Before we dive into the procedure to encrypt files in Windows 10, let us have a look at what is encryption first. Encryption means to make your sensitive data secure so that the people that are unauthorised or restricted, don’t have access to any of the sensitive files and folders you have. In today’s time when all the business, work and almost everything is online, one must be aware of protecting the data and learn how to encrypt files and not be lured away into fancy hollow names that provide false security.
On the computer, when you encrypt a data the computer scrambles and makes your data unreadable by any third-party. Now, with the help of the encryption key, only you and the people you want to give the access are allowed to revert your data/file/folder into its readable state. Hence, you can reliably save your data on your computer without any fear of theft or piracy.
The most important thing that you must remember before you learn how to encrypt files in windows 10 is to back up your data on an external device before. Also, your external device must be plugged into some charging point as an interruption of power might up rendering your data unstable. To encrypt files in Windows 10 you have ample of options. You can encrypt files, folders and even whole drives.
Now, there are three different types of encryption.
As the name suggests, individual encryption means encrypting one individual content/file at a time and each file will have its unique encryption password or key. Windows users can encrypt files in Windows 10 using a 7-zip tool. Individual files from Microsoft office can also be encrypted.
One level up encryption is the folder encryption in Windows. This encrypts, as the name suggests, the entire folder and hence every individual file stored inside the folder. This encryption feature is great for organising different folders and maintaining their privacy at the same time. Hence, if the folder is encrypted, every individual file inside it is encrypted.
This encryption is bigger level encryption and encrypts the entire drive and eventually everything inside it. Therefore, if you encrypt your hard drive, no one can be able to access or surpass it without the password or the key, thereby having no access to any folder or even an individual file stored in the hard drive.
This type of encryption is crucial in companies that handle sensitive data. Even if your disk or drive is encrypted, it does not prevent you from encrypting individual files and folders inside it.
If you want to encrypt files in Windows 10, follow this simple and basic procedure:
This is how you encrypt folders in windows 10.
If you are not a gizmo geek, chances are you might need this information. Not many of us are fully aware of the version and details of the Windows we are using. Let’s get into it to know what license and version we are using.
And this will show the currently installed window in your PC.
Here is how you can encrypt drives in your Windows 10 and BitLocker.
Even though BitLocker is not available on Windows 10 home version, you can avail the similar feature on it.
If you work a lot in MS docs, then this might be a helpful piece of information for you. Almost every version of MS Word has the same option, so you can use it freely without having to worry about the license or versions.
Here is how you secure your file on MS Word:
Here is how your encrypted files in MS Word.
As crucial as encrypting folders and files is, so is backing up your encryption key. Let us learn how to do it.
There go all the ways to encrypt files in Windows 10 and how back up your encryption key. Hope the information helped.
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