How To Password-Protect USB Flash Drive Using VeraCrypt | Encrypting USB Flash Drive, by H2X Tech on YouTube. 5 min 39 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 39 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Copy any files already on the USB stick to your computer first. Creating the encrypted volume wipes the drive, so you cannot get that data back afterwards.
Download VeraCrypt free from veracrypt.fr and install it. On Windows, right-click the installer and choose Run as administrator. On macOS, open the.dmg and drag VeraCrypt to Applications.
Plug the USB flash drive into your computer and open VeraCrypt. Click Create Volume to start the Volume Creation Wizard.
Choose Encrypt a non-system partition/drive and click Next. On the next screen pick Standard VeraCrypt volume, then click Next again.
Click Select Device and pick your USB drive's partition, not the whole disk. Click Next, then choose Create encrypted volume and format it.
Leave the default AES encryption and SHA-512 hash unless you have a reason to change them. Click Next to continue.
Type a password of 20 characters or more. Keep it under 64 characters if you plan to use the FAT filesystem, then click Next.
Move your mouse randomly around the window for a minute or more to build randomness. Click Format, confirm the warning, and wait for the volume to finish.
When the format finishes, click OK and Exit. The drive will now look empty or unformatted in File Explorer, which is normal.
To open it, pick a free drive letter in VeraCrypt, click Select Device, choose the USB partition, click Mount and type your password. Dismount before unplugging.
Tips and common mistakes
There is no password recovery in VeraCrypt, so store your passphrase somewhere safe and separate from the drive.
Choose exFAT or FAT when formatting if you need to read the drive on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Always click Dismount in VeraCrypt, or use Safely Remove Hardware, before pulling the stick out.
Keep a copy of the VeraCrypt installer on the drive itself so you can open it on a machine that does not have the program.
Questions
Is VeraCrypt free to use?
Yes. It is free and open source, and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. You only pay with your time setting it up.
Can I open the encrypted drive on a computer without VeraCrypt?
No. You need VeraCrypt installed on that machine, or you can use the portable version and run it from a folder. Without it the drive just looks unformatted.
What happens if I forget the password?
The data is gone. VeraCrypt has no backdoor or reset option, so a lost passphrase means the files cannot be opened again.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
