How to Enable/Disable BitLocker in Windows 10/11

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May 22, 2024 May 21, 2024

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In the modern digital landscape, safeguarding your personal and professional data is of utmost importance. Cyber threats, such as malware, hacking attempts, and data breaches, are becoming increasingly sophisticated, putting your sensitive information at risk.

72.22% of desktop computers and laptops use Microsoft Windows, followed by Apple's macOS at 14.73%, and Linux at 6.33%. With its huge uses, Microsoft Windows is always been a prior target for cyber threats.

To combat these threats, Microsoft has developed a robust encryption tool called BitLocker, which is built into the Windows operating system. BitLocker provides an additional layer of security by encrypting your entire drive, ensuring that your data remains protected even if your device is lost, stolen, or compromised.

With the release of the Windows 11 23H2 version, Microsoft has enabled BitLocker by default for everyone. But from the upcoming version of Windows 11 24H2, Microsoft is automatically enabling or activating BitLocker encryption during the reinstallation process. This means any Windows 11 or 10 users, that have the BitLocker feature will now automatically have BitLocker enabled on their system.

The new encryption process not only affects Windows 11 Pro users but also impacts Windows 11 Home users.

Having encryption is not bad, but the concerning thing is about performance. One of the reports from Tomshardware claims that BitLocker encryption (tested on Windows 11 pro) slows down SSD performance by 45%.

If the claim is correct then you might think about disabling or not using BitLocker encryption on your Windows system, but we don't consider this.

Enabling BitLocker encryption on an SSD in a Windows operating system can have a slight impact on the drive's performance. However, the extent of the performance impact also depends on various factors, such as the specific SSD model, the encryption algorithm used, and the system's hardware capabilities.

The benefits of securing your data often outweigh the minor performance trade-off.

If you still want to learn the process of enabling and disabling BitLocker on your Windows 10 or 11 devices, here is the clean guide along with the valuable information about BitLocker recovery and recovery keys.

What is BitLocker?

BitLocker is a full-disk encryption feature designed by Microsoft to protect your data by encrypting your drives. It uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm with a 128-bit or 256-bit key to encrypt your data in real time.

Once enabled, BitLocker ensures that your files remain secure even if your device is lost, stolen, or falls into the wrong hands.

Steps to Enabling BitLocker:

If you have a Windows 11 Home computer, keep in mind that BitLocker encryption can only be turned on by your device manufacturer. This happens only if the manufacturer enables a special setting called the "encryption flag" in your computer's UEFI (a type of firmware).

As a result, if you built your own PC and installed Windows 11 Home on it, it's unlikely that BitLocker encryption will be enabled by default.

To enable BitLocker on your Windows 10 or 11 device, follow these simple steps:

Method 1 :

Open Settings > Privacy & Security option. Here you will get Device Encryption (if your device manufacturer enabled the "encryption flag" in your computer's UEFI), click on that, and you will get Device Encryption ON/OFF () toggle.

Method 2:

Type and search Device encryption settings in the Windows search bar, then click [Open] orDevice encryption settings option.
On the Device Encrption section, use the toggle to enable the Device encryption.
A confirmation dialog box popups, click Turn on button

In some Windows 11 Home 23H2 versions, you will find Device Encryption is enabled by default.

Method 3:

Open File Explorer and right-click on the drive you want to encrypt.
Select "Turn on BitLocker" from the context menu.
Choose how you want to unlock your drive during startup:

Insert a USB flash drive (BitLocker will generate a startup key on this drive)
Enter a password

Back up your recovery key by either saving it to your Microsoft account, saving it to a file, or printing it.
Choose the encryption mode:

New encryption mode (best for fixed drives)
Compatible mode (best for removable drives)

Click "Start encrypting" and wait for the process to complete.

Disabling BitLocker:

If you need to disable BitLocker on your Windows 10 or 11 device, follow these steps:

Method 1:

Type and search Device encryption settings in the Windows search bar, then click [Open] orDevice encryption settings option.
On the Device Encrption section, use the toggle to disable the Device encryption.
A confirmation dialog box pops up and click the Turn off button.

Method 2:

Open File Explorer and right-click on the encrypted drive.
Select "Manage BitLocker" from the context menu.
Click "Turn off BitLocker" and confirm your action.
Wait for the decryption process to complete.

How to Check if BitLocker is On or Off [Command Line]

Open a command prompt window.

Click the Windows Start button, type cmd and press Enter.
Press and hold the Windows button and R on the keyboard, type cmd and press Enter.

Right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as Administrator."
In the command prompt, type manage-bde -status and press Enter.
View the status of BitLocker on the drives in the computer.

What is BitLocker Recovery?

BitLocker recovery is the process of unlocking your encrypted drive when you can't access it normally. This situation may arise if you forget your password, lose your USB startup key, or if your device's TPM (Trusted Platform Module) detects changes in your system configuration.

What is a BitLocker Recovery Key?

A BitLocker recovery key is a unique 48-digit numerical key that you can use to unlock your encrypted drive during recovery. It is crucial to keep your recovery key safe and accessible, as it is the only way to regain access to your data if you encounter problems with BitLocker.

How to Find Your BitLocker Recovery Key:

There are several ways to locate your BitLocker recovery key:

Microsoft Account: If you saved your recovery key to your Microsoft account during setup, sign in to your account and navigate to the BitLocker recovery keys section.
USB Flash Drive: If you choose to save your recovery key on a USB drive, insert the drive and navigate to the BitLocker folder to find the text file containing your key.
Printed Copy: If you printed your recovery key, locate the physical copy and use the 48-digit number to unlock your drive.

Conclusion:

BitLocker is essential for anyone looking to protect their data on Windows 10 or 11 devices. Following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily enable or disable BitLocker and ensure your files remain secure. Remember to keep your recovery key safe and accessible in case you ever need to perform a BitLocker recovery. Stay safe and secure!