Proton Drive is free open-source end-to-end encrypted vault that you can use not only to store your files online but also keep them fully safe and secure. It was launched as a Beta in 2020 but Proton has now made it available for everyone.
Proton Drive is a solid alternative to Google Drive and better in terms of security due to its rigorous end-to-end encryption model. The only people who can access these are those with whom you share the link or password thereby keeping you in full control of your data. Click here to read more about its Encryption Technology.
Proton servers are located in Switzerland due to which your data is protected by Swiss privacy laws which are known to be one of the strongest in the world. Additionally, Proton Services are totally open-source which means that you can check and verify the source code any time. Proton Drive is presently available as a Web as well as Android application. The developers have plans to launch a desktop client very soon with full synchronization capabilities.
The Free services of Proton Drive provide 1 Gb storage capacity with end-to-end encryption and basic file sharing features. You must subscribe to their paid plans to get increased storage up to 3 Tb, unlimited file sharing features and more. Click here to read more about their Paid Subscription offers.
Other Important Features:
Customize your vault: You can choose your preferred layout and theme (including dark mode) to make it appear good.
Encrypted file search: Proton Drive allows you to search for encrypted files using a novel encrypted search technology.
Password protect files and folders: Apart from encryption, you can also protect your files and folders using passwords once you share them. Only the people who know the password will be able to decrypt and access them.
Time-limited shared links: Sharing of files and folders using a link is limited by a time duration that you can specify. After the expiry of the time period, they aren’t accessible to anyone.
How it Works:
1. Navigate to Proton Drive and sign up for a free account using the link that we have provided at the end of this article. Select a theme that you like.
2. To create a fresh folder, right-click anywhere in the free space and choose ‘Create new folder’. Alternatively, you can click on the first icon in the toolbar at the top to create a folder.
3. To upload a file / folder, right click in a free area and choose one of the two options and upload it from your local system. Like earlier, you can use the toolbar for the same. Alternatively, you can also drag your file / folder from the local system to upload it in Proton Drive.
4. To change the layout (list view or grid view), click on the ‘Change layout’ button at the extreme right of the toolbar.
5. To share a file / folder, right click on it and choose ‘Get Link’, click on the ‘Copy Link’ button and share it with others. For additional security, you can click on ‘Privacy Settings’ and Protect the link with a password as well as set an Expiration Date for the link.
6. To view the files / folders that you have shared, you can click on the ‘Shared’ link in the sidebar on the left.
7. To stop Sharing a file / folder that has already been shared, right click on its name, click on ‘Manage Link’, click on ‘Privacy Settings’ to expand it and then click on ‘Stop Sharing’.
8. To download a file / folder from Proton Drive, use right-click and select the ‘Download’ option.
9. You can search for any of your files / folders using the ‘Search drive’ option at the top of the page. When you try to use it for the first time, Proton Drive will take a while to index your files and folders and activate the search feature.
Closing Comments:
Proton Drive is a very simply yet powerful vault to store your data online so that it is easily available. The end-to-end encryption that it provides is the most outstanding feature due to which you are in total control of your files and folders and no other entity, not even Proton has any access to it without your permission. Since Proton Severs are located in Switzerland, the strict privacy laws of that nation are also a great asset. Proton Drive is indeed a good privacy-first alternative to Google Drive.
Click here to navigate to Proton Drive
