The big picture idea of using Veracrypt is to create a storage device that is only accessible to someone knowing the password. When the USB device is removed from your computer the data becomes encrypted and only can be accessed when entering your password.

Link to Veracrypt: https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Home.html

1) Download the software on your device following the link above 

2) When downloading it will prompt you to disable windows fast startup, this is optional so either option is fine.

3) After downloading and launching Veracrypt you will be prompted with the home screen that looks like this.

4) From this screen select Create Volume

5) Select Encrypt a non-system partition/drive (This option is electing to encrypt an entire drive such as an external one)

6) Select Standard VeraCrypt volume

7) Select whatever drive you would like to encrypt (Be careful and don't encrypt a partition within your laptop). The drive you will want to encrypt will look similar to what I have highlighted below.

8) Select Create encrypted volume and format it.

9) Encryption options can be left at the default.

10) Create your password (Make sure you mark it down. All data will be lost on the drive if the password is lost.)

11) Large files selection depends on what you are storing, but you can choose either.

12) Volume format settings can also remain default (exfat will be the format if you are storing large files and elected that option in step 11) -> Once you select format, all data on the drive you are encrypting will be lost.

13) Once your drive has been formatted you will be returned to the home screen.To access your newly encrypted drive you have to mount it. Select Auto-Mount- Devices and this will mount your portable drive back to your computer. (Sometimes it wants you to select a drive letter, select one from the list if asked.)

14) Your encrypted drive can be accessed in the file explorer now like any other USB drive.

Things to know:

Each time the USB storage is removed from the PC you will need to repeat step 13 and re-mount this drive and enter your password.

Each time the PC is turned off you will have to remount the drive and reenter your password.

You can un-encrypt your device by right clicking it in the Veracrypt application and selecting Permanently Decrypt.

You need the Veracrypt program to access the drive and mount/enter the password of the drive.

More documentation for Veracrypt can be found at this link: https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Documentation.html