VeraCrypt full disk encryption is an open source software to encrypt files, folders, removable USB drives, complete hard drives, and even the hard drive where the operating system itself is installed. VeraCrypt is cross-platform , currently compatible with Microsoft Windows operating systems, any Linux-based system, and it is also compatible with macOS. 


This software is based on the popular TrueCrypt 7.1a . We must remember that the TrueCrypt project closed, and we will no longer have new updates of said software. However, VeraCrypt has taken the lead and incorporates all the TrueCrypt features and many security and performance enhancements.




What is encryption?


Encryption is nothing new, in fact it is older than Matusalem. As the DIEC says, it consists of writing a message using a secret code or encryption. Have you never written a text with lemon juice? On a ribbon around a stick of a specific diameter? Turning the letters of the alphabet or replacing them with numbers? ... Well, it is about doing this, the only thing that uses mathematical algorithms (formulas) for these operations.open source encryption software.

It is a good practice to avoid later regrets and believe me, a normal person has many secrets, more than you can think of, whether personal or professional.

Can I encrypt myself?


Of course, but it requires specific software to do it. There are quite a few on the market, the one I propose is TrueCrypt with a free software license (free) and supported for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.



Main Features of VeraCrypt


Some of the main features of VeraCrypt are the following:

  • Creation of virtual encrypted disks in a simple file, which we can mount for reading and writing.
  • Encryption of removable storage devices such as USB, SD cards and even hard drives.
  • Encryption of any partition on these removable storage devices.
  • Encryption of the partition or entire disk where Windows is installed
  • Encryption and decryption is automatic and is done in real time, being completely transparent to the user.
  • The encryption and decryption if we use AES can be accelerated if the computer's processor supports AES-NI, providing a higher reading and writing speed.
  • Possibility of creating a "hidden" volume to prevent a possible attacker from forcing us to reveal the volume's password (blackmail, extortion, etc.)
Once we know its main features, let's see how to download and install VeraCrypt free file encription software on our Windows 10 Pro computer.

Download and install VeraCrypt


The first thing we have to do is download VeraCrypt, the download is done directly through the official website , in the downloads section: Download VeraCrypt for free . On this website we will be able to download all versions of VeraCrypt, both for Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD and even the source code directly.

Once the program is downloaded, we must install it like any other program. We will get an installation wizard that will give us the option to install it on our own computer, or extract VeraCrypt and use it "portable", that is, without installing it on the computer itself. An important detail is that if we are going to encrypt the entire system or the partition where the operating system is, we must install it and not use it in "portable" mode.

How to mount an encrypted volume

1 - Run Veracrypt and you must click on the "Select file" button in the main VeraCrypt window and select the directory where you stored your VeraCrypt container. (the example in this guide is D: Encrypted Container



2 - Once the file is selected, select from one of the available drives in the box above. We have selected "J". then click Mount. (You can select the unit you want)




3 - Enter your password and click OK.



Conclusion


VeraCrypt is a powerful software totally FREE, that will allow us to encrypt both a file (masked) and an external device (USB memory, HDD, etc.) it even allows us to completely encrypt our hard drive where the operating system is (in Windows) encryption software for windows 10 home and windows 7 encryption software.

It has different types of encryption algorithms that we can even combine. It allows us to create hidden volumes even with different algorithms for each container (hidden and normal).

The only problem is that we will not be able to expand our volumes or containers once we have created them. Limiting or forcing us to do an extra task (export everything to a larger container) if necessary. 

Support

For help with this app, please see the following:


PortableApps.com Forum: Portable App Support



Download Details

  • Publisher: VeraCrypt Team & PortableApps.com
  • Date Updated: 2020-08-10
  • Date Added: 2016-05-24
  • System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10
  • App License: Open Source (Apache/TrueCrypt)
  • Source: VeraCrypt, PortableApps.com Launcher, PortableApps.com Installer
  • MD5 Hash: 6eca833024ef47d4297dbe159db74062
  • SHA256 Hash: f21789813565ed6486e70a99005bbd7e57f8046c4e21a9bdb2d4d7140924f727