Windows 10: BitLocker Unavailable on USB Flash Drives as on 4/19/2021

I use BitLocker to password protect/encrypt USB drives on a regular basis for my job. I recently created 200 USB drives using BitLocker with no issues. On Monday, April 19, 2021, BitLocker was grayed out and not an option in the menu for any of the USB drives that I attempted to use. The exact same ones worked the previous week. My IT department had to go in and fix each one to make them work. This is not a long-term solution for me. IT pushed through an update that took almost an hour to complete, but it didn't fix my issue. Why did this happen and what is the so

:)

 

BitLocker Save to USB Flash missing?


Hi,

I followed the step by step guide on what Brink wrote up below.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3...-a.html?filter[1]=Security System Tools

However, when turning ON BitLocker to encrypt the OS drive only, and ask me to where to save the recovery key, I get only the Save to File and not the Save to USB Flash. Has MS taken out the Save to USB selection since WIn 10 version 1511?

I followed all the steps and left BitLocker to its default setting (except for encryption method).

I was able to save the recovery key to a file which was my USB flash drive.

 

USB Flash Drive with Bitlocker

I tried to use bitlocker on a USB Flash drive and about half way through we had a power bump and my PC restarted. Now I can't access the drive. I tried to use bitlocker again but right clicking does not offer bitlocker any more. Is the drive toast or can I retrieve the data I had on it?

 

Bitlocker Questions

Did you uncheck "Allow BitLocker without a compatible TPM (requires a password or a startup key on a USB flash drive)" in step 4?

Using "allow" is fine. You will specify using a PIN to unlock BitLocker at step 10.

It doesn't matter about your account password.