Privacy and Security Check BitLocker Drive Encryption Status of Drive in Windows 11


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This tutorial will show you how to check the current status if BitLocker Drive Encryption for a drive in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature that integrates with the operating system and addresses the threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen, or inappropriately decommissioned drives and computers.

You can turn on BitLocker to encrypt the operating system drive (Windows drive), fixed data drives (internal hard drives), and removable data drives (external hard drive or USB flash drive).

Knowing the current BitLocker Drive Encryption status of a drive can help you to manage BitLocker settings for the drive.


You must be signed in as an administrator to check the status of BitLocker Drive Encryption.

BitLocker Drive Encryption is only available in the Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.



Contents

  • Option One: Check BitLocker Drive Encryption Status using "manage-bde -status" command
  • Option Two: Check BitLocker Drive Encryption Status using "Get-BitLockerVolume" command




Option One

Check BitLocker Drive Encryption Status using "manage-bde -status" command


1 Open Windows Terminal (Admin), and select either Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt.

2 Type the command below you want to use into Windows Terminal (Admin), and press Enter. (see screenshots below)

(Get BitLocker status of all drives)​
manage-bde -status

OR​

(Get BitLocker status of specific drive)​
manage-bde -status <drive letter>:

Substitute <drive letter> in the command above with the actual drive letter (ex: "C") you want to check the status of.

For example: manage-bde -status C:


3 The manage-bde -status command provides the following information about a drive on the PC:

Status: BitLocker encryption in progress

BitLocker_Status-3.png


Status: BitLocker turned on (encrypted entire drive)

BitLocker_Status-4.png


Status: BitLocker turned on (encrypted used space only)

BitLocker_Status-1.png


Status: BitLocker turned off (decrypted)

BitLocker_Status-2.png





Option Two

Check BitLocker Drive Encryption Status using "Get-BitLockerVolume" command


1 Open Windows Terminal (Admin), and select Windows PowerShell.

2 Type the command below you want to use into Windows Terminal (Admin), and press Enter. (see screenshots below)

(Get BitLocker status of all drives)​
Get-BitLockerVolume

OR​

(Get BitLocker status of specific drive)​
Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint "<drive letter>:"

Substitute <drive letter> in the command above with the actual drive letter (ex: "C") you want to check the status of.

For example: Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint "C:"


3 The Get-BitLockerVolume command provides the following information about a drive on the PC:
  • VolumeType = Data or Operating System.
  • Mount Point = Drive letter.
  • CapacityGB = Size of drive.
  • MetadataVersion - Returns the FVE metadata version of the volume.
    • 0 - Unknown - The operating system is unknown.
    • 1 - Vista - Windows Vista format, meaning that the volume was protected with BitLocker on a computer running Windows Vista.
    • 2 - Win7 - Windows 7 format, meaning that the volume was protected with BitLocker on a computer running Windows 7 or the metadata format was upgraded by using the UpgradeVolume method.
  • VolumeStatus = Whether BitLocker currently protects some, all, or none of the data on the volume.
  • Encryption Percentage = Percent of the volume protected by BitLocker.
  • KeyProtector = Type of key protector or protectors.
  • AutoUnlock Enabled = Whether BitLocker uses automatic unlocking for the volume.
  • Protection Status = Whether BitLocker currently uses a key protector to encrypt the volume encryption key.
  • EncryptionMethod = Indicates the encryption algorithm and key size used on the volume.

Status: BitLocker encryption in progress

BitLocker_Status-in-progress_PowerShell.png


Status: BitLocker turned on (encrypted entire drive)

BitLocker_Status-encrypted_PowerShell.png


Status: BitLocker turned off (decrypted)

BitLocker_Status-decrypted_PowerShell.png



That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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