Your system drive is the main place where you store your sensitive digital data. A small issue affecting it can lead to serious consequences. That’s why you must protect it at all costs, to avoid data loss. As a method of protecting your important information, you can use encryption. How do you encrypt your hard drive? Here are the steps you need to take!
What is encryption?
It is a method of protecting the data on your hard drive. Encryption uses sophisticated technical processes to protect your important information against the various attacks that could prevent you from accessing it.
It is also a good security method, as it transforms your sensitive data into an unreadable code that can only be deciphered by people who have the passwords or access codes. To find out how to encrypt a system drive, you need to use the right software.
How do you encrypt your hard drive?
How do you encrypt your hard drive? To encode your storage device, you need reliable and secure encryption software. Here are a few utility programs we recommend for effectively encrypting your storage unit.
BitLocker
This is an excellent encryption software. It is highly regarded for the many benefits it offers. Indeed, this encryption tool is free and it effectively protects your sensitive data. Here’s how to encrypt your hard drive with the BitLocker utility program.
- Install the BitLocker program.
- Click the “start” button on your computer and go to the control panel.
- Select the “system and security” menu
- Choose BitLocker in the “encryption” section
- Go to the “operating system” section of your computer, and click “activate BitLocker”
- Click “enter a password”
- Enter and confirm your password
- Choose the “encrypt system drive” option
- Click “continue”. Make sure you have checked the “Run BitLocker system check” box
- Restart your computer
Your private information is encrypted! It is protected and the risks of data loss are reduced.
VeraCrypt
VeraCrypt is an excellent encryption software. It is free and lets you easily encrypt data stored on internal and external drives. It works with virtually all types of operating systems. In addition to using the AES algorithm, VeraCrypt also works with the Cyphers, Two-fish, and Serpent encryption methods. Here’s how to encrypt your hard drive with this tool:
- Go to the official VeraCrypt website and download the version that suits your computer
- Launch VeraCrypt and select the “encrypt partition” option, found in the “system” menu
- Confirm the access check and select the VeraCrypt encryption method
- Enter and confirm your password
- Collect your random data to create an encryption key
- Then choose the “no cleaning” mode.
There you go, your system partition is now encrypted and ready to use.
Diskcryptor
Diskcryptor is also an excellent free software for encrypting and decrypting drives. It is practical, easy to use, and can be installed on all types of operating systems. This utility offers three encryption methods that you can use to encode your internal or external drive: AES, Two-fish, and Serpent. Here’s how to encrypt your hard drive with Diskcryptor:
- Download the Diskcryptor utility program
- Launch the Diskcryptor software
- Click on the partition you want to encrypt
- Enter a password
- Confirm your password
- Choose the AES encryption algorithm
- Select the “Encrypt” button
File Vault
If you store your sensitive data on a Mac, you can use the File Vault encryption software to encrypt your information. Encoding here allows you to protect your data and prevent it from being accessed by third parties. Specifically, here’s how to encrypt a hard drive with File Vault software:
- Click the “start” button on your Mac
- Select the “system preferences” menu
- Click the “privacy & security” menu
- Click the File Vault tab
- Enter an administrator password
- Choose the “enable File Vault encryption” tab
Your storage device is encrypted and ready to use!
Now you know how to encrypt a hard drive. Using these utility programs allows you to protect your data. We recommend that you memorize your security key or write it down, and keep it in a confidential place. If you forget it, you will no longer be able to access your data unless you go through a recovery process.