How to put a password on a flash drive - simple and effective options. How to put a password on a flash drive and encrypt it Review of programs for setting a password on a flash drive

A flash drive is an incredibly convenient way to store information. Currently, this is the easiest option to transfer gigabytes of information, sometimes very personal or even confidential.

The main advantages of flash drives are:

1. vibration resistance;
2. ease of use;
3. compactness;
4. energy independence.

Why protect a flash drive?

Compactness is a definite plus! However, with a small flash drive, the chances of losing it increase. Is it possible to put a password on a flash drive? Certainly! In order to protect your confidential information on a flash drive and not allow the person who finds it to read it and use it for personal purposes, of course, you need to set a password on it.

Overview of protection programs

Bitlocker program

Since the Vista operating system, Microsoft has provided users with a means to protect their data. This protection program is called Bitlocker. This program is supplied only to operating systems aimed at corporate users, such as Windows Vista/7 editions Enterprise, Ultimate and Windows 8 of all variations except RT.

Photo: encryption with Bitlocker

Bitlocker is a decent, although imperfect, program for encrypting data on logical drives, which will help you create a password on a USB flash drive. Encryption of information is complete, that is, all data on the media is encrypted. Bitlocker is much more flexible than standard password-setting programs.

BitlockerToGo - available only for users of Windows 7 and older, developed specifically for removable media, can also be installed on Vista/Windows XP.

To set a password on a flash drive, you need to connect it to your computer and in the context menu (right-click on the flash drive’s shortcut in the “My Computer” window) and select “Enable Bitlocker”. In the window that appears, select protection using a smart card or password.

After you have set a password, the system will prompt you: save or print a special recovery key that serves as an answer to the security question. That is, when you decide to change your password, the program will ask for that same key.

To reopen the BitLocker setup menu, you can open the "Options to Manage BitLocker" section from the flash drive's context menu at any time.

Rohos Mini Drive program

This small and completely free program does not require administrator rights at all, but it does not set a password for the entire flash card.

The Rohos Mini Drive program creates a password-protected sector with a total capacity of no more than 2 GB. Like most analogues, it uses AES encryption with a 256-bit key for protection.

Photo: Rohos Mini Drive flash drive protection

Rohos Mini Drive also has the ability to provide access to unencrypted data to the entire local system. That is, this data can be easily accessed from another computer in the system.

TrueCrypt program

TrueCrypt is an excellent free data encryption and storage program. With its help, you can create an encrypted container for an unlimited number of GB. After creating such a container, you can dump all the data you need into it, and encryption will happen automatically.

Photo: data encryption with TrueCrypt

When creating a volume (encrypted container), you can also select a file system; by default, the program uses FAT. In order to work with the container, you will need the TrueCrypt program itself. Having opened it, indicate the location of your classified archive, and then, by entering the password, open the archive itself. Everything is quite simple.

You can copy this container with a password from one computer to another, open it from a flash card, or send it by email. And even if it ends up in the wrong hands, it is almost impossible to decrypt it without knowing the password.

How to put a password on a flash drive 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB

It doesn't really matter how much capacity your drive has. In any case, you can use one of the following tips:

1. if your drive is no more than 2 GB, then you can use the trial version of USBSafeguard, RohosMiniDrive, or use the same BitLocker, you can also archive files.
2. if the drive has large volumes, for example 8, 16 or 32 GB, then we recommend either purchasing a USBSafeguard license, or using the same BitLocker if you have Windows, or using the free TrueCrypt data encryption program.

Working with a memory device

Especially for those who are working with a device such as a flash drive for the first time. When working with flash drives, although transparent at first glance, there are still some nuances.

When you connect your device to the connector, an autorun window pops up (applicable to Windows).

Choose what you need when connecting the flash drive to your computer:

1. open a folder to view files. This will launch File Explorer. It may not open due to viruses or problems. In this case, information from the flash drive can be obtained using the Explorer program;
2. use this disk for archiving. This means you can use this media to back up and archive important files;
3. speed up the system. This feature is designed to solve the problem of low memory on your computer using a flash drive.

And don't forget to shut down safely. On the notification panel there is a special icon called “Safely Remove Hardware and Drives”. By clicking on it, you can remove the disk you need without harm to the system.

Video: how to remove write protection from a flash drive

If you need to remove the password

A small flash drive is easy to steal or borrow for a while; it has no protection at all from prying hands and eyes, of course, if you don’t think everything through in advance and block the removable media from strangers.

You can set a password on a flash drive using specialized programs, for example, USB Safeguard.

Famous manufacturers of flash media release their devices with already “built-in” cryptographic applications. In any case, to remove the password from the flash drive, it is better to remember it, and then, by typing it into the appropriate field of the program used to protect the data, remove it.

With USB Safeguard, password removal occurs through the DecryptAll button with the Anddelete checkbox selected. Applications for the famous Transcend brand have a “Deletepassword” option.

Photo: password for a flash drive using USB Safeguard

Absolutely all such programs have a similar interface, which is not difficult for even a child to understand.

But let's answer a popular question:“I forgot my password, how can I remove it and set a new one?” If the password is lost, there is no way to read or format the flash drive for further use. (Which is great, because otherwise there would be no point in the password).

Of course, you can turn to the services of people who really know how to handle such awkward password situations. Or you can hack it for free using special programs, but this is done at your own peril and risk; your computer may pick up unwanted viruses.

Unfortunately or fortunately, for flash drives with built-in software protection, in 95% of cases it is impossible to access the data.

Of course, the only working way to avoid getting into a similar situation in the future is to try to come up with a more secure password that you will never be able to forget.

Requires a password when connecting

This means that the flash drive has a password. If you did not install it, then the chances of finding out what is stored on the flash drive are negligible. If you installed it, then remember or find the entry with the password to unlock it.

Photo: Setting and removing a password from a flash drive

Formatting

Why format a flash drive:

How to format a flash drive. Types of formatting.

There are two types of formatting:

1. quick formatting. The data you deleted can be restored. With a quick format, the system will not check the disk for errors and will not correct them, so the process will happen faster than a complete one;
2. full formatting. The data cannot be recovered.

There will be a check for errors and, if you wish, it will be possible to correct them. If you have extra time of about 1-2 minutes, it is better to choose full formatting; if not, choose quick formatting.

The easiest option to format a flash drive is to right-click on the removable disk shortcut and select “Format...”.

After completing this action, you will see the “Format Removable Disk (G:)” window.

Password without programs

The simplest trick is, of course, setting passwords for the necessary files. To do this, you only need archivers such as AdobeAcrobat, WinRAR or 7Zip.

They are the most popular archivers with which files can be easily protected and saved. If you have the desire and the appropriate knowledge, they can, of course, be hacked, but for average users this is almost impossible.

If you want to remove the password from the flash card, then open the usbsafeguard.exe file you downloaded earlier and enter the password in the window that opens. The locking procedure must be repeated every time you want to lock the drive, so try to remember what status the drive is in, unlocked or blocked.

Video: USB Safeguard 4.0 - setting a password

Of course, this feature of the USB Safeguard program has its advantages. Now you will have the opportunity to change your password every time you log in.

Also in the settings you can specify after what period of time the media will be blocked. That is, after the specified number of minutes of inactivity, the password will be set again on the flash drive.

Putting a password on a flash drive can sometimes be very useful. This will save you from unpleasant disappointments in the form of losing important documents. You can use both standard file archivers and protection programs, for example, USB Safeguard.

Thanks to this article, you also learned formatting, nuances in working with flash media, and you know what to do if you lose your password. Good luck with this simple task!

Have a good time everyone. Today I will show you how to put a password on a flash drive using the built-in capabilities of Windows. If you have Seven Ultimate or Eight PRO installed, then this function called BitLocker, you have.

I do not guarantee the presence of this program on other versions of Windows. It’s definitely not on Windows Starter!

Get straight to the point!

Insert the flash drive and immediately open the Computer section.

We find where our USB device will be displayed and right-click on it. In the context menu, select Enable BitLocker.

Check the box Use password and enter it twice. The password must contain both letters and numbers. After installation, click Next.

In the next window we are asked Save recovery key to file. You will need it just in case you forget your password. I recommend choosing the second option Save to file.

Then you need to specify a location on your computer where you can save this key. In the future, the recovery key needs to be hidden in a safe place (if you don’t want someone to hack the password for your flash drive).

When the key is saved, we will be transferred back, where the Next button will already be active.

At the next step, you need to indicate which part of the disk you want to encrypt; I recommend choosing the first option. In general, everything there is in Russian, so you can read it.

Now you can start encryption. To put a password on the flash drive all you have to do is press the button Start encryption.

How long will it take? Depends on the size of the flash drive and the amount of occupied space. My 16 GB USB drive was encrypted for about half an hour.

In the same way, you can put a password on the disk, but as you probably already understood, setting the password will take many hours. If I waited a long time with a 16 GB flash drive, I can imagine what will happen with a 500 GB hard drive. Well, you understand :)

Although I have a small plan on how you can put a password on a disk with important data and at the same time reduce the encryption time.

1. You need to create a separate partition on your hard drive with a capacity of about 15-30 gigabytes. I described how this is done in the lesson: .
2. Move all important files that need to be password protected to a new partition.
3. Put a password on the disk using the method described in this lesson.

We created a small disk, right? This means that encryption will not take many hours. If your partition is 30 gigabytes, then accordingly password protect the disk you can do it in 2-3 hours.

I wish you luck with setting passwords on flash drives and disks.

A flash drive is a very strange object: here it is, but suddenly it’s gone... Like any small things, USB flash drives are easily lost. Along with them, information leaks out that may not be intended for prying eyes and ears. To prevent your files from being opened by strangers, protect them with a password, or even better, encrypt them.

You can set a password on a flash drive in different ways - both using specialized software and using Windows tools without third-party programs. Let's consider both.

On many computers running Windows there is an archiver called WinRAR, and it has the function of setting a password for the archive. If packing and unpacking files on a portable drive doesn’t take too much time, you won’t find a more convenient way.

To set a password for a WinRAR archive, do the following:

• Connect the flash drive to the USB port of your PC and open the “Computer” folder.
• Right-click the context menu of the flash drive and select the “add to archive” option, marked with the WinRAR icon.

• On the General tab, click the Set password button.

• Enter the code word in the marked field and click OK. Optionally, check the “show password” and “encrypt file names” checkboxes.

After this, all your data will be moved to the archive, and each time you open it you will have to enter a password. You can access the contents of the drive on any machine where the archiver program is installed. By the way, not only WinRAR, but also any other with similar functions. For example, 7-zip.

The advantages of using WinRAR to protect removable media are not only its simplicity and widespread use, but also the fact that it can be used to set a password on a separate folder or file. The disadvantage is that the archiving method is convenient only if there is a small amount of information on a removable disk, otherwise the process of unpacking and packing will be too long.

BitLocker Windows

BitLocker encryption is designed to protect information stored on desktop and portable drives of Windows computers and is part of the operating system itself. The technology is very reliable and easy for the user, but is not implemented in all, but only in server, professional, corporate and maximum editions of the system. And this is perhaps its most significant drawback. On a PC where, for example, Windows Home is installed, there is no way to open an encrypted disk. But Microsoft does not offer tools for separate installation of Bitlocker in home OSes.

Using BitLocker to protect flash drives is justified only if you are going to work with them on machines with the above-mentioned versions of Windows, as well as Linux and Mac OS X. For the latter two systems, there is a utility developed by enthusiasts that allows you to open and view encrypted drives, but does not allow you to encrypt them.

How to protect a USB device with BitLocker:

• Connect the USB flash drive to your PC and open the list of drives in Windows Explorer (go to the “Computer” folder).
• Open the context menu of the flash drive and select the “Enable BitLocker” option.

• The first thing the system will offer you is to choose a method for unlocking the media. For home users, the only suitable option is a password. Enter it in the field provided, repeat and click Next.

• Next, determine how it is more convenient for you to store the recovery key, which you will need to access data in case you lose your password.

• Next, specify which part of the drive should be encrypted.

• In the next window, select the encryption mode. For portable drives that will be used in different versions of operating systems, compatibility mode is suitable.

• The last step is to confirm your intention - click “Start encryption”.

The encryption operation will last several minutes, after which the contents of the flash drive will be accessible only with a password. Every new item you save on it will also be automatically encrypted.

The strengths of BitLocker are its highly hack-resistant algorithm, no need to install third-party software, and ease of use. Disadvantages are the inability to encrypt a single file or folder of the user’s choice (only a partition or the entire drive) and a limited scope of use.

CyberSafe Top Secret

The CyberSafe Top Secret application, according to experts, is one of the best means of encrypting data on desktop and portable storage devices. Available in several versions - from free to expensive corporate ones. For personal use, in particular, encrypting flash drives, the free version or one of the inexpensive paid ones with an expanded set of functions is sufficient.

CyberSafe Top Secret Free allows you to encrypt files, containers, disk partitions and removable media using the DES algorithm with a 64-bit key length (password length limit is 4 characters). Paid versions use more robust algorithms - AES-256 and BlowFish-448, and also support electronic digital signatures, allow you to hide files and folders, compress data to save space, etc. A full list of capabilities of different versions of the utility can be found on the official website.

To protect information on a flash drive with CyberSafe Top Secret, just move your fingers a little:

• Open the flash drive in the application as a disk partition: in the left panel, select “Encrypt disk”, select the desired media and click “Create”.

• Next we set the encryption algorithm and password; determine whether to save the file system or not (if not, the drive will be formatted); we indicate which area should be encrypted - only the occupied space or all available space. After clicking “Accept”, the program will begin the encryption process.

You can only open an encrypted flash drive on a computer where CyberSafe Top Secret is installed. Other PCs will see it as media with an unknown file system.

To get rid of encryption, just format the flash drive in any program.

The advantages of CyberSafe Top Secret are power, functionality, free, the ability to encrypt individual folders and files, and no disk space limitations. The disadvantage is the inability to use a flash drive on a PC that does not have this program.

USB Safeguard

The free version of the USB Safeguard utility allows you to protect flash drives with a capacity of up to 4 GB. Unlike CyberSafe Top Secret, it does not need to be installed on your computer. You need to run it directly from the device that it will “protect.”

USB Safeguard does not have a Russian-language interface, but it is very easy to use:

• Copy the utility to removable media and launch it by double-clicking. Administrator rights are not needed - the program will work even on machines where you do not have administrative rights.
• After the first launch, USB Safeguard may prompt you to format the flash drive. If you refuse, protection will not be possible, since the utility only supports the NTFS file system.
• After formatting and restarting USB Safeguard, a window will open asking you to set a password to access the drive files. In the “New password” field, enter the code word, in the “Confirm” field - repeat it, in the “Hint” - specify a reminder hint.

Now the utility will ask for a password every time you connect a flash drive to your PC.

The advantages of USB Safeguard are that there is no need for installation and the ability to open a protected flash drive on any computer. Disadvantages - the device capacity is limited to four gigabytes and only supports the NTFS file system.

Lockngo

The operating principle of the Lockngo utility is reminiscent of USB Safeguard, however, it has no restrictions on disk space and has a Russian language. You can use it to protect any portable drives, and not only those with a USB interface.

The program is aimed at Windows and Mac users - it supports the file systems of both OSes. Available in versions compatible with Windows only, Mac only, or both. It has the functions of hiding files on protected media, blocking access to it with one click, automatic blocking when the user is inactive, encrypting data in a private directory (uses the AES-256 algorithm), launching the selected program after unlocking.

Lockngo is a paid but very affordable utility. The price of one license, depending on the version, is 200-500 rubles.

How to use Lockngo:

• Transfer the downloaded Lockngo.exe file to the USB flash drive and run it. Enter the unlock password and its confirmation in the specified fields. After clicking OK, the program will lock the drive.

• To resume access to data, enter the same password in the form.

Lockngo's strengths are simplicity, functionality, fast and efficient operation. There is, perhaps, only one drawback - the lack of opportunity to test it before purchasing (the developer does not release trial versions). But overall, the program is very good, and you really don’t mind paying some 200 rubles for it.

Flash drives are convenient, small, portable and can be read on any device with a USB port. These features make them an ideal means of transferring information from one computer to another.

However, due to their portability, they can be easily lost. Therefore, confidential files recorded on a USB drive must be password protected.

Unfortunately, you don’t have the option to simply password-protect the entire flash drive, like you do on your Facebook account, protecting it with a password.

Special encryption programs are what will protect your information from prying eyes.

If you don't want to spend money on a dedicated secure flash drive with hardware data encryption, you can use free apps to achieve the same level of protection.

In this article, we will talk about some of the simplest ways to protect files and folders on your removable media.

Easily save files with a password

As mentioned above, you can't just go ahead and protect your flash drive with a password without using encryption. However, if you don’t have time or you simply don’t want to deal with the long process of encrypting folders, and you need a quick result to protect just a few files, then you can secure these files by setting passwords on them and then writing them to a flash drive.

Many programs, including Word and Excel, allow you to protect files with a password. For example, in Word, this can be done by going to the “ ” tab in the open document, which is located at Tools > Options. After this, you can enter the password and finally save the document. Just don't forget the password for it.

Create encrypted and password-protected partitions using Rohos Mini Drive

Many programs can encrypt and password protect your data. However, most of them require administrator rights to function fully on any computer. Unfortunately, this also applies to some of the best encryption programs (example: TrueCrypt). Such tools cannot be used if you need to transfer data to another computer on which you do not have administrator rights.

Rohos Mini Drive is exactly the tool that will work if you do not have administrator rights. The free version of the program can create a hidden, encrypted or password-protected partition of up to 2 GB on a USB drive. The tool uses automatic encryption based on the AES algorithm with a 256-bit key. Thanks to the portable Rohos Mini Drive, which installs directly onto a portable flash drive, unencrypted data will be available on the local system. All encrypted data can be accessed from any other computer.

Once you have created a password protected and encrypted compartment on your external drive, you can open it by clicking on the Rohos Mini.exe icon from the root folder. After entering the password, your Rohos disk will be mounted and accessible through the computer, that is, you will be able to use all disks and partitions connected to the system. To close all Rohos sections, you need to right-click the Rohos program icon in the notification area and select “Disable”.

Download the program from the official website: Rohos Mini Drive

Protect your flash drive with USB Safeguard

Like Rohos Mini Drive, USB Safeguard is a portable application that works directly with the USB drive and therefore does not require administrator rights on the local computer. Encryption uses the AES algorithm with 256-bit encryption. In the free version, disk size is limited to 2 GB.

Download usbsafeguard.exe and copy it to a USB drive. Run it from your flash drive and enter the password to lock the drive. To lock, run the file again and enter the password. The locking procedure must be repeated every time you want to lock the drive, so try to remember whether the drive is in locked or unlocked status. By the way, this has its own advantage: you have the opportunity to change the password every time you use USB Safeguard.

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If your USB drive doesn't have encryption software pre-installed, the easiest way is to use the Windows BitLocker tool. To do this, right-click on the drive partition, select “Enable BitLocker” and set a password. If this item is not in the context menu, activate the utility through “Control Panel” - “System and Security” - “BitLocker Drive Encryption”. Unfortunately, the program is not available on all versions of Windows (for example, Windows 7 Home Premium does not have it), but you can use third-party software to encrypt USB drives.

CyberSafe Top Secret

The CyberSafe Top Secret program is used not only to protect USB flash drives, but also to encrypt files and folders, hard drives, emails, etc. To set a password on the drive, the free version of the application is enough. The main feature of the method: you can open a flash drive protected in CyberSafe Top Secret only on the computer on which this program is installed. Other devices do not recognize the file system of the secure USB storage device.

1. Install the CyberSafe Top Secret application on your computer. In the side menu, select “Encrypt partition”, find your flash drive in the list and click “Create”.

2. A window will open in which you need to set a password for the USB drive and define the file system. Be careful: if you change the file system of the flash drive, it will be formatted. We recommend that you back up your disk data before encrypting it.

3. You can also specify how much memory will be accessible without a password. By default, protection is applied to all partitions of the drive at once. To change this, uncheck “Use all available device size” and set the required limit.

USB Safeguard

The free version of the USB Safeguard program allows you to set a password on flash drives up to 4 GB. You must run the utility directly from the drive. If your flash drive has a FAT file system, the program will offer to format it to NTFS, so be sure to back up your data before encrypting the drive.

1. Install the program from the flash drive by clicking “Next” as usual. If you are prompted to format to NTFS, agree. In the window that appears, enter a password that will protect the flash drive and a hint.

2. The program will prompt you to specify the letter of the virtual disk, which will become a mirror of the encrypted drive. Now, when you connect a flash drive, a protected partition will appear in the list of disks, access to which will only be possible with a password.

Rohos Mini Drive

Another free program for encrypting USB drives is Rohos Mini Drive. The application selects a section on the flash drive that will be accessible on any PC after entering the password.

1. Download and install Rohos Mini Drive. In the main program window, select “Encrypt USB drive”.

2. Set a password and configure the parameters of the protected disk: its size, file system, encryption algorithm and letter. You can encrypt all or part of the memory.