Forum Discussion
How do I password protect a usb drive without bitlocker?
I recently got a USB drive with some important files stored in it, and I don't want others to see it casually. I heard that BitLocker can encrypt, but my system is Windows 10 Home Edition, which does...
To password protect a USB drive on Windows 11/10/7, one of the most effective and straightforward methods is to use BitLocker, a built-in encryption tool available in Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. Here's how to password protect a usb drive with BitLocker:
- Plug your USB drive into your computer's USB port.
- Find your USB drive under "This PC" or "Devices and drives." Right-click on the USB drive and select "Turn on BitLocker."
- Check the option "Use a password to unlock the drive." Enter a strong password and confirm it. Click Next.
- Choose how you want to save or print the recovery key (in case you forget the password). Options include saving to your Microsoft account, saving to a file, or printing it.
- Select whether to encrypt the entire drive or only the used space. For new drives, encrypting only the used space is faster.
- Click "Start encrypting" to begin the process. This may take some time depending on the size of the drive.
Once encryption is complete, your USB drive will be password-protected. You’ll need to enter the password every time you access the drive on any Windows computer.