Encryption Software Usb Portable For Windows And Mac

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  1. Store and share sensitive files securely with the latest in encryption software.
  2. Also, Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate Editions and Windows Server 2008 R2 provide USB drive encryption using BitLocker to Go. The Apple Computer Mac OS X operating system has provided software for disc data encryption since Mac OS X Panther was issued in 2003 (see also: Disk Utility).10.

16 Free USB Encryption tools to Password Protect Your USB Drive: – Most of us love to own things that require less space and are easy to carry. Considering that we are on the go most of the times in this fast paced life, having a portable alternative is always a big solace. So when it comes to our computer data even in that case we would rather prefer to save it in the USB drives which are compact and portable.

Oct 07, 2016  If you want security on your Windows PC, then you should opt for BitLocker. It uses Advanced Encryption Standard “AES” as a security measure which is widely tested by the experts and is regarded as one of the best tools for optimization and security. BitLocker doesn’t half-ass things – it encrypts all of your hard drive in one go.

USB drives are the perfect solution to save or backup any digital data that can be conveniently carried wherever you go. Moreover, using these pen drives you can also transfer data between computers.

While the USB flash drives are the most popular portable storage mediums based on the convenience and reliability, they are also prone to get lost, stolen or damaged. And, if you had any sensitive or private data in the USB it can be a great matter of concern. Hence, encryption of your USB drive becomes extremely imperative.

Encryption Software Usb Portable For Windows And Mac Download

Encryption is a process of protecting information to prevent access by other users unless they have the password to unlock it. It is basically a process to protect highly confidential documents; however, it can be used by anyone to maintain the privacy of their stuff.

Also read:Top free software to password lock your folder

Therefore, today in this post we will let you know about the top free USB encryption software utilities that are available to download for free online that help you to not only encrypt your data but can also be locked with a password. This will help secure your data even if you forget your device somewhere ensuring that no one is able to manipulate your confidential data.

Rohos Disk Encryption

Rohos Disk Encryption is another powerful freeware by Rohos that helps prevent any external or unauthorized access to your USB data by creating concealed and secured partitions on your PC, and also by providing a password lock option. The other excellent features offered by this tool are:

  • Automatic and on-the-fly encryption.
  • Creating a backup with the help of the partition password reset option in case you forget your password or misplace the USB code.
  • Easy to use as you can enable your first encrypted drive in just a single click.
  • Offers you a unlimited number of extra encryption space.
  • Allows you to use a USB drive to access all the protected disks automatically
  • Lets you keep a secured partition on a USB drive and then use it on any PC.
  • Enables you to open the secured documents directly from the MS Word or Excel
  • Does not need you to have administrator privileges to use your virtual drive on a USB
  • Allows you to expand a virtually encrypted partition anytime
  • Conceals you’re your protected disk in a media container like MP3, WMA, AVI and others.

Price: Free

Compatibility: All Windows versions

Download: http://www.rohos.com/products/rohos-disk-encryption/

USB Flash Security

USB Flash Security helps enhance your potential to protect all your sensitive data in the USB device and prevent it from getting stolen. It is a portable app from Japan that can offer AES 256-bit encryption choices up to 4GB in its free adaptation.

  • It is a lightweight application that is very efficient and useful in saving data
  • Gets installed super quick
  • Works with any USB stick type
  • Requires admin rights for PC use

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows XP, Windows 2003

Download: http://kashu-sd.co.jp/en/

USB Safeguard


If you wish to protect your sensitive files with a password, USB Safeguard can be your best option. This freeware is a portable solution with AES 256-bit encryption that is used to protect confidential data on a virtual drive like, a USB drive, memory card, SSD and hard drive.

  • Data is strongly protected and can be only recovered with the correct key
  • Encrypted partitions has a limit of up to 2GB for the free edition
  • Functions right from the drive and hence does not require to be installed
  • No requirement of admin rights
  • User-friendly with a compact size of just 535.5KB

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10

Download: http://usbsafeguard.altervista.org/

DiskCryptor

DiskCryptor is an open source application that helps encrypt all data that also includes system partitions. It works perfectly with Truecrypt which is another well-known open-source disk encryption tool.

  • File size is as small as 590 KB
  • Helps encrypt all drives
  • Easy to use application
  • Apart from USB drives the encrypted containers can also be for CDS, DVDs, and internal drives
  • Supports different types of algorithms like Twofish and AES
  • Functions on both 32 bit and 64 bit Windows system
  • Offers a detailed Home page with abundance of information

Price: Free

Bitcoin charting software for mac. Compatibility: Windows 7, Windows 8 Desktop, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows XP/windows 10

Download: https://diskcryptor.net/wiki/Main_Page

StorageCrypt

With an extremely user-friendly interface that’s as easy as a cakewalk for the first timers, StorageCrypt encrypts and protects your USB drive, external hard drives or flash drives with a strong password.

  • Works on 128 bit AES encryption for enhanced protection
  • Allows you to create passwords up to 50 characters
  • Portable and does not need any installation
  • Offers encryption of external drive.

Price: Free

Compatibility: All Windows platforms

Download: http://www.storagecrypt.com/

Windows

Gili USB Stick Encryption

Gili USB Stick Encryption is an extremely efficient software that helps provide a faster solution, file sharing, portability and even backup files. You can encrypt your USB flash drive using this application effortlessly.

  • Easy to use and a complete tool targeted for the protection of your USB device
  • Ability to create a partition between the external drive post encryption
  • Transforms a normal USB drive into a protected drive pretty quickly
  • Secure area data is encrypted by on-the-fly 256-bit AES
  • Can be installed and uninstalled fast
  • Alerts you on the password strength
  • Removes everything on the USB stick during the installation process.

Price: Free trial period with a maximum limit of 10 usages

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP

Download: http://gilisoft.com/product-usb-stick-encryption.htm

SafeHouse Explorer

Launched in 2009, SafeHouse Explorer is a straightforward application that helps protect your sensitive files. It’s an easy to use program that uses passwords of maximum strength and 256-bit encryption to entirely conceal your private data that includes images, databases, videos, spreadsheets etc.

  • It is a portable tool that is easy to carry and compact enough to fit into a USB flash drive
  • Protects file saved on any drive that includes CDs and DVDs, external USB drives, memory sticks, iPods and even network servers
  • Creates hidden secret storage zones on external media device or local hard drive to store your private data
  • Files are completely hidden unless password entered which can be then accessed using the drag-and-drop feature.

Price: Free

Download: http://www.safehousesoftware.com/SafeHouseExplorer.aspx

VeraCrypt

Talking of free encryption software, VeraCrypt protects your confidential data super efficiently. While it encrypts your hard disk perfectly along with securing your USB drive, it offers many other advanced features.

  • Creates password locked disk volumes that are encrypted with encrypted algorithms like, Twofish, AES and Serpent
  • Protect the encrypted volumes with the help of key files and passwords
  • Encrypted USB drive can be further accessed by setting it through VeraCrypt once the required password is keyed in

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP; Mac OS X 10.6 and above, Linux

Download: https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/

LaCie Private-Public

LaCie Private-Public is an extremely simple software that provides excellent encryption to your USB devices. Encrypting becomes a smooth process for your USB flash drives and the fact that it is a compact app it can be executed directly from the flash drive. Simply point out the flash drive disk size that you wish to encrypt with the password along and LaCie Private-Public will encrypt the drive using the 256-bit AES algorithm.

  • Easy to use
  • Does not need to be installed
  • Allows you to protect your private that includes, images, passwords, documents and other confidential information
  • Reliable and super quick

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Mac OS X 10.5–10.9, Windows 10

Download: http://www.lacie.com/as/en/products/software/private-public/

Kakasoft USB Security

The best part about Kakasoft USB security is that even though it does not offer loads of other features, it works great to simply encrypt your USB flash drive. Just like the LaCie Private-Public software, it is entirely self-contained in the USB flash drive.

  • The tool installs itself on its own on the USB drive and can be set to function automatically each the device is plugged in
  • Along with USB drives, it also supports other devices like memory cards and external drives
  • At the mere specification of the encryption password, the utility will encrypt the drive completely along with any other data inside it
  • You can access the encrypted data by the same procedure of unlocking with password and mounting via the app.

Price: Free download available up to 1.5MB

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP

Download: http://www.kakasoft.com/usb-security/

BitLocker To Go

BitLocker To Go is a Microsoft Windows utility that helps you to encrypt your private files on your USB drive without needing any other software along with it. It is built in directly into certain versions of Windows and can be configured in a jiffy with the help of the BitLocker Drive Encryption app on the Control Panel.

  • It is an extremely easy to use application
  • USB drives are encrypted via the 256-bit AES algorithm
  • A forgotten password can be recovered using the automatically generated recovery key that can be saved in a file or can be synchronized with Microsoft account
  • Provides a reliable method of USB data encryption

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Enterprise editions

iSafe USB Security

An updated version that is available to download for free, iSafe USB Security allows you to password protect your USB flash drives, memory cards, external drives and USB disks in just one click.

  • Prevents your sensitive data to be stolen with solid encryption
  • Offers standalone EXE data security
  • No installation needed
  • Data is automatically encrypted and gets decrypted only when used
  • The USB devices play automatically on plugging in
  • Easy to use and offers innovative features

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7/8/10

Download: http://www.isafesoft.com/usb-security/

File Secure Free

Secure your private files and protect your privacy with File Secure Free. While it can lock your sensitive files with a solid password restricting access by other users, it allows you to makes use of its safe File Shedding functionality during removal of important files.

  • Uses AES encryption algorithm of military standard
  • Password locks the USB drive and any other compact devices using USB Lockup feature
  • Backup files and folders with File Backup feature and store them on your preferred location or on external hard drives.

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/ Windows 10

Download: http://download.cnet.com/File-Secure-Free/3000-2092_4-75729419.html

SecurStick

If you are looking for a portable encryption software utility for your media device, SecurStick is the perfect solution for you. It uses 256-bit AES encryption to protect the data stored on the USB drive or another removable device.

  • Does not require an administrator to run the app on your workstation
  • Even though the web page is in German, you can get it translated using the Google translation option located at the top right-hand corner
  • Apart from English and German, the web page can also be read in Italian

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows XP/Vista/7/10

Download: http://www.withopf.com/tools/securstick/

Cryptainer LE

Powered with a 448-bit strong encryption, Cryptainer is a free software utility that provides a robust and comprehensive protection to your private data.

  • Creates an encrypted disk volume that helps save any type of information
  • Offers a simple option to drag and drop the data you want to be protected
  • Works perfectly well with both 32 bit and 64-bit versions
  • It also has a mobile version that encrypts information on any media including USB drives, Flash Disk and CD-ROMS
  • Help to send secure emails
  • Absolutely free of cost that never expires

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, 2003 Server, XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10

Download: http://www.cypherix.com/cryptainerle/

Rohos Mini Drive

A user-friendly, portable, lightweight and a powerful USB encryption software, Rohos Mini Drive not only helps you to protect your USB data through the partition but also throws in some real good additional features.

  • Allows you to password lock and encrypt your confidential data
  • Offers on-the-fly and automatic encryption
  • Lets you use an encrypted partition on any computer without the need of installing the software
  • Secures sensitive information located in the registry, temp folders, recent list of documents and more
  • Allows you to protect the hotkeys to an encrypted disk from a keylogger
  • Free version limits the encryption size of up to 8GB

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows 7/ 8/10

Download: www.rohos.com

I find passion in writing Tech articles around Windows PC and softwares

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Summary :

Portable encryption software

When you get a new USB drive and want to format it, you may wonder: what is the best format for USB drive? Well, the best format for USB drive is different for different operating systems and devices. This article will show you how to choose the best format for USB flash drive.

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Nowadays, USB flash drive is widely used on various electronic devices due to its portability. Before you use a new USB drive, you need to first format it. Well, what is the best format for USB drive? How to choose the best format for USB drive?

Before you try to choose the best format for your USB drive, you need to know what file system it is in.

What Is File System?

What is file system?

In computing, a file system or filesystem controls how data is stored and retrieved. With a file system, the information placed in a storage medium will be separated into pieces and each piece will have a name, so the information is easily isolated and identified this way. Each group of data is called a file.

File system is the structure and logic rules used to manage groups of information.

File systems can be used on a numerous variety of storage devices and media types. There are many different types of file systems; each of them has different storage devices that they are the most suitable for.

What is the best format for USB drive? Well, it depends on how you plan to use your USB drive.

How to Choose the Best Format for USB drive

Basically, to choose the best format for USB flash drive. The two most important things you need to consider are the operating systems you plan to use it with and the sizes of the files that you are most likely to transfer and store.

The following contents list some commonly used file systems. To better understand which one is the best file system for USB drive according to your needs, you can view the compatibility, pros and cons of these file systems one by one.

When you get a new USB drive, you can follow this guide to choose the best thumb drive file system for your portable drive.

NTFS vs HFS+ vs FAT32 vs exFAT vs Ext 2,3,4

1. NTFS: The New Technology File System (NTFS), a proprietary journaling file system developed by Microsoft, is the default file system of the Windows NT family.

  • Compatibility: Windows XP/7/8/10, Linux (read-only for some distributions), MacOS(read-only), Xbox One
  • Pros: journaling, no realistic file size limitations; support for file compression, high security
  • Cons: can be read-only for Mac OS, or be written by Mac with the help of third-party software

2. HFS+: The Hierarchical File System (HFS+) is the file system modern MacOS versions use by default. If you want to use your USB drive on Mac devices, you can format USB to HFS+.

  • Compatibility: MacOS, Linux(readonly), Xbox 360/One
  • Pros: journaling, encrypt or compress files or folders
  • Cons: cannot be read by the Window unless using third-party software

3. FAT32: The File Allocation Table 32 (FAT32) was the standard Windows file system before NTFS. And it is widely recognized by almost all operating systems. Most portable devices also support FAT32.

  • Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, Chrome OS, Android, Xbox 360/One, PS3, PS4, printers, projectors…
  • Pros: compatible with almost all versions of Windows, Mac, Linux and practically any device with a USB port
  • Cons: cannot store a single file which is larger than 4GB; cannot create a FAT32 partition that is larger than 8 TB (Windows only recognizes 2TB)

4. exFAT: The extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) is similar to FAT32, but does not have the limits of FAT32 file system. It can be used where NTFS is not a feasible solution, but a greater file-size limit than the standard FAT32 file system is required.

  • Compatibility: Windows, Mac OSX 10.6.5 and above, PlayStation 4 (with MBR, not GUID), Xbox One, Android
  • Pros: good for larger file sizes and drives, compatible with both Windows and Mac OS
  • Cons: Microsoft restricts its usage by license obligations.
Tip: To learn more information about NTFS vs FAT32 vs exFAT file system, here is the full guide: NTFS vs. FAT32 vs. exFAT – Differences and How to Format to.

5. Ext 2/3/4: The extended file system (Ext) was the first file system created specifically for Linux. If you plan to use the USB drive on Linux computers, you can format it to this file system.

  • Compatibility: Linux, Xbox 360/One
  • Pros: support for large file sizes and large drives
  • Cons: cannot be read and written by Windows unless with third-party software, Ext 2 lacks journaling.

After the comparison, have you picked your best format for USB drive?

All in all, FAT32 is actually compatible for the most types of systems. It’s practically compatible with any device with a USB port, while NTFS and exFAT are not so much. HFS+ is specially used on MacOS, and Ext 2, 3, 4 file systems are created by Linux.

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FAT32 - The Best Format for USB Drive

As you can see from above, FAT32 is supported on almost all devices, which makes it the choice of file system format selected by the most people for USB drive.

As long as you don't use it to transfer a single file larger than 4 GB, FAT32 is perfect and can be the best portable file system for USB drive due to its compatibility.

So we draw the conclusion that although FAT32 has its limits, it’s the best file system to use for most portable drives like USB drive, SD card, etc. Besides, most USB drives have small capacity because they are hardly ever used as the main data storage. Therefore, they will not be used to store large files. The limit will not affect you too much.

How to Format USB Drive in Windows or Mac

After choosing the best format for USB drive according to your needs, you might start to wonder: how do I format USB drive to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT/EXT 2,3,4/HFS+ in Windows operating system or Mac? Well, don't worry. if you need to format USB drive to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT/EXT 2,3,4/HFS+ file system, please follow the steps as below.

Well then, how to format USB drive to FAT32/NTFS/exFAT/EXT 2,3,4/HFS+ if you have the need. Don't worry, the following part will show you the solution for Windows and Mac OS users.

The process for formatting a drive is different depending on the system you’re using. Let’s see how to format USB drive on a Windows PC first.

Format USB drive on Windows Operating System

To format USB drive in Windows operating system, it is recommended to use the free USB formatter MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition.

MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition is a free partition manager & USB formatter. It can help you resize partition, extend partition, format partition, convert FAT32 to NTFS, check file system, copy partition, migrate OS to HD/SSD and so on. As a free partition manager, it is equipped with many advanced features that cannot be found in Disk Management.

With its user-friendly interface, this free partition manager is worth trying.

First, you need to connect the USB drive to your Windows PC. Then you can follow the steps as below to format USB drive for Mac and Windows on a Windows PC.

Step 1. Download MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition by clicking the following button. Install and launch it to get its main interface.

Step 2. Right-click the drive you want to format and select Format Partition from the left action panel.

Step 3. At this page, specify the partition label, file system as well as cluster size. The cluster size is set by default.

Tip: As you can see from the pop-up window, you can format the drive’s file system to FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, Ext2, Ext3, Ext4 with MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition, which is very convenient. Here I choose to format the USB to FAT32, the best format for USB drives.

Step 4. After resetting these parameters, you can click OK.

Step 5. Click Apply button on the upper left corner to allow the pending operations.

If you need to format USB drive to FAT32/NTFS/exFAT/Ext2/Ext3/Ext4, MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition can be your best USB formatter. You can also change your USB format with this tool at ease. Try it now!

Note: If you don't want to resort to third-party USB formatter, you can also use Windows built-in partition manager Disk Management to format USB drive. However, the limit is that you can only format USB drive to NTFS/FAT/exFAT file system.

Format USB Drive in Mac

If you want to use the USB drive on your Mac computer only, formatting it to be entirely Mac compatible file system is highly recommended, such as HFS+ file system. If you want to use the drive between a Windows and Mac machine, you can format it to FAT32.

You can follow the steps as below to format USB drive to HFS+ or FAT32 in Mac. Here I will format the drive to FAT32 for demonstration.

Usb Encryption Software

Step 1. Connect the USB flash drive to your Mac computer.

Step 2. Go to Applications and then click Utilities.

Step 3, Double click Disk Utility to open it.

Step 4. Select your USB flash drive on the sidebar, choose Erase.

Step 5. Name the USB drive, choose the MS-DOS (FAT) for Format, Master Boot Record for Scheme. Then click Erase.

Free Encryption Software For Windows

Tip: OS X Extended (Journaled) is the default file system set by Mac OS, but it’s only natively supported on Macs. It’s also known as HFS+.

Step 6. When it is finished, your USB drive will be formatted to FAT32 as the file system.

Wrapping Things Up

Encryption Software Usb Portable For Windows And Mac Windows 7

If you don't know how to choose the best format for USB drive, this article could be a big help. If you don't know how to format USB drive to the best file system, this article can also resolve this issue for you.

Free Encryption Software For Mac

If you have a different opinion about the best format for USB drive, please don't hesitate to share it with us. If you need any help formatting USB drive in Windows, you may leave it in the following comment zone. And we will reply you as soon as possible. You may also contact us via [email protected] if you need help.

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