How do I password protect a usb drive without bitlocker?

If you don't have access to BitLocker (e.g., you're using Windows Home edition) or prefer not to use it, a great alternative is to use VerraCrypt, a free, open-source encryption tool. It allows you to create an encrypted container or encrypt the entire USB drive, providing strong password protection.

How to password protect a usb drive without BitLocker

1. Open VerraCrypt after installation. Click on "Create Volume" in the main window. Select "Encrypt a non-system partition/drive" and click Next.

2. Choose "Standard VerraCrypt volume" and click Next.

3. Pick up the USB drive from the list of available drives and click Next.

4. Choose "Create encrypted volume and format it" (this will erase all data on the USB drive, so back up any important files first).

5. Select your preferred encryption algorithm (e.g., AES is recommended for most users) and hash algorithm (e.g., SHA-512).

6. Enter a strong password and confirm it. This password will be required to access the encrypted USB drive.
Follow the prompts to format the USB drive. This process will encrypt the drive.

7. Once the encryption is complete, go back to the main window. Select a drive letter, click "Select Device", and choose your USB drive. Click "Mount" and enter your password to access the encrypted drive.

8. The encrypted USB drive will now appear as a mounted drive in File Explorer. You can copy files to and from it as usual. When you're done, unmount the driveto lock it.

By using VerraCrypt, you can effectively password-protect your USB drive without BitLocker.