How to Fix [BitLocker Won’t Turn Off and My Files Are Gone]?

User case: BitLocker won’t turn off and my files are gone

BitLocker is a full volume encryption feature welcomed by many users who want to protect their privacy. However, when you no longer need it, you might encounter some unexpected issues, such as BitLocker not turning off and files appearing to be missing. If you want to fix it, please read on to understand the reasons and use targeted solutions. In this post, we will also guide you on how to recover lost data.

Why won't BitLocker turn off?

Generally, when you don’t need BitLocker, you can go to the Control Panel or simply right-click the encrypted drive to turn it off. “Does turning off BitLocker lose data?” In most cases, it will not cause data loss. But if you encounter some conflicts or errors, you may find you can’t turn off BitLocker, and even with BitLocker missing or not showing in File Explorer. At this time, you may lose your data. The possible reasons that cause this situation include:

Why won't BitLocker turn off?

Drive in Use: If BitLocker is in the process of encrypting or decrypting, you may need to wait for the process to complete.

Administrative permission: Ensure you are logged in with administrative privileges, as turning off BitLocker requires administrator rights.

TPM issues: If your computer uses TPM (Trusted Platform Module) with BitLocker, ensure that the TPM is properly configured and activated. You can read this post to learn how to check and enable TPM.

System policy restrictions: If your computer is part of a company or organization, there may be Group Policies or other security policies preventing you from turning off BitLocker.

Hardware changes: If there have been changes to your computer's hardware configuration, such as changing the boot order or adding new hardware devices, BitLocker might not turn off as it perceives these changes as potential security risks.

Disk corruption or errors: Ensure that the disk is free from errors or damage, as these issues can prevent BitLocker from being turned off properly.

How to fix BitLocker won't turn off and my files are gone?

Fix 1. Run AOMEI Partition Assistant to turn off BitLocker and recover lost files

If you can't turn off BitLocker or encounter BitLocker missing or not showing in File Explorer and Control Panel, it is time to run AOMEI Partition Assistant. This powerful software allows you to manage your BitLocker drive with ease, including BitLocker turn-off/on, encryption/decryption available for Windows Home users, recovery key backup, password changing, and drive locking/unlocking. This comprehensive manager also offers practical features to recover lost data.

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Part 1. Turn off BitLocker

Step 1. Find the encrypted drive you would like to decrypt and click the option "Turn off BitLocker".

Step 2. There are 2 ways available to decrypt the drive: Use password to decrypt the drive and Use recovery key to decrypt the drive. Please select either way as per your need.

If you select "Use a password to decrypt the drive", please enter the right password and then click the "Decrypt" button.

If you select "Use a recovery key to decrypt the drive", please enter the recovery key saved in the TXT file or printed when you encrypted the drive, and then click the "Decrypt" button.

Step 3. Then, the decryption process will start and it might take time to decrypt the drive. Once the decryption process is finished, please click "Completed". Finally, the BitLocker on the drive is decrypted.

Part 2. Recover lost data

Step 1. In the main interface, click Recover > Recover Data in turn from the top panel.

Step 2. Choose the corrupted SSD drive and click Start Scan. If the SSD not showing up or not detected in Windows, you can read the guidance as a reference.

Step 3. After scanning, all lost data on this drive will be listed. You should tick the lost files and click Recover file.

Step 4. Then, choose a path to save these files.

Step 5. When finished, go to the path to find them.

Fix 2. Check BitLocker encryption status

BitLocker is in the process of encrypting or decrypting will cause BitLocker won't turn off. You can wait for the encryption or decryption process to complete. If you don't know the specific status, you can follow the steps to check:

Step 1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Type manage-bde -status and press Enter to check the status.

Step 2. If the status shows encryption or decryption in progress, wait for it to finish.

Fix 3. Ensure administrative privileges

When lacking of administrative privileges, the BitLocker won't turn off and sometimes may even cause BitLocker missing or not showing. To get the privileges, you can follow the steps:

Step 1. Log out and log in with an administrator account.

Step 2. Right-click on the encrypted drive and select “Manage BitLocker.”

Step 3. Click “Turn off BitLocker.”

Fix 4. Modify System Policy settings

If the Group Policies or security policies restrict BitLocker operations, the BitLocker won't turn off and you might lost your files. You can check and modify Group Policy settings if you have administrative access.

Step 1. Open the Group Policy Editor by typing gpedit.msc in the Run dialog (Win + R).

Step 2. Navigate to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> BitLocker Drive Encryption.

Step 3. Review and adjust the settings to allow BitLocker to be turned off.

Step 4. Apply the changes and restart your computer.

Conclusion

"BitLocker won’t turn off and my files are gone!" Don't worry, by following our fixes, you can easily turn off this utility. With the help of AOMEI Partition Assistant, you can even get the lost data back. This multifunctional software also supports fixing many other disk problems, such as flash drive blinking red, rebuilding corrupted MBR, increasing C drive space from D drive, and so on. For Windows Server users, please turn to the AOMEI Partition Assistant Server edition.