Exlade Cryptic Disk Free

This is the free edition of Exlade Cryptic Disk, a comprehensive security application with clear-cut options that lets you create virtual drives for containing private files and folders.

During the setup procedure, you can opt for the tool to make a regular installation or create a portable edition by placing all configuration files into a single place. The second option enables you to save Exlade Cryptic Disk Free to a USB storage device to directly run it on any computer without any installations.

In matter of interface, the app takes an intuitive approach, adopting a simple window with a minimalistic look. It shows an empty list that normally holds encrypted containers, so you can begin by creating a new one from scratch (can be later mounted as a Cryptic Disk Volume .crv file).

The tool puts a user-friendly wizard at your disposal for creating as many container files as you want, so you can follow seven steps to get the job done.

It's necessary to indicate the new container's file path and size (in kB, MB or GB). You can make the file size expandable and allow the program to automatically identify the security status of the container by writing a marker in its header.

Moreover, you have to create a FAT or NTFS file system that can be formatted by establishing the filesystem cluster's size and volume level (quick and normal format modes are available).

It's possible to select a header key derivation and data encryption algorithm for the container, preview the encryption key, apply password protection or use keyfiles for access, as well as review all settings before putting together the new container and go back to make any changes if necessary.

Container files can be seamlessly mounted to any drive letter or folder after specifying the password or selecting the key file. You can mount as many container files as you want, unmount all of them with one click, change the password or key file, share containers with other users and manage permissions, as well as export and import headers.

Exlade Cryptic Disk Free can be set to run at every system startup until further notice. You can create a systray icon for quick access and send it there when minimized or hide systray notifications to make the app non-intrusive, as well as assign hotkeys for showing/hiding the main window and unmounting all mounted volumes.

You also get the chance to mount containers as read-only or removable volumes, preserve their modification timestamps, enable auto-unmount for security purpose and turn on screensaver.

The software utility worked smoothly in our tests, without triggering the OS to hang, crash or display error messages. Its impact on the computer's performance was minimal.

Exlade Cryptic Disk Free features advanced, yet intuitive options for creating virtual drives that can be password-protected (especially when taking into consideration that this is a free version) and it can be handled by anyone with ease.