How to encrypt a flash drive using VeraCrypt on Windows?
It is very easy to lose a portable flash drive and with lose all your data with data. The data in the flash drive could be sensitive and you might risk this data being misused by anyone who could be in possession of your flash drive.
Encryption is an important security tool that secures your data and keeps your data secure and inaccessible even if someone gets his/her hands on your flash drive. There are a number of ways you can encrypt the data on flash drive and one of methods is encryption using VeraCrypt on Windows platform.
[divider height=”30″ style=”dots” line=”default” themecolor=”1″]
Lets see how we can encrypt a flash drive using VeraCrypt on Windows.
The below procedure shows how to encrypt a flash drive using VeraCrypt on a Windows platform:
Step 1: Download VeraCrypt from https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/. Then install and run it.
Step 2: Click on the ‘Create Volume’ option on the main window that will appear
Step 3: Next screen that will appear is ‘VeraCrypt Volume Creation Wizard’.
This will show up two options:
Option 1: ‘Create an encrypted file container’ which creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file
Option 2: ‘Create a volume within a partition/drive’ which formats and encrypts a non-system partition, entire external or secondary drive, entire USB drive, etc.
Here you would select the option 2, that is, ‘Create a volume within a partition/drive’, and then click ‘Next’.
Step 4: You will again get two options to choose from, one is ‘Standard VeraCrypt Volume’ and second is ‘Hidden VeraCrypt Volume’.
Select ‘Standard VeraCrypt Volume’ to create a normal VeraCrypt volume, and then click ‘Next’.
Step 5: Click on ‘Select Device’ and choose the USB/Flash drive that you want to encrypt and is plugged into the computer. Click ‘OK’.
Make sure to check ‘Never save history’ and then click ‘Next’.
Step 6: In this step you will be able to choose encryption algorithm and hash algorithm. The options that you get are AES, Serpent, Twofish, etc.
You can choose the default and click ‘Next’.
Step 7: Now, you will be asked to set up a password. This password must be between 40-60 characters long. Make sure you choose a strong password and remember it. Click ‘Next’.
Step 8: Select the recommended option for File system (FAT filesystem). Click ‘Next’.
Step 9: On the Volume Format window, move around your mouse for about 30 seconds to generate some random data. Once enough random data has been generated, click the ‘Format’ button.
Now this process might take some time to complete.
When the formatting process is done, you will get a message – ‘The VeraCrypt volume has been successfully created’. Click ‘OK’ and exit the wizard.
Step 10: Now choose one of the slots and click ‘Select Device’ to choose the USB/Flash Drive you just formatted. Then click on the ‘Mount’ button. Type in your passwords. After entering your passwords, you will that your device name and mount directory will appear in the file manager. This indicates the process is complete.
That’s how you encrypt a flash drive or a USB drive using VeraCrypt on Windows platform.
Cheers 🙂