What is included in GiliSoft Private Disk?

Encrypted Lockers – AES-256 .gpd virtual drives for your files.
Transparent Encryption – Files decrypt on the fly while mounted.
Hidden Disk Mode – Image disappears from browsing after you unmount.
Portable Lockers – Move .gpd containers onto USB drives.
Core Capacity – Mount several encrypted disks at once.
Important – Windows only; no Mac locker support.

What are the main benefits of GiliSoft Private Disk?

GiliSoft Private Disk is Windows software that stores confidential files inside password-protected virtual drives called lockers. Each locker is an AES-256 encrypted .gpd container you mount to work and unmount to keep the files hidden.

One Container – Replace many locked folders with one vault.
Cloud Privacy – Store lockers inside Dropbox sync folders safely.
Shared PC Use – Hidden disk vanishes on multi-user workstations.
Portable Vaults – Carry encrypted files between office machines.
Password Wallets – Keep keys and account notes encrypted.
No Backdoor – Master password cannot be reset later.

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What does GiliSoft Private Disk do?

It creates password-protected, AES-256 encrypted virtual drives on Windows, each saved as a .gpd container file. When you open a locker with its password, it mounts as a normal drive letter, and a kernel driver handles encryption transparently, so the files are only readable while the locker is mounted. Unmount it and the drive disappears; with Hidden Disk mode, the container image itself is also removed from normal browsing. This lets you keep contracts, ID scans, client files, and private photos in one encrypted workspace instead of locking folders one by one.

Does Private Disk encrypt the whole hard drive or just selected files?

Private Disk encrypts only the files you place inside a .gpd container, not the entire system or boot partition. It is container-based volume encryption: you decide which files go into a locker and mount it on demand, so there is no pre-boot login or whole-disk protection of Windows itself. For full-drive and system-partition encryption with pre-boot authentication, GiliSoft sells a separate product, Full Disk Encryption. Choose Private Disk when you want selective, portable encrypted vaults rather than locking down the operating system.

Can I open a Private Disk locker on another computer or on a Mac?

Lockers are Windows-only, so a .gpd container cannot be opened on macOS. Across Windows PCs the lockers are portable: copy the .gpd file to a USB or external drive and open it on another Windows machine, and because the program reads and writes .gpd files of any size, you can access an existing locker without a full install on that PC. The limitation matters for mixed environments, since the encrypted containers will not move between Windows and Mac. Plan locker storage around Windows machines if your team uses both platforms.

What happens if I forget my Private Disk password?

There is no recovery option or backdoor, so a lost master password means the files inside the locker cannot be opened. The same master password is also required to uninstall the program, which prevents anyone from simply removing Private Disk to reach your data. AES-256 with no stored recovery key is what keeps the lockers secure, but it also makes a forgotten password permanent. Save the password in a separate password manager before moving critical files into a locker.

Can I keep a Private Disk locker in Dropbox or other cloud storage?

Yes. Create the encrypted .gpd locker inside a synced folder so the cloud service only ever stores the encrypted container, never loose files. Dropbox and similar services do not provide client-side encryption by default, so a Private Disk locker adds an AES-256 layer the provider cannot read. When you mount the locker locally and edit files, the changes sync back as updates to the encrypted container. This keeps confidential project files in cloud sync without exposing readable documents to the provider or to anyone with account access.

Frequently asked questions about GiliSoft Private Disk

Does Private Disk slow down my computer?

Encryption is on-the-fly and transparent, so data is decrypted only when an application requests it and re-encrypted when written. Only the files you are actively using are processed rather than the whole drive, which keeps everyday work with documents and photos in a mounted locker responsive.

Can I change a locker's password or size after creating it?

Yes. You can change a locker's password through "Change Password" after verifying the current one, and you can also rename, copy, move, or delete lockers. If a locker runs low on space, the standard approach is to create a larger one and migrate the files, so keep a backup before major changes.

Besides encrypted disks, what other tools are included?

Beyond .gpd lockers, Private Disk adds protected USB and external-drive delivery, CD/DVD and email-attachment protection, file hiding, folder disguise, and password wallets for keys and account notes. These cover quick privacy on shared PCs and secure handoff of confidential files outside the local machine.