This article will cover System requirements for BitLocker, Enable BitLocker windows 10 encryption, BitLocker to Go, BitLocker without TPM and Turn off BitLocker, and more.

BitLocker Windows 10 Encryption

When you keep sensitive information on your computers like credit card information or other document and Carry sensitive official information and other data in the Pendrive then you have always the fear of lost or stolen data, So this article will help to protect data. because BitLocker is a process you can make your data unreadable by others only that person can access who have the key are password

What is BitLocker?

BitLocker provides you most protection of your data used way trusted platform module TPM version 1.2 a letter the TPM is a hardware component installed while computer manufacturers in the computer most of computer has this TPM Chair on motherboard TPM work with BitLocker to protect data by encrypting

Windows 10 or similar previous versions is integrated with BitLocker drive encryption it allows you to use encryption on your PC’s drive and pen drive or other removable Flash Drive.

System requirements for BitLocker

If you are planning to enable BitLocker on your computer then you must know about the system requirements for the BitLocker. It has the following hardware requirements so please check carefully before enabling BitLocker windows 10 or previous.

1. Your PC is hard drive must have to partition and The drive must be formatted with the NTFS file system.

1. The drive must be not encrypted by differ operating system or another encrypted software.

1. The computer must have a TPM version 1.2 or later if your computer does not have EPL you can still enable BitLocker with the requirement of removal device to save startup key.

1. A computer with TPM must have TCG trusted computing group complaint BIOS
2. Keep your computer connected with uninterrupted power supply throughout the entire process because this process is time-consuming depending the amount of data and drive size

Important notes: While enabling BitLocker on your computer it’s recommended that you make a full backup of your system before proceeding.

How to check your computer has TPM chip

1. Press Windows + R short key on the keyboard to open run and type tpm.msc and click OK.
   
   Image: Without TPM
   
   Image with TPM

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Press Windows + X and select device managerExpand the security devices if you have a TPM chip you will find the trusted platform module with version number

How to turn on BitLocker without TPM

1. Press Windows key + R on your keyboard (short key to open run), write gpedit.msc and click ok
   
2. Expand Administrator Templates under computer configuration
3. Click on Windows component to expand
4. Expand Bitlocker Drive encryption
5. Click on operating system drives

1. Double-click require additional authentication at startup on right side bar.
   
2. Select radio button next enabled

1. Check the“Allow BitLocker without a compatible TPM (requires a password or a startup key on a USB flash drive)”
2. ClickOK to finish process and make changes

Turn on BitLocker Windows 10 encryption

1. Press Windows + X short key on your keyboard and select control panel
   

1. Click on System and Security.
   

1. click on BitLocker drive encryption option under BitLocker encryption you will find all your drives select one of them whether you want to turn on BitLocker click on turn on BitLocker

1. Click on Turn on BitLocker with desired drive
   

1. Choose option “how you want to unlock your drive during startup”, Check the Use a password to unlock the drive make a strong password twice for unlocking drive
   

1. Select enter the password to continue chose the desired password that you use to unlock your device and click to next

1. Next Window, you will be given to option for backup your recovery key here is four method
   1. save to your Microsoft account
   2. save to use a USB flash drive
   1. save to a file
   2. print the recovery key
      I suggest you select up to your Microsoft account because this account is online and you can access anytime, whether you want. Either you can save a file in USB drive so You Can use this file to recover the drive data at disaster time.

1. Next Windows select by encryption options which suits to you I recommended select increase disc space only this is faster and Best for new PC’s and drives then click on the next

1. here is encryption mode select one of them and click on the next
   

1. Click start encrypting and Encryption process will be starting soon.
   
2. After the completing encryption process, you need to reboot your computer.

you will see your drive is locked when you click on the drive, it will ask for a password. Enter the password and then you are able to access your drive and data.

Turn on BitLocker Go Encryption 

If you have some sensitive data (Official important documents) is stored in a pen drive or other flash drive then BitLocker drive encryption is not better option to encrypt data. It is not easy to access data from other systems because BitLocker is not an encryption feature that you can enable drive encryption globally for every drive is connected to your computer may be internal or external. It has two parts of BitLocker encryption

1. Bitlocker drive encryption process used to encrypt your data on an internal drive connected to your computer and do not move another computer.
2. Bitlocker to Go is the last feature of the encryption which allows you to encrypt data on external device that can we move easily one computer to another computer

Turn on BitLocker Go on your computer, you must follow given steps

1. Connect the external drive (Pendrive/Flash Drive), you want to encrypt data

1. Press Windows key + X on your keyboard and select control panel

1. Select System and Security

1. BitLocker drive encryption under

1. BitLocker to Go and expand the removable drive, you want to encrypt and Click on the turn on BitLocker
   
   Note: Do not remove flash drive the time of encryption

1. Check mark the user password to unlock the drive and enter the password and click next

1. choose the option to backup your recovery key click on the next
   

1. Select the encrypt used disk space only and click on the next

1. By default, the encryption mode is compatible mode remain it same. because this is useful for the removal device and click on the next
   
2. Now your drive is ready for the encryption so click on the start encrypting

it will take time depends on drive size and data.

Quick Access to Manage BitLocker Drive

1. Press Windows key + E on the keyboard to open File explorer.
2. Right-click on the drive you want to access, click on “manage BitLocker”
     How to turn OFF BitLocker
   1. Press Windows key + E to open File explorer or double click on This PC
   2. Right click on drives you want to make turn off BitLocker, click on manage BitLocker
      
   3. Click on Turn off BitLocker.
      
   4. New windows will be pop-up and ask for confirming Turn off BitLocker
      
   5. The decryption process will start, it will take time depends on drive size and data
      
      
      
   Important Note: Do not turn off computer during decryption process so make sure your computer should be connected with interrupted electric source

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