Am I BitLockered?

johnpd · Aug 17, 2024

I happened to be looking around my Lenovo laptop which a little less than a month ago I finally updated to Windows 11. I decided to check to see if BitLocker had been enabled. It was not before the update. I found that encryption had been turned on, but it was waiting for activation. Can I just turn it off?

JohnD

antspants · Aug 17, 2024

Hi, John.

Maybe this will be of help?

Turn On or Off Device Encryption in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off device encryption on a Windows 11 PC. Device encryption (aka: BitLocker automatic device encryption) helps protect your data on the OS drive, and it's available on a wide range of Windows devices. If you turn on device encryption, the OS drive...

www.elevenforum.com

antspants · Aug 17, 2024

johnpd said:
I found that encryption had been turned on, but it was waiting for activation. Can I just turn it off?

If there is any kind of option to disagree, click it, I assume.
is it Windows informing you or Lenovo? (I'm getting sick of the Lenovo Bloatware on my YOGA)

That tutorial should enable you to find out if it is actually "ON"

Spunk · Aug 17, 2024

You can also go to Search and type Control Panel and press Enter
Click BitLocker Drive Encryption
Here you can see if any of your drives have it turned on or turn BitLocker on or off

KeithB · Aug 17, 2024

johnpd said:
I happened to be looking around my Lenovo laptop which a little less than a month ago I finally updated to Windows 11. I decided to check to see if BitLocker had been enabled. It was not before the update. I found that encryption had been turned on, but it was waiting for activation. Can I just turn it off?

JohnD

The info provided sounds like the copy of Windows you are using has not been activated or the activation Key is invalid. Click on settings, system, scroll down to About, scroll down to "Product key and activation" to get more information about your system. The reason for your error is that un-licensed copies of Windows do not have bitlocker activated until after Windows activation.

To manage bitlocker, just open the window file manager, then click on a drive letter, probably drive letter C: Then give it a rleft-click, followed with a right-click, and then read the menu items. Click manage bitlocker, and from there, if enabled, you can see (in small letters, Turn Bitlocker Off) If not enabled, you will see enable bitlocker.

John, I strongly recommend that you keep it on. You won't know it's there. Why? If I stole your laptop, maybe I couldn't log into windows without your password, but I can remove the storage drive and read it in another PC--- but not when the storage drive is encrypted with bitlocker. So, I would rather know my personal information is safe than not. By the way, you can also encrypt external storage devices, so if stolen the drive cannot be read.

johnpd · Aug 17, 2024

1. Windows 11 is activated.
2. If I left click on the Windows drive (C), what appears in the menu list is "Turn on BitLocker".
3. Windows Settings says 'Device encryption is "On".
4. Below is what Control Panel BitLocker Drive Encryption says. I am totally confused as to whether BitLocker is on or not.

JohnD

dacrone · Aug 17, 2024

It’s not on

pseymour · Aug 17, 2024

BitLocker is on, but suspended. Data written to the disk is encrypted, but the key is available in the clear, meaning anyone (you or anyone else) can access the data without issue. You can either resume BitLocker, which activates it, or remove it, which decrypts the contents of the disk.

antspants · Aug 17, 2024

No it isn't on

The reason BitLocker is "waiting for activation" is because no Key Protectors exist for the volume.
Until at least one protector is created, BitLocker cannot leave suspended mode and the Windows UI will report that it's waiting for activation.

EDIT: Posted same time as pseymour

johnpd · Aug 17, 2024

OK if I turn it off will I need a key to do that, or will it turn off without a key. By the way I upgraded to Win11 using a local account. I don't even have a Microsoft account login for that system although I do have a Microsoft account.

JohnD

pseymour · Aug 17, 2024

You won't need a key.

antspants · Aug 18, 2024

Turn On or Off Device Encryption in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off device encryption on a Windows 11 PC. Device encryption (aka: BitLocker automatic device encryption) helps protect your data on the OS drive, and it's available on a wide range of Windows devices. If you turn on device encryption, the OS drive...

www.elevenforum.com

pseymour · Aug 18, 2024

antspants said:
Turn On or Off Device Encryption in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off device encryption on a Windows 11 PC. Device encryption (aka: BitLocker automatic device encryption) helps protect your data on the OS drive, and it's available on a wide range of Windows devices. If you turn on device encryption, the OS drive...

www.elevenforum.com

Someone already said that in post 2. Oh wait, that was you.

johnpd · Aug 18, 2024

Great. Done. Took about 5 minutes. Thanks for everyone's help.

It sure would be nice if MS asked you if you wanted your drive encrypted before doing it. I understand that they will be doing this automatically on new systems.

JohnD

pseymour · Aug 18, 2024

@KeithB BitLocker waiting for activation is not an error state, the disk was encrypted already, and OP has disabled BitLocker on the disk in question.

johnpd · Aug 18, 2024

@KeithB
If you follow the tutorial link reference by a couple of people to Turn On or Off Device Encryption, it is shown there. Its "Settings" > "Privacy and security" > "Device encryption". When I looked for it now, that "Device encryption" section no longer shows up.

JohnD