Instructions on how to set a password for the drive on Windows 10

Drive is a storage device, backing up data between  computers used  by many users. Therefore, the operation of setting a password for the drive to protect data, especially confidential and important data. This article will guide you to set a password for the drive on  Windows 10  simply, follow along.

1. Why is it necessary to set a password for the drive

So that no one can read and write to this drive without entering the password. The drive itself will deny all access and cannot be 'fooled' by another operating system. Even if the drive is removed and moved to another computer, access will be denied.

2. How to set a password for a Windows 10 drive with BitLocker

This way uses BitLocker to encrypt hard drive, can only use password to access encrypted data through BitLocker, can be applied to internal hard drive and external hard drive,  USB ,  Memory card .

How to enable BitLocker password

Step 1: Connect the external hard drive to the computer. Then, right-click the external hard drive and select Turn on BitLocker.

Instructions on how to set a password for the drive on Windows 10 Picture 1

Step 2: Click Use a password to unlock the drive > Enter the password you want to set in the Enter your password and Reenter your password box > Click Next.

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Step 3: Choose how to back up your password according to the options:

1. - Save to your Microsoft account: Save to your Microsoft account.
2. - Save to a file: Save the file to the computer.
3. - Print the recovery key: Print to paper.

Then select Next.

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Step 4: Choose one of two ways to encrypt the file:

Encrypt used disk space only (faster and best for new PCs and drives): Performs encryption of the storage location on the used drive. For new computers, you should choose this way.

Encrypt entire drive (slower but best for PCs and drives already in use): performs data encryption of the entire drive.

Then select Next.

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Step 6: Finally, click Start encrypting to let BitLocker start encrypting the drive.

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How to unlock and change password

Note: When using BitLocker to lock an external hard drive, you need to unlock it every time you connect the hard drive to your computer.

Step 1: Right-click the BitLocker-locked external hard drive > Select Unlock Drive.

Step 2: At the new screen, enter the password set up above > Click Unlock.

The external hard drive will now be unlocked.

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How to unlock with a backup key and unlock the hard drive

Step 1: To unlock with a backup password, right-click the external hard drive and select Unlock Drive.

Step 2: In the new window, click to select More options > Click to select Enter recovery key.

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Step 4: Re-open the file folder where you saved the key in step 3, item 1 and copy the backup password in the Recovery Key section (the key file is saved in the Password setting step, in this article, I chose to save it in the hard drive). computer's internal disk).

Step 5: Paste the backup password you copied above into the BitLocker interface > Click the Unlock button.

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So your drive is back to normal.

Step 6: To unlock the external hard drive, go to the BitLocker management section by right-clicking the external hard drive > Select Manage BitLocker.

Step 7: At the main interface of Manage BitLocker, click Turn off Bitlocker > New interface appears, click Turn off Bitlocker.

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Finally select Close to complete.

It will take some time for the system to remove the external hard drive lock.

3. How to set hard drive password through BIOS

This way will lock the entire HDD in the machine, but not the external hard drive. Be careful when performing this operation, when you forget the password, it will be difficult to open.

Step 1: Access the BIOS.

Step 2: Select Security > Set HDD Password.

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Step 3: Set a password > Press Enter.

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To change the password, go to BIOS > Security > Set HDD Password > Click the current password at Enter Current Password > Enter a new password in the two lines Enter New Password and Confirm New Password (if you want to delete the password, leave two lines This New Password is blank).

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4. What to do when you can't unlock BitLocker?

There is no way to unlock BitLocker if you completely lost the password or recovery password, you can only reformat the hard drive.

Above is a tutorial on how to set a password for a simple Win 10 drive. Good luck!

Lesley Montoya

Update 28 October 2021