Your drive is now encrypted, and no one but you can see the files it stores.

Don’t be surprised if it takes a minute or two - it all depends on the size of your drive. This means you’ll be able to open your drive on older Windows versions. If you think you’ll only need to use this drive on devices with Windows 10 version 1511 or later, choose New encryption mode. Keep it safe in NordPass, and you’ll be able to access it on any device, whenever you need it.Ĭhoose the encryption mode. We don’t recommend storing this file on your computer or flash drive, as this is the same as leaving the key to your house under the doormat. You can download your recovery key and save it as a file or print it out. Get your USB recovery key, which you will need in case you forget or lose your password. We recommend storing it as a secure note in your NordPass app. Otherwise, you may not be able to unlock your drive. You can use the NordPass password generator, which will create a unique, reliable password for you. For this blog post, we used a password.Įnter your password twice. You can do so with a password or a smart card (if your drive has one). If it hasn’t previously been installed, it will do so automatically.ĭecide how you want to unlock your drive once it’s encrypted.

Right-click on it and select Turn on BitLocker. If it contains any of your data, transfer it to a safe place or delete it. The most popular method is by using BitLocker, a native encryption tool you’ll find on Windows 7 and later.Ĭonnect an empty USB drive to your device. There are a few ways to encrypt your flash drive on Windows. How to encrypt a USB drive on Windows 10 1.

How to encrypt a USB drive on Windows 10.

Encrypt a flash drive