[Easy Guide] How to Turn Off BitLocker on Server 2012

BitLocker is not the utility that you need to open it all the time. If you don’t need it, how to remove that? Today, we are here to share how to turn off BitLocker on Server 2012. This can also be a reference for other Windows OS which supports this utility.

Removing BitLocker Drive Encryption follows the same procedure for both TPM-based hardware setups and USB devices. There are some available options when turning off BitLocker. You can either completely remove BitLocker and decrypt a volume, or you can temporarily turn off BitLocker to allow for changes. The steps below shows the process for removing and disabling BitLocker.

How to turn off BitLocker on Server 2012

To turn off BitLocker Server 2012, you need to first unlock the drive by entering the correct password, and then follow the steps to turn off this utility.

Part 1. Unlock BitLocker on Windows Server 2012 by adding roles and features

Generally, you can directly right-click on the encrypted drive and choose the "Unlock Drive" option to enter the password for unlocking the drive. However, some users have reported that the option is missing from the list. This issue often arises when the BitLocker feature is not enabled by default on a newly installed Windows Server 2012. Now, follow the steps below to unlock BitLocker on Windows Server 2012.

Step 1. Activate the feature by accessing Server Manager and initiating the Add Roles and Features wizard.

Step 2. In the Features stage, choose the BitLocker Drive Encryption option and click on Install. The installation process takes a few moments, and a server restart is required for the changes to take effect.

Step 3. After installation and the subsequent restart, the Unlock Drive option will be visible in the context menu.

Step 4. You can unlock the drive by entering the password. If you anticipate frequent access to the same encrypted drive, you can select the "Automatically unlock on this PC" option.

Step 5. Return to This PC to check if the Unlock Drive feature is present. You can now proceed to the next part.

Part 2. Turn off BitLocker on Windows Server 2012 with Control Panel

After successfully unlock the encrypted drive, it is time to turn off BitLocker on Windows Server 2012 with Control Panel.

Step 1. Restart your PC and launch the Control Panel. Find and double-click on BitLocker Drive Encryption.

Step 2. Disable BitLocker Drive Encryption by selecting the "Turn Off BitLocker" option on the BitLocker Drive Encryption page.

Step 3. To see how decryption is going, just click on the notification area in the taskbar. A dialog box will appear, indicating the ongoing progress of the decryption process.

How to effectively manage BitLocker on Windows Server 2012

If you want to enjoy the benefits brought by BitLocker for your important data but are afraid of the complex management of this utility, trying AOMEI Partition Assistant Server is a good idea.

This is a handy computer management tool that combines the most practical features in one software package. To effectively manage BitLocker on Windows Server 2012, this tool allows you to easily back up the recovery key, change the password, lock the drive, and turn off BitLocker. In addition, supports advanced functions like cloning BitLocker drives, resizing encrypted drives without the need to turn off BitLocker on Server 2012.

If you experience a slowdown in performance due to Windows BitLocker, AOMEI Partition Assistant provides features like Disk Speed Test, 4K Alignment, OS Migration, etc., to assist you. You can click here to download a free trial version.

1. Turn on BitLocker and back up recovery key

Step 1. Install and open AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Navigate to the "Tools" main tab and choose "BitLocker". Or, right-click on the partition you wish to encrypt and select the "BitLocker" -> "Turn on BitLocker" option in the Context Menu.

Step 2. All system drives, fixed data drives, and removable drives will be listed. Locate the partition you want to encrypt with BitLocker and click on the "Turn on BitLocker" option (e.g., Drive D:).

Step 3. Set and confirm a password for encrypting the drive, then click "Next".

Step 4. Choose how to back up your recovery key. You can either pick "Save to a file" or "Print the recovery key".

Note:

Do not save the recovery key in the same path as the encrypted drive. For instance, if you're encrypting D:, avoid saving the recovery key on the D: drive itself.

If you choose "Save to a file," please designate a location on your PC to store the recovery key.

Step 5. Next, click the "Next" button to begin the encryption process. Afterward, you'll need to restart your PC to access the Windows PE environment for BitLocker to encrypt the system drive. Click "OK" to proceed.

Step 6. Once the encryption process is finished, you'll see an encryption completion window. You can click "OK" to restart your PC.

AOMEI Partition Assistant also allows you to effectively manage BitLocker. Here are some practical and useful functions:

2. Change BitLocker password

Step 1. Locate the encrypted drive for which you want to change the password, then click on the option "Change password".

Step 2. You have two options for changing the password: Use password to change drive password or Use recovery key to change drive password. Choose the method you prefer.

Step 3. If the change is successful, you'll see a window that says "Password changed successfully".

3. Lock/Unlock the drive

If the drive is unlocked, you can click the option "Lock the drive" to lock it directly.

If the drive is already locked, "Unlock the drive" will be the only available option to manage BitLocker. You must unlock the drive before you can manage BitLocker settings for the drive.

4. Turn off BitLocker

Besides easily turning on BitLocker on Windows 10 Home, AOMEI Partition Assistant also offers an easy way to turn it off.

Step 1. Locate the encrypted drive you want to decrypt, then click the option "Turn off BitLocker".

Step 2. You have two options for decrypting the drive: Use password to decrypt the drive or Use recovery key to decrypt the drive. Choose the method that suits your needs. And then begin the closing process.

Ending words

How to turn off BitLocker on Server 2012? You need to first unlock it and then turn it off by following the steps we introduced previously. Or you can directly choose AOMEI Partition Assistant to effectively manage the utility to make it handy.

This tool also provides AOMEI Partition Assistant Unlimited, designed to optimize disk performance for enterprises. It allows activation on an unlimited number of Windows PCs and Servers within a single company. Additionally, AOMEI Partition Assistant Technician is tailored for enterprises and service providers offering paid technical services.