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How to Encrypted Your USB Stick For Ubuntu Linux

Last updated: April 14, 2015

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If you have an USB flash drive or USB partition only for use in Linux computers, it’s easy to add a password protect to the drive or partition via LUKS+EXT4 in Ubuntu Linux using the default Disks utility. And below is the how-to.

Before getting started, you have to backup date from the USB flash driver or the partition.

1. Search for and install cryptsetup package in Ubuntu Software Center to add disk encryption support to the default Gnome Disks utility.

2. Launch the Disks utility from the Unity Dash or Application Menu. Plug in your USB flash drive and you will see it in the left pane.

To encrypt the drive, first highlight the partition and click the icon on the left of minus sign to unmount it. (In the case below, I’m going to unmount the 1.7GB partition)

3. Click the gear icon and select Format …

4. On next window, select encryption type “Encrypted, compatible with Linux systems (LUKS + EXT4)” from the drop-down list, type in a drive/partition name, and set your password.

That’s it. Next time you plug in the USB stick, you should be asked to input password to get access the partition.

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    I'm a freelance blogger who started using Ubuntu in 2007 and wishes to share my experiences and some useful tips with Ubuntu beginners and lovers. Please comment to let me know if the tutorial is outdated! And, notify me if you find any typo/grammar/language mistakes. English is not my native language. Contact me via ubuntuhandbook1@gmail.com Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/ubuntuhandbook1

    5 responses to How to Encrypted Your USB Stick For Ubuntu Linux

    1. VaGNaroK April 14, 2015 at 8:56 pm

      wow, great tutorial. Thank you.

    2. san-claudio April 15, 2015 at 2:14 pm

      If one uses the key encrypted, is that it works on Windows

    3. Douglas August 6, 2016 at 9:38 pm

      By the way – you asked for help with your English. Well – it is very good but there is one error – your heading should read: “How to Encrypt Your USB Stick for Ubuntu Linux” (and not “How to Encrypted Your USB Stick For Ubuntu Linux”). Once again – many thanks for your help.
      db

    4. Robert M. Koretsky December 31, 2016 at 10:58 pm

      Beautifully done, very descriptive and to the point!
      Works for Linux Mint 18.1 also. On Linux Mint 18.1 cryptsetup is installed by default.