Windows 10: Turn On or Off BitLocker for Fixed Data Drives in Windows 10

How to: Turn On or Off BitLocker for Fixed Data Drives in Windows 10

How to Turn On or Off BitLocker for Fixed Data Drives in Windows 10


Information You can use BitLocker Drive Encryption to help protect your files on an entire drive. BitLocker can help block hackers from accessing the system files they rely on to discover your password, or from accessing your drive by physically removing it from your PC and installing it in a different one. You can still sign in to Windows and use your files as you normally would.

New files are automatically encrypted when you add them to a drive that uses BitLocker. However, if you copy these files to another drive or a different PC, they're automatically decrypted.

BitLocker can encrypt the drive Windows is installed on (the removable data drive (such as an external hard drive or USB flash drive).

You can choose how you want to unlock an encrypted data drive: with a password or a smart card. For fixed data drives, you can also set the drive to automatically unlock when you unlock the PC, if you prefer, as long as the operating system drive is BitLocker-protected.

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off BitLocker to encrypt or decrypt a fixed data drive in Windows 10.


Note BitLocker Drive Encryption is only available in Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education editions.

CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Turn On BitLocker for a Fixed Data Drive in BitLocker Manager
• Option Two: To Turn Off BitLocker for a Fixed Data Drive in BitLocker Manager
• Option Three: To Turn Off BitLocker for a Fixed Data Drive in Command Prompt
• Option Four: To Turn Off BitLocker for a Fixed Data Drive in PowerShell

EXAMPLE: Enter password to unlock data drive encrypted by BitLocker











OPTION ONE [/i] To Turn On BitLocker for a Fixed Data Drive in BitLocker Manager
1. If you like, set a default encryption method (XTS-AES or AES-CBC) and cipher strength (128 bit or 256 bit) you want used by BitLocker. BitLocker Drive Encryption uses AES-CBC 128 bit by default for fixed data drives.

2. Do step 3, step 4, or step 5 below for how you would like to manage BitLocker.

3. Right click or press and hold on the fixed data drive (ex: G: ) you want to encrypt, click/tap on Turn on BitLocker, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)



4. Select the fixed data drive (ex: G: ) you want to encrypt, click/tap on the "Drive Tools" Manage tab, click/tap on the BitLocker button in the ribbon, click/tap on Turn on BitLocker, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)



5. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the BitLocker Drive Encryption icon.
A) Expand open the fixed data drive (ex: G: ) you want to encrypt under Fixed data drives, click/tap on Turn on BitLocker, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)




6. Choose how (password, smart card, or automatically) you want to unlock this drive, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)


Note The Automatically unlock this drive on this computer option will only be available if the operating system drive has already been encrypted by BitLocker.



7. Select how (Microsoft account, USB, file, and/or print) you want to back up your BitLocker recovery key for this drive, and click/tap on Next when finished. (see screenshot below)






Note Microsoft account = This option is only available when you are signed in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account. It will save the BitLocker recovery key to your OneDrive account online at https://onedrive.live.com/recoverykey.



USB flash drive = This option will save the BitLocker recovery key to a selected USB flash drive.



File = This option will save the BitLocker recovery key .TXT file to a location you select.






Print = This option will print the BitLocker recovery key to the selected printer.




8. Select (dot) how much of your drive to encrypt right now, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)


Note It is recommended to select Encrypt entire drive.



9. Select (dot) which encryption mode to use, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)


Note If you did step 1 above to set a default encryption method and cipher strength, then you will not have this setting available since BitLocker will use what you set in step 1 instead.


New encryption mode (XTS-AES 128-bit) = Select this mode if this is a fixed drive or if this drive will only be used on devices running at least Windows 10 (version 1511) or later.

Compatible mode (AES-CBC 128-bit) = Select this mode if this is a removable drive that you're going to use on an older version of Windows (ex: Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8/8.1).



10. Click/tap on Start encrypting when ready. (see screenshot below)



11. The fixed data drive will now start encrypting. (see screenshot below)


Note This could take a long time to finish depending on the size of the drive and how much data on the drive is being encrypted.



12. When encryption has finished, click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)








OPTION TWO [/i] To Turn Off BitLocker for a Fixed Data Drive in BitLocker Manager
1. If you have not already, unlock the fixed data drive encrypted by BitLocker.

2. Do step 3, step 4, or step 5 below for how you would like to manage BitLocker.

3. Right click or press and hold on the encrypted fixed data drive (ex: G: ), click/tap on Manage BitLocker, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)



4. Select the encrypted fixed data drive (ex: G: ), click/tap on the "Drive Tools" Manage tab, click/tap on the BitLocker button in the ribbon, click/tap on Manage BitLocker, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)



5. Open the step 6 below.

6. Expand open the encrypted fixed data drive (ex: G: ) under Fixed data drives, and click/tap on Turn off BitLocker. (see screenshot below)



7. Click/tap on Turn off BitLocker to confirm. (see screenshot below)



8. The fixed data drive will now start decrypting. (see screenshot below)



9. When decryption has finished, click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)








OPTION THREE [/i] To Turn Off BitLocker for a Fixed Data Drive in Command Prompt
1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)


*Arrow manage-bde -off <drive letter>:



Note Substitute <drive letter> in the command above with the actual drive letter of the encrypted drive you want to decrypt.

For example: manage-bde -off G:


Tip You can check the status of BitLocker for the drive at anytime.








OPTION FOUR [/i] To Turn Off BitLocker for a Fixed Data Drive in PowerShell


Note To see more Disable-BitLocker command usage options, see: Disable-BitLocker - Microsoft Docs

1. Open an elevated Powershell.

2. Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)


*Arrow Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "<drive letter>:"



Note Substitute <drive letter> in the command above with the actual drive letter of the encrypted drive you want to decrypt.

For example: Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "F:"


Tip You can check the status of BitLocker for the drive at anytime.





That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Create a BitLocker Drive Encryption Shortcut in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off BitLocker for Operating System Drive in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off BitLocker for Removable Data Drives in Windows 10
• How to Set Default BitLocker Encryption Method and Cipher Strength in Windows 10
• How to Unlock a Fixed or Removable BitLocker Drive in Windows
• How to Use BitLocker Repair Tool to Recover Encrypted Drive in Windows
• How to Lock BitLocker Encrypted Drive in Windows
• How to Check Status of BitLocker Drive Encryption for Drive in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Change BitLocker Password Context Menu in Windows 10
• How to Add 'Lock Drive' to Context Menu of BitLocker Encrypted Drives in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Auto-unlock for BitLocker Drive in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove 'Manage BitLocker' Context Menu from Drives in Windows
• How to Add or Remove Resume BitLocker Protection Context Menu in Windows 10
• How to Add 'Suspend BitLocker protection' to Context Menu of Drives in Windows
• How to Add or Remove 'Turn off BitLocker' Context Menu from Drives in Windows
• How to Add or Remove 'Turn on BitLocker' Context Menu from Drives in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Unlock Drive Context Menu in Windows
• How to Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10
• How to Back up BitLocker Recovery Key for Drive in Windows 10
• How to Encrypt Files and Folders with Encrypting File System (EFS) in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Standard Users from Changing BitLocker PIN or Password in Windows 10
• How to Change BitLocker Password in Windows 10
• Allow or Deny Write Access to Fixed Data Drives not Protected by BitLocker in Windows
• How to Create BitLocker Encrypted Container File with a VHD or VHDX File in Windows

:)

 

Need to turn off Bitlocker to install Windows 10

Hi,

We suggest doing the following steps again to resolve the issue. To complete the procedure, make sure that you have the following information:

• You must be able to provide administrative credentials.
• The drive must be BitLocker-protected.

To suspend BitLocker Drive Encryption on an operating system drive, please follow the steps below:

• Click Start, click Control Panel, click
  System and Security, and then click BitLocker Drive Encryption.
• Click Suspend Protection for the operating system drive.
• A message is displayed, informing you that your data will not be protected while BitLocker is suspended and asking if you want to suspend BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  
• Click Yes to continue and suspend BitLocker on the drive.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Activate Bitlocker for data drive partition

Hi,

Welcome to Microsoft Community and thank you for your interest in Windows 10.

BitLocker
Drive Encryption is one of the best security tools of Windows operating system. This feature of
Windows 10 safeguards your stored data in fixed or removable drives of your storage system. When you turn on
BitLocker it saves data on any drive and encrypt it automatically. When you encrypt drive, it
protects everything with passwords on that drive whether it is file or document. In today’s
Windows 10 tutorial, we will take you through Encrypt Drive Partition using Bitlocker process with
BitLocker which will support your system in protecting its data.

Get Into BitLocker Drive Encryption Window in Windows 10


To Encrypt Drive Partition using Bitlocker you need to access BitLocker Encryption Window First. For this,

• Open Cortana Search.
• Type BitLocker in the search field.
• And in the search results select Manage BitLocker option.
• BitLocker
  Drive Encryption window pops up on your screen.

Hope this information was helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance. We will be glad to assist.

 

How to enable Bitlocker for Fixed Drives?

Hi All,

I'm on Windows 10 Pro, Bitlocker (without TPM) is enabled and working for Removable drives, as well as the OS Drive.

I have an additional 2TB internal SATA drive that Bitlocker does not see. I do not get the option to enable Bitlocker, in the right click context menu for the drive.

If I go to Manage Bitlocker, the drive is not listed as a fixed data drive. It's not listed at all.

There is nothing wrong with the drive itself. In its current unencrypted state, I have data stored on it, and can access, read and write to all of the drives contents.

I've checked through the bitlocker group policy options, and I've googled this to death. Any help, short of a format/reload would be greatly appreciated.

 

BitLocker Encrypted Hard Drive to MAC

Hi,



Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. I regret the inconvenience caused to you. Let me help you.



I suggest you to perform below mentioned steps to disable BitLocker.

To disable BitLocker I would suggest you try the following steps and see if it helps.

• 
  Press Windows key + X and click on
  Control Panel.
  
• 
  Change View by from Category
  to Large Icons/Small Icons.
  
• 
  Click on BitLocker Drive Encryption and click on
  Turn BitLocker Off.
  
• 
  Follow on screen instructions. Click on Decrypt the Drive
  when the message appears.
  

I would suggest you click on the link below and refer the following article.

Scenario 12: Turning Off BitLocker Drive Encryption (Windows 7)

Scenario 12: Turning Off BitLocker Drive Encryption (Windows 7)

(You can refer the steps in the above link as they are applicable for Windows 10 as well)



Check if it helps.



I hope the information helps. Please keep us posted on the issue. We will be happy to assist you accordingly.

Thank you.

 

Windows 8.1 PRO unable to unlock Bitlocked drive

As you can see BitLocker Option is not highlighted for selection. It's like Windows does not even recognize this drive as a locked drive. And this drive does contain lot of Data.