How to Disable BitLocker in Windows (2024)

Microsoft BitLocker offers its users a simple and effective solution when it comes to data protection. It works to encrypt all information stored on your drive and is extremely easy to use. Despite this, there are still many situations where you may wish to disable BitLocker.

Switching this feature off won’t erase any of your files. Having said that, it’s still a good idea to back everything up, just in case.

In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at how to disable BitLocker, depending on your chosen device.

Let’s take a closer look.

How to Disable BitLocker Windows 10

If you haven’t stumbled upon BitLocker yet and want to add more security to your computer, then you should do some research first. Despite its many useful features, Microsoft’s BitLocker does have some disadvantages. Some users have reported experiencing issues regarding encryption on some Windows 10 devices.

If you find yourself in this category, then you’ve come to the right place. There are a few methods available for disabling BitLocker on your Windows 10 computer.

The first method of disabling BitLocker is to do so via the control panel. Simply follow these steps:

1. From your desktop, open the “Control Panel.”
   
2. Search for “BitLocker Drive Encryption.”
   
3. The BitLocker window should appear.
   
4. Choose “Turn-off Drive.”
   
5. When prompted, type in your password.
   
6. From the options that appear, select “Turn Off BitLocker.”
   

Another way to disable BitLocker is by going through the settings on your computer. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Press the Windows key on your computer to navigate to “Settings.”
   
2. In the window that appears, click on “System.”
   
3. From the left-hand panel, choose “About.”
   
4. Next, locate the “Device Encryption” section.
   
5. Select “Turn Off” from the panel located on the right.
   
6. Confirm your selection in the window that pops up.
   

How to Disable BitLocker Windows 11

There are two types of BitLocker encryption you will be able to use on Windows 11: BitLocker Drive Encryption and BitLocker to Go. No matter which version of BitLocker you use, disabling it is a straightforward process. In fact, turning BitLocker off is far easier and quicker than turning it on.

Turning BitLocker off won’t modify or erase the date you have stored in your drive. When it comes to disabling BitLocker on your Windows 11 PC, there are several options available.

One way of doing so is through the “Settings” app. Here’s what you will need to do:

1. Right-click the “Start” button on your desktop and select “Settings.” (You may also use the shortcut of pressing “Windows + I”).
   
2. After the Settings app appears, click “System.”
   
3. From the panel on the right, click “Storage.”
   
4. Scroll down and hit “Advanced Storage Settings.”
   
5. From the drop-down menu, choose “Disk and Volumes.”
   
6. Here, you will need to select the volume you wish to be decrypted. Click “Properties.”
   
7. On the selected page, click “Turn Off BitLocker” under the BitLocker section.
   
8. Select the drive you wish to decrypt and confirm by clicking “Turn Off BitLocker” again.

How to Disable BitLocker in BIOS Windows

Microsoft’s disk encryption tool, BitLocker, can easily be bypassed from BIOS on a Windows PC.

To disable BitLocker in BIOS Windows, you’ll need to restart your computer and press specific keys to enter BIOS. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Turn your computer’s power off and restart it.
   
2. When the manufacturer’s logo appears, press “F1,” “F2,” and “F4” (or whichever BIOS hotkeys your computer uses).
   
3. From the menu, open “Security.”
   
4. Next, hit “BitLocker Drive Encryption.”
5. Click “Suspend Protection” to successfully disable BitLocker in BIOS Windows.

How to Disable BitLocker in BIOS Dell

Disabling BitLocker in BIOS Dell involves the same process as disabling it on Windows. Simply follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer.
   
2. When the manufacturer’s logo appears, press “F1,” “F2,” and “F4” (or whichever BIOS hotkeys your computer uses).
   
3. From the menu, open “Security.”
   
4. Next, hit “BitLocker Drive Encryption.”
5. Click “Suspend Protection.” BitLocker will now be disabled.

Alternatively, if you’re not a fan of BIOS, you can follow these simple steps to disable BitLocker on Dell computers:

1. Switch on your computer.
2. From the “Search” bar on your homepage, access the Windows operating system.
3. Select “Manage BitLocker”
4. Choose the option to “Turn Off BitLocker.”
   
5. In the pop-up window that appears, confirm your decision by pressing “Turn Off BitLocker” again.
   
6. Give the computer a few minutes to decrypt.

How to Disable BitLocker in BIOS HP

The easiest way of disabling BitLocker in BIOS HP is to do so through restarting your computer.

Here is how:

1. Restart your computer
2. When your see the manufacturer name appear, press “F10” (or whichever BIOS hotkeys your computer uses) to access the BIOS setup.
3. Next, click on “BitLocker Drive Encryption.”
4. From the options that appear on your screen, select “Suspend Protection.”
5. BitLocker should then be disabled.

How to Disable BitLocker from Command Prompt

It is possible to disable BitLocker from command prompt. Many users find this method one of the easiest available. To do so, simply follow these steps:

1. On your homepage, click “Start.”
   
2. Type “CMD” in the search bar.
   
3. On your keyboard, press “Control,” “Shift,” and “Enter.”
   
4. Next, type out the following command: “Manage -bde-off <volume>”
   
5. Run the status command to view the progress of decryption.
6. Press “Enter.”
   

Additional FAQs

Is BitLocker stored on my hard drive?

Yes, BitLocker can store encrypted data on a hard drive.

How do I unlock BitLocker using Windows 10?

1. Open Windows Explorer.

2. Right-click on the option for BitLocker encrypted drive.

3. Select “Unlock Drive.”

4. In the pop-up window that appears, type out your BitLocker password.

5. The BitLocker drive will now be unlocked.

What do I do if I lose my BitLocker key?

If you lose your BitLocker key, you can request a recovery key. To do this:

1. Restart your computer and select the escape key.

2. From the BitLocker recovery screen, locate the Recovery Key ID.

3. Get in touch with your administrator and pass the recovery key ID onto them.

4. Once you have the recovery key, enter it into the BitLocker recovery screen.

Is it possible to turn off BitLocker when in safe mode?

No, you cannot switch BitLocker off when you’re in safe mode. BitLocker works by encrypting the hard drive. Once it is enabled, it changes the boot process to POST, decryption, then OS load. Safe mode follows BitLocker enabling.

A Final Bit(locker) of Advice

Disabling BitLocker will work to decrypt your files, meaning your online data will no longer have protection. However, you’ll still be able to encrypt certain files using alternate software. While BitLocker is a great tool, it has been reported to occasionally suffer from performance issues. For this reason, disabling the feature can be advantageous.

Whatever you decide, it’s vital that you ensure your important files are protected. The last thing you want is for hackers to get a hold of your details and cause trouble.

We hope that this guide has helped you get a better understanding of how to successfully disable BitLocker.

Have you tried disabling BitLocker? If so, how did you find the process? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.