Alternatives to WD Smartware for password protection?

WD External Drives External Drives for PC
1

Hi, looking for software that will password protect USB external drives, including WD ones.

I’ve read about issues with WD Smartware, I’d prefer something from a 3rd party that works with all drives when they are unplugged and reconnected to the same computer or a different one.

Please let me know if you have a recommendation…

2

Any password protection softwareshould work with the drive, however, Western Digital always recommend Smartware over third party software.

3

Thanks, I had googled for solutions. Does WD Smartware only work on WD hard drives? Or can it work with other manufacturers of external drives?

4

WD’s password-equipped drives do the encryption at the hardware level.

The data stored on the drive is encrypted whether you set a password or not.  If you take the drive out of the enclosure and attach it as a normal SATA drive, the data still can’t be read.   Smartware and the Unlocker application are used to lock/unlock the encrypted drive (as well as Smartware being a (limited) backup program).

So no, you can’t use Smartware to protect other drives.