Procedure:

1. Choose a Removable USB drive you wish connect to a Hilltop Community Resources computer and store data on. It is recommended that you perform a back-up of any files that are all ready on the storage before beginning the encryption process. If for some reason the process fails or it incorrectly interrupted, it could damage the data currently on the drive.

2. Insert the drive into your computer’s USB port, open a "File Explorer" window, and right-click your external drive. You should see the following prompt:

Click on "Turn on BitLocker":

3. The next step will be to set a password for your drive. Any time you plug this drive into a computer, it will need to be unlocked using this password. DO NOT FORGET OR LOSE THIS PASSWORD!! 

4. After entering your password, you need to backup the recovery key in case you forget or lose the password. You can’t save it to the C:\ Drive of your computer, because it is also encrypted with BitLocker, so you must save it to another location. The H:\ Drive and OneDrive are suitable places to save your key. Alternatively, you could choose to print it out and keep it safe with your protected files (not on your desk or in your pen drawer!). If you lose this key and forget your password, you will lose all data on the drive, so be careful!

5. The next page is the last time you will have an opportunity to change your mind. After you click “Start Encrypting” your drive will begin encryption. This will take about 30 minutes for an 8GB USB drive, so plan accordingly. If your drive is much larger, leaving it to work overnight may be a good option as long as your computer doesn’t shutdown automatically.

6. If you need to stop the encryption process for some reason, you can click “Pause” and continue it later, but this is not recommended unless you really need to stop.

7. Once completed, your drive will show up in Explorer with this icon, indicating that it is locked:

8. When you plug in your locked drive, you should get a prompt to unlock it (usually in the upper-right corner of your screen):

9. If you do not automatically receive this prompt, you can open File Explorer, click on “Computer”, right-click on the locked drive, and click “Unlock Drive”:

10. When the drive is unlocked it will show up in Explorer with this icon:

11. When you are finished using the drive, make sure to “Eject” it before unplugging.