How to Disable BitLocker Encryption is a tool for encrypting drives that can be found on many Windows PCs. It’s a full volume encryption tool, which means that it only protects a part of your computer and not the whole thing. If the whole drive was safe, it would be called “full disk encryption.”
As a feature, it connects to your computer and makes sure that your data doesn’t get lost or stolen. Microsoft says that it works best when used with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 or a later version. And it turns out that Windows 11 uses TPM 2.0 to make sure it is very safe.
3 Ways to Disable BitLocker Encryption in Windows 11/10
via PowerShell to Disable BitLocker Encryption
- Open the Start menu. Then type powershell to search Windows Powershell and select Run as Administrator.
- Type the command: Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint Drive_Name
- Type the Drive_Name with the Drive Letter of the BitLocker encrypted drive. Wait until the decryption process finishes. Then, verify the Bitlocker decryption status.
- Your computer will prompt you to restart the system. Restart it
From File Explorer to Turn Off BitLocker Encryption
- Open File Explorer
- Right-click on the encrypted drive after clicking on This PC.
- Click the “Manage BitLocker” button to get to the menu for encrypting your drives.
- You should see a small window that says your drive has been decrypted. Depending on how big the file is, it could take a while.
- Press the button. Put an end to BitLocker.
- Wait a while for your computer to figure out how to open the file.
Through the Settings App
- Go to Start menu.
- Tap on Settings > System > Storage.
- Scroll down and find the settings for advanced storage.
- Choose Disk & volumes from the menu.
- Choosing the Drive. Drive C is a good example.
- Properties will open up.
- Find the BitLocker section by scrolling down.
- Tap Disable BitLocker.
- A menu called “BitLocker Drive Encryption” will show up.
- Tap Turn off BitLocker to confirm that you want to remove encryption from BitLocker.
Is Disabling BitLocker Safe?
If privacy and security are important to you, you should know that removing BitLocker encryption can sometimes make your drive data easier to get to.
How does BitLocker work?
A special chip called a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is used by BitLocker. For hardware authentication, the TPM stores Rivest-Shamir-Adleman encryption keys that are unique to the host system. The TPM is put in by the company that made the computer, and it works with BitLocker to keep user data safe.
BitLocker can lock the startup process until the user enters a PIN or inserts a removable device with a startup key, like a flash drive. This is in addition to a TPM.
BitLocker can still be used to encrypt Windows OS drives on computers that do not have a TPM. But this method needs a USB startup key to turn the computer on or wake it up from hibernation. Microsoft, on the other hand, says that when BitLocker is used with a TPM, the system’s integrity is checked more before it starts up.
FAQs
Most of the time, BitLocker will be turned on by default on your PC, especially if you bought a laptop or a desktop that was already put together. But if it’s not turned on, here’s how to do it yourself: Open the Settings app and choose Privacy & security from the left-hand menu. Click Encrypt the device.
There is only one option in the BitLocker Drive Encryption menu: “Back up your recovery key.” There is no option to “Turn off BitLocker.” This problem is caused by the limited permissions of the Windows account. To turn off BitLocker, log in to the administrator account: Right-click the Windows Start button, or press the Windows Key + x.
