Picocrypt is a very small (hence Pico), very simple, yet very secure encryption tool that you can use to protect your files.
It's designed to be the go-to tool for encryption, with a focus on security, simplicity, and reliability.
Picocrypt uses the secure XChaCha20 cipher and the Argon2id key derivation function to provide a high level of security, even from three-letter agencies like the NSA.
It's designed for maximal security, making absolutely no compromises security-wise, and is built with Go's standard x/crypto modules.
Your privacy and security are under attack.
Take it back with confidence by protecting your files with Picocrypt.
Publisher’s description
What is Picocrypt?
Picocrypt by Evan Su is open-source Windows software in the encryption category. It ranks 39th by popularity among encryption in this catalogue. It is written in Go. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.49, released on August 4, 2025. The version history goes back to December 10, 2024: 6 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 2.9 releases a year. The last update is more than a year old. The source repository has been archived, so further updates are unlikely.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (HACKERALERT/Picocrypt) has 2,482 stars. Similar programs include Cryptomator, Keybase and GNU Privacy Guard.
Project description on GitHub: “A very small, very simple, yet very secure encryption tool.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Also runs on Linux
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- No update for more than a year
- Source repository archived
In short: Picocrypt is an open-source encryption tool for 64-bit PCs. Updates have slowed down.
Is Picocrypt safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
81BBDFFB92181A11692EC6651CC1831483EC6041266EB12EBA9C71200248A8C4· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 6 versions ›6 versions over 2 years · about 2.9 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.49Latest | August 4, 2025 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 1.48 | April 19, 2025 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 1.47 | February 20, 2025 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 1.45 | December 6, 2024 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 1.33 | June 28, 2023 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 1.32 | December 10, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Picocrypt.Picocrypt -escoop install extras/picocryptRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
flatpak install flathub io.github.picocrypt.PicocryptInformation
- Publisher
- Evan Su
- Category
- Encryption
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/HACKERALERT/Picocrypt
- Written in
- Go
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 1.49
- Released
- August 4, 2025
- Added to the catalogue
- December 10, 2024
- Versions listed
- 6
- Updates / year
- 2.9
- GitHub stars
- 2,482
- GitHub forks
- 143
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Picocrypt.Picocrypt
- Scoop package
- extras/picocrypt
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Picocrypt free?
Yes. Picocrypt is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is Picocrypt safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Picocrypt with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Picocrypt run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Picocrypt?
The versions page lists all 6 versions with links to their official installer files, back to December 10, 2024.
Can I use Picocrypt without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Picocrypt?
Cryptomator, Keybase, GNU Privacy Guard, i2pd and KopiaUI. The alternatives page compares them.
