Best free encryption programs to secure your files


SafeHouse Explorer creates encrypted storage areas in USB drives, hard drives, DVDs… It will make your files invisible in secure volumes using passwords with maximum-strength 256-bit advanced encryption. Volumes are standard Windows files. You can view, move or delete them in Explorer just as you would with any other files. The file extension for SafeHouse volumes is .SDSK. You can identify them by their distinctive red folder icon. The maximum size for a volume is 2,000 Gigabytes (2TB).

VeraCrypt can help you with wizards for anything. You can use it to create any number of partitions / volumes, depending on the available space. You can use the program to create empty volumes or encrypt existing folders on your system or the whole drive. VeraCrypt provides AES, Serpent and Twofish encryption, as well as combinations of those methods. It is a reliable free program you may like to consider if you need to secure your files easily.

Diary is a program that has evolved along with the author’s habit of keeping a diary. The program allows you to keep text, up to ten images, and numerous files attached to a day of the calendar. Both text and images may be encrypted, files remain untouched.

CarotDAV is a client for file storage services such as OneDrive, DropBox, GoogleDrive, etc, as well as WebDAV, FTP, and IMAP. It allows for multiple instances to connect to multiple services, but doesn’t support transfers between different services. CarotDAV includes dynamic encryption and decryption, automatic file-splitting, and doesn’t store passwords in plain text if a master password is set.

BoxCryptor is free for up to 2 GB of data. It will let you encrypt your files using the AES-256 standard, no matter which cloud storage provider you use. Each file is encrypted individually in real-time and stored in a folder of your choice, e.g. your Dropbox folder. BoxCryptor does not yet support Windows File sharing.

Cloudfogger will help you encrypt your files using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard, approved by the NSA for top secret information). You can use it to save your files to a new virtual drive X that is created when you install Cloudfogger. In the background, all files stored on X will be written fully encrypted to a selectable directory on your system, for example your Dropbox. This works also with cloud storage providers or even local network/disk storage.

PDF Anti-Copy re-processes all text and graphics in a PDF document making it impossible for anyone to copy or export any portion of it. The changed files still can be viewed in PDF readers, but copying and converting the content will not work.

TheLetterEncrypter will let you send a secret message to somebody. It features a strong encryption. Entering a password and the message and then pressing the “encrypt” button, is all one needs to do in order to transform a message into jumbled text. This encrypted message can only be unlocked using TheLetterEncrypter and the password that you used when you locked it. The recipient needs to have TheLetterEncrypter in order to decrypt your message — but it is just a 15 KB application you can even attach on your message.

PalCrypt encrypts any file with IDEA 128-bit key encryption algorithm. It also uses MD5, SHA1 hash, Blowfish and RC4 encryption method for even stronger encryption (stronger than both DES & Triple-DES algorithms). Right-click any file and press “Encrypt” to encrypt it from the Windows Explorer or run the PalCrypt Quick Start program and encrypt/decrypt any file from there.

AxCrypt integrates with the Windows shell, so you can right-click a file or folder to encrypt it, even configure “timed,” executable encryptions, so the file is locked down for a specific period of time and will self-decrypt later, or when its intended recipient gets it. Files with AxCrypt can be decrypted on demand or kept decrypted while they’re in use, and then automatically re-encrypted when they’re modified or closed. AxCrypt supports 128-bit AES encryption only, offers protection against brute force cracking attempts, and is exceptionally lightweight (less than 1MB.)

MyText Notepad can be alternative to Windows Notepad and supports encryption of text files (password Encryptor included).

FileFriend can password protect, split and join your files. You can hide your favorite files in 10, 20 or even 1,000 different parts, with or without encrypting them. You can encrypt single files or whole folders. By password protecting jpg files or hiding files inside jpg images you can enjoy even more security.

Check also Super Sleep a program that activates the power save mode of your monitor preventing it from waking up unless you press a certain keyboard shortcut. You can use it not only to save power efficiently but to stop prying eyes from seeing what you are up to.

Check these posts about the best free antivirus, antimalware, antispyware programs and about the best free password managers, auto fillers and rescuers