If you don't have BitLocker scroll down to find out how to use a third-party encryption tool instead. Unless you require your external drive to be compatible with older Windows machines, select New Encryption Mode.

This option also encrypts files that have been marked for deletion, which improves your security. You can save it on your hard drive, save it as a file to a USB drive, save the key to your Microsoft account online, or print it. You will use this code to access your drive if you lose your password.

Now select How to Enable Your Recovery Key.

Enter a secure password and make a note of that password somewhere safe.

Right-click the target drive and select Turn on BitLocker.

Open Windows Explorer and locate your external drive.

Connect your external hard drive to your Windows PC via the USB port.

How to encrypt an external drive with BitLocker If you have a professional edition of Windows 7, 8, or 10, you can follow the steps below to use BitLocker to encrypt your portable drive.

The only caveat is that BitLocker is only available on professional editions of Windows, which means that home users are out of luck. If you want to encrypt an external hard drive on Windows Vista or later, the best method is to use Microsoft's native encryption tool BitLocker.īitLocker is available on many Windows computers, so it won't cost you a dime to use. Encrypt an external hard drive on Windows In this guide, we will explain how to use those native tools – and reliable third-party solutions – to encrypt your data. Each Operating System has native solutions for encrypting files and folders. Confidential information (journalists, lawyers, etc)īelow we will explain how to encrypt an external hard drive both on Windows and Mac.Consumer information that must be protected for compliance purposes.Personal documents and information (passport scans, bills, photos, etc).In this guide, we explain how to encrypt an external hard drive so your data remains private no matter what happens.īelow we have outlined the types of data that it is essential to encrypt on a USB peripheral such as a USB dongle or external hard drive: If this happens, thieves will have access to your sensitive information. An external hard drive is an excellent way to back up your data, but it also risks becoming lost or stolen. If you have a portable or external hard drive that contains a lot of personal or valuable information, it is vital that you make its contents secure.

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