your ZIP file is encrypted with the password you provided. Anyone attempting to open or extract files from this ZIP archive will need to enter the password you set. Make sure to remember the password or store it securely because if you forget it, you won't be able to access the contents of the ZIP file.