Is it possible to password-protect a USB drive to ensure the security of sensitive information? Can you password-protect a flash drive on Windows 11? The answer is yes, and this process is quite simple. The following guide, written by MiniTool, will show you how to password-protect USB drives in Windows 11 using BitLocker. Follow the complete guide to secure your USB drive now.

Security is a concern for everyone, and many people want to keep their data safe with a password to prevent unauthorized access. Do you use a password to protect your Windows user account? The answer is yes.

Then why not encrypt your thumb drives with a password as well? Are files saved on flash drives less important? Your answer must be – they are very important. So, how can you password-protect USB drives in Windows 11 if you're using this new operating system?

How to Add a Password to a USB Flash Drive in Windows 11

In Windows 11, there is a built-in feature called BitLocker. It can help encrypt your hard drive to keep your data safe in case it is stolen or lost. Additionally, you can use it to password-protect a USB drive for free. If someone takes your USB stick, they won't be able to access the data stored on the device.

Only authorized users can access devices enabled with BitLocker. Without authentication, access is denied.

The method to password-protect USB drives in Windows 11 is similar to Windows 10, but there is a difference since Windows 11 introduces many new designs and features, including new settings. Below are the steps to enable BitLocker for a USB drive in Windows 11.

Related article: Solved – How to Password Protect USB Drive Free Windows 10

Step 1: Press the Win and I keys on the keyboard to open the Settings app in Windows 11.

Step 2: Navigate to the System tab, then click Storage.

Step 3: Expand Advanced storage settings and then click Disks & volumes.

Step 4: On the Disks & volumes settings page, all drives are listed. Select the USB flash drive you want to encrypt and click Properties.

Step 5: In the new window, scroll down to BitLocker and click Turn on BitLocker.

Step 6: Under the Removable data drives – BitLocker To Go section, click Turn on BitLocker.

Step 7: Check the box for Use a password to unlock the drive, enter a password, and confirm it.

Step 8: Choose a method to back up the recovery key to avoid forgetting the password when accessing your drive.

Step 9: Decide how much of your drive to encrypt and click Next to continue.

Step 10: Choose an encryption mode and click Start encrypting to begin the process.

This encryption process may take some time depending on the size of the drive and the encryption mode.

Tip: To disable BitLocker, click Turn off BitLocker.

To use the thumb drive in Windows 11, go to File Explorer, right-click the drive, and select Unlock Drive. Then type in the password to access the encrypted data.

If you forget the password, click More options > Enter recovery key. Open the backed-up file created during the BitLocker setup, find the recovery key, and enter it into the text box to unlock the USB stick.

In addition to enabling BitLocker through Settings in Windows 11, you can also directly access the Control Panel and view all items by large icons. Then click BitLocker Drive Encryption, locate your USB flash drive, and click Turn on BitLocker. Next, follow the instructions on the screen to set a password for the USB flash drive.

Tip: If you want to password-protect a folder in Windows, this post provides some useful methods – How to Password Protect a Folder in Windows 10? 3 Ways for You!

Final Thoughts

How to password-protect USB drives in Windows 11? The operation is not difficult, and you can easily encrypt thumb drives with a password in Windows 11 using BitLocker. Just follow the steps above to complete this task.

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