Encrypt USB Drive or Hard Drive with Bitlocker

encrypt usb key
encrypt usb key

Last updated: March 11, 2024

BitLocker is a program from Microsoft that helps secure your data by encrypting it. It is available in some versions of Windows, such as the Professional and Enterprise versions of Windows 7 and Windows 10, but not in the Family edition of Windows 10.

With BitLocker you can protect your hard drives and USB drives. Only people with the correct password can read encrypted data.

This way you will help secure the data on your device so that it can only be accessed by authorized people. If your PC is stolen, the data it contains will remain unreadable or inaccessible.

How to encrypt your USB drive with Bitlocker?

  • First, run Windows with an administrator account.
  • Then, in the search box on the taskbar, type Manage BitLocker then select it from the list of results.
    manage-bitlocker
  • Now select the USB stick or hard drive you want to encrypt and click on Enable BitLocker.
interface-enable-bitlocker
How do I activate BitLocker?
  • A form will appear for choose the data protection mode. In my case, I chose the “Password". Now enter the password and click Next.
bitlocker-usb-key-hard-drive-unlock-mode
Choose the hard drive unlock mode
  • Then, choose the backup mode for your recovery key and click the Next button.
  • On the next screen you need to decide whether encrypt only the disk space used so far, or encrypt your entire PC drive. If you are encrypting a brand new PC without any files, the option to only encrypt used disk space is best for you, as new files will be encrypted as they are added.
    bitlocker-encryption-mode
  • Click on Start encryption.
  • You will see a notification telling you that the encryption is now in progress.
    Bitlocker-encryption-notification-in-progress

Let Windows to take orders. In a few hours, it will have secured your drive with BitLocker. The duration of the process depends mainly on the size of your disk or the volume of data to be encrypted.

Just a quick reminder: a USB key encrypted with BitLocker will not be accessible on a Mac. It will remain locked without the appropriate key.