Flash Drive Encryption

Introduction

Bitlocker is Microsoft's built in encryption method for files and flash drives. It ensures that whenever anyone tries to access them they have to enter a password, either for a specific file, folder, or an entire drive. There are different requirements and instructions depending on what your current Microsoft OS is. The first part of this article will describe how to check this on your device, then follow the links below it to the section that corresponds with your version. 

Finding your Windows Edition

  1. Go to the Settings app on your device. 
  2. Click on the System tab on the left hand side.
  3. Scroll down until you see the Windows specifications heading, and look for the Edition heading. This will be the edition of the OS you currently have. 

Enabling Encryption

Click this link to see the instructions from Microsoft to enable encryption on your device. 

Note: You must be signed in as an admin on your device. If it is a Windows Home system, normally a personal, non-SVSU issued device, you should be your own admin. If it is an SVSU device, you must submit an admin by request to change this. See the instructions here.

Windows Enterprise Instructions

  1. To start, find the drive that you want to encrypt. Find the drive or folder you want to encrypt in file explorer.                                       
  2. After right clicking on the desired drive, click on the "Turn on BitLocker" option.When you right click on the drive, a tab called "Turn on Bitlocker" will be present. This is how you start the encryption process.                                     
  3. After turning it on, you will see this screen. Just wait until it moves to the next step before continuing.   The green bar will move along the progress bar as Bitlocker initializes.                                                                             
  4. Click on the box shown in the arrow.                   Select the "Use a password" method for securing your drive.                                                                           
  5. Choose and set your password. It should be unique and secure.Once selected the password text boxes will be open for adding text. Type your password here.                                                                           
  6. Next it will ask how you want to save the recovery key. We recommend clicking the option shown blow. In order to save to a file, the file must be unencrypted, and this can be difficult when encryption is already turned on. Instead, the "print the recovery key" option, will print a PDF version of the recovery key which you can save anywhere on your computer you like.                                                                                Select "Print the recovery key".                                                                              
  7. Choose whichever option best suits your needs and then click next. This screen allows you to select how much of the drive to encrypt. This is entirely up to you, based on your reasons and needs for encryption.                                                                             
  8. Finally, you can click the button below to start encrypting your drive. All this screen needs is to click "Start encrypting".                                                                                                                   
  9. You will see a screen similar to this pop up. Don't close it or pause, just let the encryption finish. It may take some time depending on how much of the drive you want to encrypt.                                                                                                                                                           Don't leave this screen or close out of it while the encryption happens. The progress bar will keep you updated.                                                                                                                                                                      
  10. Once you see this screen, the encryption for Windows Enterprise is all set for this drive. You can close any windows you had open for this and access your drive. See the image below to see what to expect when opening an encrypted drive through BitLocker.                                                                                             This is the success screen. Hit close.                                                                                                                                                                           
  11. Enter your password in the text box, then click unlock. This will allow you to access the drive, and will be required wherever you are using the drive. After encryption, unlock your drive by entering the password and click unlock.

Windows Home Instructions

If you have Windows Home, you don't have access to BitLocker. However you can still protect your files and drives from outside access by enabling device encryption. 

  1. Once you have enabled encryption, following the directions at the beginning of this article, search for the control panel app in the search bar of your computer. Search your device for the software center app.                                          
  2. Open the "System and Security" tab, shown by the arrow below.Find the "System and Security" bar.                                                            
  3. This will open up the following window. Click on the "Device Encryption" shown by the arrow below. After being opened, find the "Device Encryption" bar.                                               
  4. Next, a page will show up asking you to back up the recovery key. Click on the button with shown in the arrow below and proceed to the next step.l Select "Back up your recovery key".                                                                       
  5. Next it will ask how you want to save the recovery key. We recommend clicking the option shown blow. In order to save to a file, the file must be unencrypted, and this can be difficult when encryption is already turned on. Instead, the "print the recovery key" option, will print a PDF version of the recovery key which you can save anywhere on your computer you like.                                                                                Select "Print the recovery key".                                                                              
  6. Now your Windows Home device should be encrypted. You can close out of any windows used in this process. 
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