How to Password Protect a USB Drive on Windows?

USB drives are light, portable, and convenient. They are one of the best options for storing data and transferring files across computers. If you have sensitive data in your USB drive, then you can password protect it. To do the same, follow the instructions given below:

Sources :- Password Protect a USB Drive on Windows

Using BitLocker

You should follow these steps given below:

1. You should insert the USB drive into the system.
2. After that, reach the This PC icon on the File Explorer.
3. Then select the USB drive and right-click on it.
4. You have to choose the ‘Turn BitLocker On’ option.
5. Go to the ‘Use a password to unlock the drive’ option and input a password two times.
6. Thereafter, select the Next button.
7. You should choose where or how you would like to get the recovery option on the next screen.
8. Afterward, choose the Next button.
9. Navigate to the ‘Compatible mode’ option and click on Next.
10. Now, click on the Start encrypting.

Using VeraCrypt

You should follow these directions given below:

1. Download and install VeraCrypt on your computer.
2. Launch the software.
3. Go to the ‘Create Volume’ option and choose the “Encrypt a non-system partition/drive.”
4. Click the Next button.
5. You have to choose the “Standard VeraCrypt volume” option and select the Next button.
6. Thereafter, select the ‘Select Device’ option and choose the USB drive through the devices list.
7. Navigate to the “Encrypt partition in place” option.
8. Select the Next button, in case you are securing the blank drive, choose the “Create encrypted volume, and format it” option.
9. Later, select the Next button.
10. You should click on the encryption process.
11. Then select the Next button.
12. After that, verify the volume and select the Next button.
13. You have to input and verify the password and then press the Next button.
14. Customize the file protection as per your liking and follow the on-screen steps to complete the process.

If you do not want to password protect your entire drive, then you can simply password protect select files and folders. Windows comes with an inbuilt password protection feature that allows you to secure your files and documents. You can also encrypt your Microsoft Office documents with a password. To avoid the hassle of time-consuming encryption processes, you can also save files with a password.

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