How To Password Protect USB Drive In Windows 10

Do you also want to password protect USB drive in Windows 10?

If yes, then read this article completely and know how to password protect your USB drive in Windows 10.

So, let’s first talk about the USB Drive.

What is a USB Drive?

USB Drive/ PenDrive is a handy, cheap, and secure portable device with the help of which you can easily transfer every data from one computer/ mobile to another computer/mobile. Apart from data transfer, USB Drive is also used for data storage.

Why You Should Password Protect USB Drive?

Nowadays, almost all mobile/computer users use USB Drive for data transfer and data storage. But sometimes it happens that there are some important and personal data stores in your Pendrive due to which you cannot share it with anyone because they may copy your important data or all your stored data can be stolen.

So it is better to put a password on the USB Drive so that your data can be protected.

How To Password Protect USB Drive In Windows 10

Today we have brought three such ways for our readers, with the help of which you can easily password protect your USB drive in Windows 10.

To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Password Protect USB Drive Using BitLocker

BitLocker is a System software tool that comes with Windows. With the help of BitLocker, you can easily encrypt PenDrive, hard drive, etc by putting a password. So that no one can steal your stored data.

• Insert the USB Drive into the USB Port of your Windows PC.

• Go to “This PC” in Windows Explorer and right-click on the USB drive.

•  Then choose the “Turn on BitLocker” option.

• A new window will be open where you will have to enter a  password and click on next.

• After that, you have to save that recovery key as shown in the image. You have to keep this key in a secure place.

• Again click on the next.

• Now you will see two options out of which choose the “Encrypt entire device” and hit the next button.

• Then you will be asked to select encryption mode from which you have to choose “compatible mode” and then click on the next.

• Choose “Start encrypting”.

When the encryption process is over, remove the pen drive and insert it again. When you reopen your USB Drive, it will ask you for a password.

2. Password Protect USB Drive Using VeraCrypt

Another way to password protect your USB is VeraCrypt. It is free and open-source software. Using a VeraCrypt is an easy and secure way to encrypt the USB Drive. This is a reliable application. You can also use VeraCrypt on MacOs and Linux.

Follow the steps given below:

• Download and install the VeraCrypt application.

• Create on “Create the Volume”. Now the Volume Creation Wizard will popup and you will see some options.

             Choose Encrypt a non-       system partition/drive.

• On the next screen, you will find two options i.e. Standard VeraCrypt Volume and Hidden VeraCrypt Volume. Out of which you have to select “Standard VeraCrypt volume”.

• Click on the “Select Device” and then choose your USB drive from the list of devices shown on your screen. Hit the   OK button.

• A new window prompt will be open where you will have to select “encrypt partition in place “ to encrypt the entire USB Drive.

• Choose the Next.   

• Then you have to select the “Encryption” and “Hash Algorithm” to protect your files and set it as Default Settings. Hit the next.

• After that, enter and set your password. And choose whether you want to support large files or not.

• Now Move your mouse randomly until the bar turns green to determine the cryptographic power of encryption and click on the Format.

•  Now you will have to confirm the format command and then the format will start the process for which it will take some time.

• Click on the Mount button. Here you will be asked to enter the password. After this, the format drive will be mounted.

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3. Password Protect Individual Files In USB

If you are a Windows Home user, there are some ways to secure specific files in your USB drive

MS Office

You can use the built-in solution to protect data in MS Office. To add encryption to MS Office use these steps given below:

• Open the file you want to link with a password.

• Now, go to file>information.

• Go to Protect Document and choose Encrypt with Password.

• Enter the password to protect your data. And then Confirm your password.

Now to open the document you need to enter the password.

WinZIP

First of all, Install the WinZIP to compress folders. WinZIP allows users to enter a password to encrypted files.

• To encrypt the files, right-click on it.

• Choose the option “Add to Archive”.

• Turned On it to set a password.

Conclusion

I hope you found this tutorial helpful and will be able to password protect USB drive in Windows 10 with ease now.

In today’s world, it becomes very important to keep your file secure. Therefore, apply the steps given in the above to protect your files. 

If you have any questions, feel free to leave comments below.