How to Verify BitLocker is Off in Windows 11/10 [5 Ways]

How do I know if BitLocker is on or off?

BitLocker is a full-disk encryption feature available in Windows systems. It protects data by encrypting full volumes. BitLocker protects your data from unauthorized access using the AES encryption technology and a 128-bit or 256-bit key.

However, you may need to turn off BitLocker for various reasons. As the case showed above, it is possible to unsure whether BitLocker is off or on in Windows computers. But don’t worry,

5 ways to verify BitLocker is off in Windows 11/10

Several methods to check if BitLocker is off include the File Explorer, Control Panel, Command Prompt, PowerShell, and the BitLocker Drive Encryption tool.

Way 1. Check BitLocker's status in File Explorer

The easiest way to check if your drive is encrypted with BitLocker is by using File Explorer:

Step 1. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.

Step 2. Click This PC from the left menu, and then select the drive you want to check. Here, we take C drive as an example.

Step 3. Click the View tab in the top corner and choose the Detail pane. Then, you will see the detailed description of C drive.

As you can see here, the BitLocker status of the C drive is Off.

Way 2. Verify BitLocker is off with Control Panel

Accessing the Control Panel is another way to help you make sure the BitLokcer is off on the specific drive. Here is the step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Open the Control Panel by searching the “control panel” in the search bar.

Step 2. On the top-right corner, click View By and select Large Icons or Small Icons from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. Click on BitLocker Drive Encryption from all the list features. Then, the BitLocker status will be showcased.

If the drive icon says "BitLocker off", it means BitLocker is disabled.

Way 3. Verify BitLocker via Command Prompt

In addition, Windows comes with a command-line tool called Command Prompt which can be used to check the BitLocker status. Follow the steps below:

Warning: Incorrect commands have the potential to change system settings or interfere with the functionality of your PC. To avoid unwanted results, always enter the correct command line while doing BitLocker status checks.

Step 1. Type “command prompt” in the search bar, and run the Command Prompt as administrator.

Step 2. Type the command: manage-bde -status and press Enter. The output will show the status of each drive.

Look for the "Protection Status" field. If it says "Protection Off", it represents BitLocker is disabled.

If you want to check the BitLocker status of a specific drive, type manage-bde -status: in the Command Prompt. Replace the with the letter of the target drive, for example, type manage-bde -status C: in Command Prompt and press Enter to check the status of the (C:) drive.

Way 4. Tell BitLocker’s status via Windows PowerShell

If the Command Prompt didn't work for any reason, another command-based utility called PowerShell could help.

Step 1. Press Windows + X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) to run it as administrator.

Step 2. Type the following command and press Enter to check the BitLocker status of all the drives on your PC.

Get-BitLockerVolume

Check the Volume Status in “Protection Status”. Off refers to the disabled BitLocker from the drive.

The same as in the Command Prompt, to check the BitLocker status of a specific drive like C drive, type Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint C: and press Enter. Replace “C” with the drive letter of the target drive you want to verify the BitLocker is off.

Way 5. Verify BitLocker via the Windows BitLocker encryption tool

How to verify BitLocker is off Windows 11 or 10? Apart from the four methods above, you can also resort to a third-party BitLocker manager like AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. It is not only an all-in-one partition management tool but also a reliable BitLocker encryption tool that can help you check the status of encrypted drives quickly and effortlessly.

Follow these steps to verify that BitLocker is off using AOMEI Partition Assistant:

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant. Click the "Tools" main tab and select "BitLocker". 

Step 2. All drives on the system will be displayed, including operating system drives, fixed data drives, and removable drives. Behind the disk name shows the BitLocker status. As you can see, BitLocker on the C drive is off while D drive is on.

Besides, AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional can also help you manage your BitLocker better. It is compatible with all editions of Windows 11/10/8/7 including the Home edition. So, you can use it to make up for the shortcomings of built-in BitLocker. Here are some functions AOMEI BitLocker can provide:

1. Back up recovery key

Step 1. Find the encrypted drive you would like to back up the recovery key and click the option "Back up recovery key".

Step 2. You will be asked to enter the password you set. Please enter the correct password and click the "Next" button.

Step 3. After you enter the correct password, there are 2 ways available to back up your recovery key: "Save to a file" and "Print the recovery key". Please select a way you prefer and then click the "Next" button.

If you select "Save to a file", you need to choose a location on your PC to save the recovery key. It will generate a TXT file with the name: Bitlocker Recovery Key + 45-bit Key.

2. Change password

Step 1. Find the encrypted drive you would like to change the password and click the option "Change password".

Step 2. There are 2 ways available to change the password: Use password to change drive password and Use recovery key to change drive password. Please select either way you like.

If you select "Use password to change drive password", please first enter the correct old password, type a new password, and then confirm the new password. After all is set, please click the "Modify" button.

If you select "Use recovery key to change drive password", please first enter the recovery key saved in the TXT file or printed when you encrypted the drive, type a new password, and then confirm the new password. After all is set, please click the "Modify" button.

Step 3. If the modification is successful, you will get a "Password changed successfully" window. Click OK to commit the operation.

Conclusion

Knowing whether BitLocker is off is an essential task for maintaining control over your system's security. By following the steps outlined in this guide on how to verify BitLcoker is off, you can confidently check the status of BitLocker using various methods and tools.

In addition to enabling the BitLocker encryption on the drive to protect the data, there are some other ways you can try to keep your information safe like cloning hard drive to another, backing up the data regularly, etc.