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If available, please select Encrypt Used Space Only. Please note that this file does not contain your password. Save this recovery file in a location of your choosing that only you have access to. When prompted How Do You Want to Store Your Recovery Key, select Save the Recovery Key to a File. You can change this password later, provided you remember the original password. Enter and confirm a password in the spaces provided to unlock the drive. Select Use a Password to Unlock This Drive. You will be prompted on how you would like to unlock the drive. Right click on flash drive and select Turn on BitLocker. Insert your USB flash drive into your Windows PC. USB flash drives encrypted with BitLocker CANNOT be opened with macOS.įollow the steps below to encrypt a USB flash drive within a Windows operating. Windows 10 can unlock a flash drive encrypted on Windows 7 and vice versa. This guide applies to encrypting a flash drive on Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Pro using the built in encryption tool known as BitLocker. This guide will demonstrate how to securely encrypt a USB flash drive within Windows so that the data stored on it cannot be read nor accessed without entering a secure password. If you see “AutoPlay” on your screen, click it to view its options in a pop-up window.How do I securely encrypt a USB flash drive using Windows? Share & PrintĮncrypting a portable USB flash drive is a great way to prevent sensitive data falling into the wrong hands via data breaches and security incidents. Plug your USB drive into your Windows PC and let the computer recognize the drive.
Plug in USB Drive and Open in File Explorer To encrypt your USB drive using BitLocker To Go in supported Windows versions, follow the steps below: 1. If you’re using Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11 Home, scroll down for other alternatives. Windows 10 and 11 come with BitLocker, a feature that makes it easy to encrypt your hard drives When used for USB drives, it is technically called “BitLocker To Go.” BitLocker is only available in the Windows 10 and 11 Pro versions. It also allows you to delete your data more securely before discarding your drive, as it’s near impossible to recover deleted data from an encrypted drive. If you don’t encrypt your flash drive, anyone can get their hands on it and check your private files on their computer without your knowledge or consent.Įncrypting the USB stick is a reliable means of protecting it from data theft or exposure. How to Decrypt Your USB Drive in WindowsĪ USB drive is a portable device that offers a convenient way of storing and/or transferring your data, though this can come with several security risks.Why You Should Encrypt Your Flash Drive.