Encrypt Personal Data: Do you share your PC with other people and are you afraid that someone might spy on your files, putting your privacy at risk? Do you have important files on your office computer and are you afraid that they will end up in the wrong hands?
To have an answer to these questions and to better protect your data and your privacy, the solution is called encrypt or protect those files so that only the true owner is able to open them and read the content. But how to encrypt personal data ? Simple using one of the many programs to encrypt files.
How to encrypt personal data and make folders with important documents, images, videos and more inaccessible to unauthorized persons.
What does it mean to encrypt a file? Why is it useful to encrypt your important data Encrypting derives from encryption, which is an operation that makes it possible to make any type of information such as photos, important documents, videos and so on unreadable and unrecognizable to unauthorized subjects.
If you are interested, take two minutes of your time and read the next paragraphs of this guide, I want to explain how to encrypt files on your PC or folders with your personal data inside. Don’t worry because it’s not difficult, the operation is simpler than you think.
To encrypt files on your computer or files on an external drive such as USB sticks, external drives and so on, we use one of the best free encryption programs compatible for Windows and Mac that once installed on your computer allows you to encrypt any file ( text document, photo, video or an entire folder), with AES-256 encryption.
How to encrypt personal data (Windows / macOS)
The program to encrypt files I want to talk to you about is Encrypto very simple to use which thanks to its well-maintained interface just drag a file using a simple drag and drop and a few mouse clicks to start encrypting files on your PC or Mac, but let’s see how it works.
In order to use Encrypto as a first step from your computer, start the browser connected to the program’s website, then click on the Download for Windows button if you are using the Windows operating system or press Download on the Mac App Store if you are using the macOS operating system.
At the end of the download to install Encrypto on a Windows PC click twice consecutively with the left mouse button on the EncryptoforWin.exe file then from the window that opens select the Yes button then check the I accept The Terms of Service then click on Next> Install now.
To install Encrypto on macOS after pressing the Download on the Mac App Store button from the software website on the new Mac App Store page that has opened on your desktop, press the Get / Install button. If you are prompted, type in your Apple ID password and wait for the program download and installation procedure to be completed.
At this point, regardless of the operating system you are using, in the program window that has opened, press the Next> Next> Next button and Skip to start the main Encrypto screen.
At this point, drag the file or folder you want to encrypt in the yellow Encrypto window, then type a password in the Password field to protect the file or the contents of the folder then press the Encrypt button.
When the operation is completed, press the Save As button that appears and from the window that opens select the location in which to save the encrypted file or folder returned by the program via the path. Once encrypted and saved the file or folder on the PC, delete the original unencrypted one.
At this point, to open the file or folder encrypted by Encrypto it is very simple just double-click on the saved .crypto file and once the software is started, type the password and press the Decrypt button.
Then press the Save As … button and through the window that opens select the location where to save the decrypted file or folder. To encrypt it again, repeat the procedure I explained earlier.
Encrypt personal data on Android
If you want to encrypt a file or folder on your Android mobile device, no problem, just install the File & Secure Folder app, a sort of file manager that also integrates file and folder encryption functions.
After you have installed the File & Secure Folder app from the Google Play Store, start it from your Android smartphone or tablet by pressing the Open button and from the first screen that appears, type a 4-digit PIN code twice then write it down somewhere then press the Ok button.
As a next step, type your email in the appropriate field and then press the Save button . This step is essential as you need it for data recovery in case you forget the folder and file locker password.
At this point, from the list that appears, select a folder or a file then press your finger on the green lock iconlocated on the right side and from the small window that appears, tap the Encrypt buttonto encrypt the folder or file.
You will notice that the icon of the newly encrypted folder is surrounded by a chain and a padlock, to open it and be able to read the files inside it press on it with your finger and from the window that opens type the PIN then tap the Decrypt button and the that’s it.
In conclusion
If you are reading this paragraph then it means that you have found this guide how to encrypt personal data interesting.