


This takes a few minutes depending on the size of your external drive. Step 7: Now just wait until the encryption process is fully complete.

Step 6: Finally click Start Encrypting to start encrypting the external hard drive. Then choose Compatible mode as the encryption mode and click Next. You can choose to save the key to your Microsoft account, a USB flash drive or a local file on this computer. Step 4: Choose one location to back up your recovery key which can be used instead of your password to unlock your external hard drive. Step 3: Choose the option "Use a password to unlock the drive", then enter a password and click Next. Step 2: Go to This PC, right-click on the external hard drive volume and select Turn on BitLocker option from the context menu. Step 1: Connect the external hard drive to your computer via a USB slot. See How to View Which Edition of Windows 10 You Are Running. If you want to password protect an external hard drive in Windows 10 Home, please go to the other two methods. Note: BitLocker is only available for Pro and Enterprise editions of Windows 10. Windows 10 comes with a disk encryption tool named BitLocker Drive Encryption, which enables you to use passwords to protect hard drives connected to your computer, including external and internal hard drives. Way 1: Password protect external hard drive on Windows 10 using BitLocker Way 3: Password protect external hard drive using iSumsoft USBCode.Way 2: Password protect external hard drive using VeraCrypt.Way 1: Password protect external hard drive using BitLocker.Now this page will show you how to password protect an external hard drive on Windows 10. So, is there a way to protect an external hard drive with password and prevent it from accessed by unauthorized users? The answer is Yes. This is a great potential threat to the security of the external drive as well as the data stored on it. Due to the removability of external hard drives, an unprotected external drive can be accessed by anyone on any computer. If you have an external hard drive and usually use it to store important and confidential files, you should pay attention to the security of the drive. 3 Ways to Password Protect External Hard Drive on Windows 10
