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Quickly disable BitLocker using the Control Panel, Command Prompt, or Powershell
Written byTravis Boylls
Last Updated: September 25, 2023Fact Checked
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- Using Control Panel |
- Using the Command Prompt |
- Using PowerShell |
- Unlocking BitLocker |
- Video |
- |
- Tips |
- Warnings
Do you need to disable BitLocker? BitLocker is a data encryption feature that is built into Windows that allows you to encrypt data on your PC in order to protect it. BitLocker is a feature of Windows Pro, Windows Enterprise, and Windows Education editions. When a drive is encrypted through BitLocker, it can make the data hard to access from a different computer. This wikiHow teaches you how to turn off your Windows computer's BitLocker encryption.
Things You Should Know
- Open the Start menu and type "manage BitLocker." Open the "Manage BitLocker" option and expand the drive you want to decrypt. Click "Turn off BitLocker."
- Open the Command Prompt as an Administrator and type "manage-bde -off <drive letter>:" and press Enter.
- Open Powershell as an administrator and type "Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "<drive letter>:" and press Enter
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:
Using Control Panel
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1
Open Start
. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen. The Start menu will pop up.2
Type in manage BitLocker. This will display the "manage Bitlocker" Control Panel option in the Windows Start menu.
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3
Click Manage BitLocker. It should be at the top of the Start menu. It has an icon that resembles a hard drive with a set of keys over the top. Clicking this option opens the BitLocker Control Panel page.
4
Click
to expand the correct hard drive. Scroll down until you find the drive for which you want to disable BitLocker. Click the icon that resembles a bracket pointing down to expand the drive you want to decrypt.- Skip this step if BitLocker is only encrypting one hard drive.
- You can use BitLocker to encrypt and decrypt internal hard drives and removable USB drives.
5
Click Turn Off BitLocker. It's a link below and to the right of the BitLocker heading.
6
Click Turn Off BitLocker when prompted. Doing so causes BitLocker to begin decrypting your drive. This can take several hours to complete.
- You may be asked to enter your Administrator password or PIN before BitLocker will begin turning off.
- It may take a while for Windows to completely decrypt the drive you want to decrypt. You can continue to use your computer in the meantime.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:
Using the Command Prompt
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1
Click the Windows Start menu
. It's the button with the Windows logo in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. This displays the Windows Start menu.2
Type CMD. This displays the Command Prompt in the Windows Start menu.
3
Right-click the Command Prompt icon and click {{MacButton|Run as Administrator. This opens the Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
- If you are not signed in to an administrative account, you may be asked to enter an administrative password.
4
Type manage-bde -off <drive letter>: and press ↵ Enter. Replace "<drive letter>" with the drive letter that you want to decrypt. This will decrypt that drive.[1]
- For example, if you want to decrypt your C: drive, you would type manage-bde -off C: and press Enter.
- To check the status of BitLocker in the Command Prompt, type manage-bde -status and press Enter.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:
Using PowerShell
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1
Right-click the Windows Start menu
. Right-clicking the Windows Start menu displays a context menu with a variety of system applications.2
Click Windows Powershell (admin). This opens Powershell with administrative privileges.
- If you are not signed in to an administrative account, you may be asked to enter an administrative password.
3
Type Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "<drive letter>:" and press ↵ Enter. Replace "<drive letter>" with the letter of the drive you want to decrypt. This will decrypt the drive.
- For example, if you want to decrypt your C: drive, you would type Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" and press Enter.
- If you want to check the status of BitLocker, type Get-BitLockerVolume and press Enter.[2]
- To decrypt all drives, type Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint $BLV and press Enter.[3]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:
Unlocking BitLocker
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1
Find your recovery key. When you set up BitLocker on your computer, you were given a 48-digit recovery key to use when you forget your BitLocker password. You'll need to find this key before you can unlock BitLocker:[4]
- If you printed out your recovery key, look for it in any location in which you keep important documents.
- If you saved your recovery key as a text file on a USB drive, plug the USB drive into a different Windows computer to open the text file and view the key.
- If your system administrator or IT professional set up BitLocker for you, contact them for specific instructions on getting back your key.
2
Start your computer if necessary. If your computer isn't already turned on to the BitLocker screen, turn on your computer.
- If your computer is turned on to the BitLocker screen, skip this step and the next one.
3
Wait for the BitLocker screen to load. It can take several minutes for the BitLocker login screen to open.
4
Press Esc. Doing so indicates that you want to enter the recovery key instead of your BitLocker password.[5]
5
Enter your BitLocker recovery key. Type the 48-digit recovery key into the provided text box at the top of the screen.
6
Press ↵ Enter. This will submit your key.
7
Follow the on-screen prompts. Depending on your computer, you may have additional options after submitting your key. Once you've navigated through any extra prompts, you're free to turn off BitLocker from within Settings.
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Community Q&A
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Question
What if this device can't use a Trusted Platform Module?
Aasim
Top Answerer
If your device does not have a TPM, you still can use BitLocker. It is just not possible to use Trusted Boot, meaning the TPM verifies the boot loader before booting. Secure Boot still works, but it is not as good as Trusted Boot.
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Tips
If you aren't asked to enter a BitLocker password when booting up your computer, BitLocker probably isn't enabled.
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Warnings
BitLocker is not available for Windows 10 Home edition users, and some Windows 10 and 11computers may not have the proper hardware settings enabled to support BitLocker in the first place.
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References
- ↑ https://www.elevenforum.com/t/turn-off-bitlocker-for-drive-in-windows-11.2900/
- ↑ https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/36901-check-bitlocker-drive-encryption-status-windows-10-a.html
- ↑ https://windowsreport.com/disable-bitlocker-windows-8/
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026181/windows-10-find-my-bitlocker-recovery-key
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZlGZLDWnIQ
About This Article
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Travis Boylls. Travis Boylls is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Travis has experience writing technology-related articles, providing software customer service, and in graphic design. He specializes in Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux platforms. He studied graphic design at Pikes Peak Community College. This article has been viewed 296,412 times.
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Co-authors: 13
Updated: September 25, 2023
Views:296,412
Categories: Windows
Article SummaryX
1. Open your PC's Settings.
2. Click System.
3. Click the Device encryption tab.
4. Click Turn off, then click Turn off when prompted.
Did this summary help you?
In other languages
Português:Desativar o BitLocker
Deutsch:Bitlocker ausschalten
Français:désactiver BitLocker
Русский:отключить BitLocker
Italiano:Disattivare BitLocker
Español:desactivar BitLocker
Bahasa Indonesia:Mematikan Bitlocker
Nederlands:BitLocker uitschakelen
العربية:إيقاف تشغيل بت لوكر
日本語:BitLockerを無効にする
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Greetings, enthusiasts of Windows operating systems! I'm here to share my comprehensive knowledge on the topic of disabling BitLocker, a crucial data encryption feature embedded in Windows. My expertise stems from a deep understanding of Windows architecture, encryption technologies, and practical experience in system administration.
To establish my credibility, let's delve into the key concepts discussed in the article:
-
BitLocker Overview: BitLocker is a built-in data encryption feature in Windows, available in Windows Pro, Windows Enterprise, and Windows Education editions. Its primary purpose is to encrypt data on a PC, rendering it challenging to access from an unauthorized computer.
-
Methods to Disable BitLocker: The article outlines three methods to disable BitLocker: using the Control Panel, Command Prompt, and PowerShell. Each method caters to users with different preferences or levels of technical proficiency.
-
Control Panel Method: Open the Start menu, type "manage BitLocker," select "Manage BitLocker," expand the drive, and click "Turn off BitLocker." This user-friendly method is suitable for those who prefer a graphical interface.
-
Command Prompt Method: Open Command Prompt as an Administrator, type "manage-bde -off
," and press Enter. This method caters to users comfortable with command-line interfaces. -
PowerShell Method: Open PowerShell as an Administrator, type "Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "
:" and press Enter. PowerShell provides a scriptable approach for more advanced users.
-
-
Unlocking BitLocker: The article also covers unlocking BitLocker in case a recovery key is needed. It instructs users to find their 48-digit recovery key, start the computer, wait for the BitLocker screen to load, press Esc, enter the recovery key, and follow on-screen prompts.
-
Additional Tips and Warnings:
- Tips include checking the BitLocker password prompt during computer boot-up to confirm if BitLocker is enabled.
- Warnings highlight that BitLocker is not available for Windows 10 Home edition users and may require specific hardware settings on some Windows 10 and 11 computers.
By presenting these concepts, I aim to empower users with the knowledge to manage BitLocker effectively, whether through user-friendly interfaces or command-line approaches. If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to inquire!