[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":215},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-post-124":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":197,"extension":208,"meta":209,"navigation":210,"path":211,"seo":212,"stem":213,"__hash__":214},"content/post/124.md","124",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":196},"minimark",[9,14,23,27,52,56,90,94,127,131,151,155,167,171,183],[10,11,13],"h3",{"id":12},"what-veracrypt-is","What VeraCrypt Is",[15,16,17,18,22],"p",{},"VeraCrypt is a free, open source disk encryption tool that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It grew out of the now-abandoned TrueCrypt 7.1a and is published under a free open source license recognized by the OSI, which means you can use, modify, and redistribute it freely. Its core idea is to encrypt your data automatically, transparently, and in real time without changing how you use your computer. The point becomes obvious the moment a laptop is lost, sent in for repair, or sold secondhand: an unencrypted drive hands your photos, contracts, and chat history to a stranger, while with VeraCrypt the person on the other end only gets ciphertext they cannot read. Its GitHub repository is ",[19,20,21],"code",{},"https://github.com/veracrypt/VeraCrypt",", a long-standing popular open source security project. The current stable release is 1.26.31 (published November 2, 2026) and it suits individuals and teams who need to protect private data, backup drives, external disks, or whole system partitions.",[10,24,26],{"id":25},"key-features","Key Features",[28,29,30,34,37,40,43,46,49],"ul",{},[31,32,33],"li",{},"Create an encrypted container: build a virtual encrypted disk inside an ordinary file; once mounted it reads and writes like a real disk, and when you dismount it the file goes back to looking like meaningless noise.",[31,35,36],{},"Partition and device encryption: encrypt an entire partition, a USB stick, or an external drive, and even the system partition that holds Windows, with pre-boot authentication so nobody gets in without the password.",[31,38,39],{},"Real-time transparent encryption: data is encrypted and decrypted on the fly, close to the speed of an unencrypted drive, and it uses the hardware acceleration instructions of modern processors so daily use feels no different.",[31,41,42],{},"Plausible deniability: a hidden volume and a hidden operating system let you hand over only the outer password under duress while the inner data stays safe.",[31,44,45],{},"Stronger security than TrueCrypt: it raised the key derivation iteration count sharply (500,000 by default) and supports a custom PIM to resist brute force further.",[31,47,48],{},"Cross-platform consistency: the same encrypted volume mounts on Windows, macOS, and Linux, so switching machines does not change your habits.",[31,50,51],{},"Trustworthy verification: every release is signed with the project's PGP public key, so you can confirm it was not tampered with after downloading.",[10,53,55],{"id":54},"how-to-install","How to Install",[57,58,59,70,73,80,87],"ol",{},[31,60,61,62,65,66,69],{},"Open the download page ",[19,63,64],{},"https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Downloads.html"," and pick the Windows installer (for example ",[19,67,68],{},"VeraCrypt Setup 1.26.31.exe",", just over 20 MB, supports Windows 10 / 11).",[31,71,72],{},"Double-click the installer, allow it to run when Windows prompts, and follow the wizard to finish; the default path is fine.",[31,74,75,76,79],{},"If you would rather not touch the system, grab the portable ZIP from the site and run ",[19,77,78],{},"VeraCrypt.exe"," after extracting.",[31,81,82,83,86],{},"You can also get the installer from GitHub Releases at ",[19,84,85],{},"https://github.com/veracrypt/VeraCrypt/releases",".",[31,88,89],{},"After installation, launch VeraCrypt from the Start menu or the desktop and you are ready.",[10,91,93],{"id":92},"how-to-use-it","How to Use It",[57,95,96,103,114,117,124],{},[31,97,98,99,102],{},"Create a volume: click ",[19,100,101],{},"Create Volume",", choose \"Create an encrypted file container\" in the wizard, and set the path, algorithm (such as AES), password, and size.",[31,104,105,106,109,110,113],{},"Mount it: back on the main screen click ",[19,107,108],{},"Select File",", pick the container you just made, click ",[19,111,112],{},"Mount",", and enter the password to get a drive letter.",[31,115,116],{},"Use it like a normal disk: open the new drive letter and drop files in; they are encrypted to disk automatically.",[31,118,119,120,123],{},"Dismount: when done, click ",[19,121,122],{},"Dismount"," and the letter disappears while the files stay encrypted.",[31,125,126],{},"Encrypt the system partition: in the wizard choose \"Encrypt the system partition,\" follow the prompts to create a rescue disk and reboot to finish pre-boot encryption.",[10,128,130],{"id":129},"things-to-watch","Things to Watch",[28,132,133,136,139,142,145,148],{},[31,134,135],{},"Passwords are unrecoverable: lose the volume password or PIM and the data is locked forever, so keep both the password and the rescue disk somewhere safe.",[31,137,138],{},"Download only from the official site: third-party repacks may carry backdoors; check the PGP signature or the SHA-256 checksum before installing.",[31,140,141],{},"Back up before system encryption: you must create a rescue disk (Recovery Disk) before encrypting the system partition, or a boot failure could be unrecoverable.",[31,143,144],{},"Leave room for the hidden volume: when using a hidden volume, the outer volume must keep \"normal looking\" usage so plausibility holds.",[31,146,147],{},"Do not cut power mid-write: encryption is transparent, but a sudden loss of power can still corrupt the volume structure; back up important data regularly.",[31,149,150],{},"Keep updating: follow releases for security fixes; upgrading does not break existing volumes.",[10,152,154],{"id":153},"download","Download",[28,156,157,162],{},[31,158,159,160],{},"Official site: ",[19,161,64],{},[31,163,164,165],{},"GitHub Releases: ",[19,166,85],{},[10,168,170],{"id":169},"official-site","Official Site",[28,172,173,178],{},[31,174,175],{},[19,176,177],{},"https://www.veracrypt.fr",[31,179,180],{},[19,181,182],{},"https://www.veracrypt.io",[15,184,185,186,191,192,86],{},"If you also want to manage account passwords, see our write-up on ",[187,188,190],"a",{"href":189},"/post/109/","KeePassXC",", a local password manager that pairs perfectly with the disk encryption here, and for the bigger picture of system security, ",[187,193,195],{"href":194},"/post/117/","the best antivirus for Windows",{"title":197,"searchDepth":198,"depth":198,"links":199},"",2,[200,202,203,204,205,206,207],{"id":12,"depth":201,"text":13},3,{"id":25,"depth":201,"text":26},{"id":54,"depth":201,"text":55},{"id":92,"depth":201,"text":93},{"id":129,"depth":201,"text":130},{"id":153,"depth":201,"text":154},{"id":169,"depth":201,"text":170},"md",{},true,"/post/124",{"description":197},"post/124","QOr0L4yBqUjTIGamoyhn_eI4VKn8JD7wwL75C8l7BgI",1794378304637]