In PC, a lot of your personal information can be accessed without permission. That is because Windows data is stored publicly on the drive without encryption or protection by encryption software so anyone can access your confidential and private information. And to protect your privacy, you need encryption software to ensure the safety of your data. This article will introduce you to some of the best encryption software to encrypt files and folders on Windows.
Created by Nord, a company that runs a popular VPN service, NordLocker is a great choice for businesses and individuals as it can store sensitive files both locally and in the cloud.
All data in NordLocker is end-to-end encrypted. This provides a pretty strong layer of security, especially since Nord uses the strongest encryption protocols in the world: AES-256, Ed25519, and xChaCha20. But more importantly, NordLocker uses a zero-knowledge security architecture. This ensures that no one, including NordLocker, can access your files without your explicit permission.
The process of encrypting documents may sound complicated to the average person, but Nord has made it easy with its drag-and-drop functionality. When you want to encrypt a file or folder, simply drag it into the NordLocker app and you’re done. Organizing files, syncing them across multiple devices, and more is also a breeze.
So are there any downsides to using NordLocker? With the free version, you can encrypt up to 3GB of files. For larger files, you’ll have to pay.
This is one of the best tools to encrypt all the files on your computer. AxCrypt is the leading open source file encryption software for Windows. It integrates seamlessly with Windows to compress, encrypt, decrypt, store, send, and work with individual files.
AxCrypt is a great encryption tool that can be used by both organizations and individuals. It is lightweight and quite minimalistic, so even people who are not too tech-savvy can use it without any problems.
AxCrypt only uses AES-256 encryption, but that's not a problem since it's a military-grade protocol that will keep any sensitive data safe. It has cloud storage, works on desktop and mobile devices, and has a handy key sharing feature.
The difference between the two plans that AxCrypt offers, Business and Premium, is significant. With the Business plan, you get your own dedicated master key and Account Manager, which certainly makes it easier for businesses to handle the technical side of things.
Overall, AxCrypt is more affordable than NordLocker and many other similar services, but there is no free version that can match the competition. The free version of AxCrypt can only be used to decrypt existing files and not much else. However, it is worth noting that there is a free trial option.
Folder Lock is a pretty unique program, at least for encryption software. It's not subscription-based: you buy it once and can use it indefinitely.
Folder Lock has the highest file locking standards, allowing you to password protect folders and encrypt secret files and folders. For encryption, Folder Lock uses AES-256, so it is not inferior to other similar products in that regard. It also offers password protection for drives, real-time backups, and file, drive, and history erasure. However, you cannot back up your data to the cloud with this software - it is an additional service for which you have to pay.
Price isn’t the only thing that sets Folder Lock apart from its competitors. It actually has a lot of cool features that other similar tools don’t have. For example, Folder Lock has a digital wallet (to keep your banking information secure) and a file shredder, which is great when you need to make sure there’s no way to recover a file you don’t want anyone else to access.
What might be confusing to some people is that Folder Lock can lock and encrypt files and folders. In other words, a locked folder doesn’t necessarily have to be encrypted, so always make sure you’re actually creating encrypted lockers, rather than just locking files with a password.
Steganos Data Safe is another budget-friendly option. If you decide to purchase, you will need to renew your license annually and can use Steganos Data Safe on up to 5 devices. There is also a 30-day free trial to test the product.
Steganos Data Safe uses 384-bit AES-XEX encryption protocol and acts as a separate drive. You can drag and drop files and folders into it, create backups, and use a variety of safes (they can store up to 2TB of data). This includes cloud safes, mobile safes, etc. Of course, they are all protected by encryption.
Steganos Data Safe supports data encryption in several popular cloud services, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive. It also uses two-factor authentication and has a feature that allows users to set an emergency password. So if you need to access something from your safe but for some reason you can't, you can authorize a third party to do it for you thanks to this feature.
The unusual interface can take a little getting used to, but overall, Steganos Data Safe seems like a solid, reliable, and secure encryption software.
5. Advanced Encryption Package
As the name suggests, Advanced Encryption Package is for professionals. Of course, there is nothing stopping a novice from using the software, but its outdated user interface will probably put many off. Advanced Encryption Package is minimalistic and classic, Windows 95 style.
But if you can look past that, or simply prefer old-school software, you might enjoy using the Advanced Encryption Package. The program uses 20 different encryption algorithms, including AES, Blowfish, and Twofish—just select one from the drop-down menu when you want to encrypt a file, and the tool will do the rest.
Advanced Encryption Package is lightweight and integrates easily with Windows systems. Additionally, it can store encryption keys on USB, has a command line utility, a password quality indicator, and allows you to easily share encrypted files with others.
If you're not sure if this program is for you, there's a 30-day free trial. And if you like it, you can purchase it for a one-time fee.
Above is a list of the best encryption software today, hopefully you will choose the right tool to encrypt and protect your privacy.
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