[6 Ways] How to Deactivate BitLocker in Windows 10/11

User case: How to disable BitLocker in Windows 10?

“I was hoping somebody could help me with removing BitLocker from Windows 10? I don’t want to decrypt a drive or stop BitLocker monitoring my drives because this won’t solve my problem. I want BitLocker to be removed and no longer exist as part of my operating system. Thanks in advance for any help.”

- Question from Microsoft Community

Reasons for deactivating BitLocker in Windows 10/11

BitLocker, included in the Windows system, is a disk encryption tool aimed at bolstering data protection. As you can see, sometimes you want to know how to deactivate BitLocker in Windows 10 like this forum question mentioned. Maybe encrypting the disk will affect some of your operations on the Windows system. Some people may find it inconvenient and want to turn off BitLocker encryption. Based on experience, you can disable BitLocker in Windows 10/11 when the following situations happen:

♠ The motherboard needs replacement.

♠ Modifications are necessary for advanced startup settings.

♠ Multiple system disks or boots exist on the same computer.

♠ Desire to swap CPU/memory/graphics card/network card or add a new hard drive.

♠ Updating the BIOS prompts action.

Then we’ll give a specific guide on disabling BitLocker in Windows 10/11. You can choose the method that suits you best.

How to deactivate BitLocker in Windows 10 -6 ways

There are numerous approaches to disabling BitLocker, each tailored to specific situations. If you wish to deactivate the entire BitLocker service as the previous user case, you can consult either method 1 or method 2. However, if you only need to temporarily disable BitLocker on a specific disk, you can proceed to methods 3 to 6. 

Method 1. Disable BitLocker through Group Policy Editor

Group Policy Editor is in charge of turning on or off all the services in Windows, including the BitLocker service, it's the most complicated method compared to others, but we’ll give a specific step guide here:

Step 1. Press the Win+R combination and run command “gpedit.msc” to open Local Group Policy Editor.

Step 2. Now, please proceed to the designated pathway:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > BitLocker Drive Encryption > Fixes Data Drives

Ultimately, find the setting that restricts writing access to non-BitLocker protected fixed drives.

Step 3. Double-click on it, then within, adjust the status to Disabled. Finally, press OK and restart the computer.

Method 2. Stop BitLocker in Windows Local Services

Windows Services is in charge of turning on or off all the services in Windows, including the BitLocker service. Here's how to disable BitLocker service permanently from the Services window.

Step 1. Press Windows + R keys and type services.msc in the Run box and hit Enter.

Step 2. Under the Name tab, locate and double click on the BitLocker Drive Encryption Service option.

Step 3. Set the startup type to Disabled. Click on Apply.

Method 3. Deactivate BitLocker Encryption via Control Panel

The above two methods aim to shut down the entire BitLocker service, and the latter four methods focus on operating BitLocker decryption on a certain disk. Now, you will know how to deactivate BitLocker in Windows 11/10 from Control Panel:

Step 1. Here use the most direct way to open Control Panel in Windows 10: Press Windows + R keys type control/control panel in the Run box and hit OK.

Step 2. On the "System and Security" page, choose BitLocker Drive Encryption.

Step 3. Next to the drive where you've enabled BitLocker, click Turn Off BitLocker.

Step 4. Select the Turn Off BitLocker option.

Windows will commence the decryption process of your disk, which could require a significant amount of time, particularly if your drive holds a large volume of data. Meanwhile, you can continue working on your files as usual.

Method 4. Disable BitLocker by Command Prompt

In any case, the manual method offered in both the Windows 10 Control Panel and Settings accomplishes the same task of suspending BitLocker protection on a hard drive. Additionally, for users accustomed to resolving issues through the Windows Command Prompt, we also furnish a tutorial on how to deactivate BitLocker in Windows 10 command line.

Step 1. Press Windows +X keys and click Command Prompt from the menu. (sample graph takes D drive as an example) Type the command line: manage-bde -unlock D: -pw.

Step 2. Enter the command line: manage-bde -off D: and hit Enter.

Method 5. Turn off BitLocker using PowerShell

It's another command method of how to disable BitLocker in Windows 10. If you prefer using PowerShell, you can use the Disable-BitLocker cmdlet. Let’s see the steps:

Step 1. Right-click on the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).

Step 2. Use the following PowerShell command:

Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "X:"

(sample graph takes E drive as an example)

Step 3. Allow some time for the decryption process to finish. After completing these steps, BitLocker protection will be turned off, and the drive will be decrypted.

Method 6. Use an external software solution (Friendly to Home users)

Some Windows users may enable BitLocker on their previous system and then upgrade to Windows 11/10 Home systems. That’s why they find there is no Turn Off BitLocker option on the panel. In such a case, AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, a third-party BitLocker management tool, is highly recommended.

In addition to working on Home PCs, this program is also compatible with other editions of Windows 11/10/8/7, offering versatile features to protect your data from unauthorized access.

Now, you can download the demo version to try how to deactivate BitLocker in Windows 10 or 11:

Step 1. Find the encrypted drive you want 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.

① Choose Use a password to decrypt the drive, please enter the right password and then click the Decryption button.

② Choose 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 Decryption button.

Step 3. Next, the decryption process will initiate, and it could require some time to complete. After the decryption process finish, please select Completed. Finally, the BitLocker encryption on the drive will be removed.

FAQs

Q: Can I safely disable BitLocker?

A: Yes, it is safe to disable or turn off BitLocker if you do not require its encryption features, especially when performing system modifications.

Q: Will turning off BitLocker delete data?

A: No, turning off BitLocker does not delete any files. However, your question suggests that you do not have backup copies of your files. If you continue without backups, there's a risk of losing your data sooner or later.

Q: Do I need BitLocker?

A: BitLocker is a robust encryption tool designed to enhance security for users seeking to protect sensitive data. However, it's not essential for everyone. If you don't store sensitive information on your personal computer, you may find it unnecessary and opt to go without it.

Conclusion

That concludes the process of how to deactivate BitLocker in Windows 10. Additionally, for individuals encountering difficulties with BitLocker or lacking its features, we present an excellent alternative called AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. This software facilitates easy and swift decryption of your drive. It offers functionalities such as drive encryption/decryption, backup of recovery keys, password modification, and drive locking/unlocking.

Moreover, AOMEI software provides advanced features like disk cloning, data recovery, and converting MBR to GPT without data loss. For Windows Server users, we recommend trying the Server edition.