Personal Data Encryption - How to set up

12-16-2025

Greetings,

I have a laptop running Windows 11 for Home and a subscription to Microsoft 365 for business.

I am interested in encrypting folders and files on my laptop in a manner that would permit me to work on any one or more files from the encrypted folder and 1) When working on the file, I understand it will be unencrypted, but when the file is closed, the file returns to the folder and continues to be encrypted; and 2) Any file at rest in the folder (not opened) will always stay encrypted.

I have read about Personal Data Encryption (PDE) at the site https://petervanderwoude.nl/post/getting-started-with-personal-data-encryption/. From that article, I understand PDE is a security feature that was introduced with Windows 11, version 22H2, and provides file-based data encryption functionalities to Windows, but that PDE only encrypts "standard folders in Windows (Desktop, Documents, and Pictures)".

I like the security features of PDE as I understand that the files in those three folders stay encrypted when at rest (not opened), but become unencrypted when opened - but when closed, return to the respective folder and continue to be encrypted. 

This is the encryption feature I am searching for to use on any selected folders/files on my laptop.

In the meantime, I would like to use PDE and an looking for assistance in learning how I could set up PDE on my laptop.

As a bonus, I would like to learn if there may be other security apps or programs that utilize the same type of encryption features used by PDE on any selected folder (and files) on my laptop.

I have read up on Device Encryption and Bitlocker.  I understand those Windows programs/features will encrypt folders/files on a local drive, but it's not clear to me if those programs utilize the same encryption feature of PDE that I am interested in - having files at rest (not opened) staying encrypted when the containing folder is unencrypted.

I also utilize VeraCrypt to hold various folders and files. While it encrypts files when the containing folder (volume) is not opened (mounted), I don't believe VeraCrypt offers the PDE features I'm searching for - keeping the files at rest (not opened) in that folder encrypted even when the containing folder is unencrypted.

Any help or suggestions on any of the above is appreciated. Thank you.

Mike Burke