How to Turn Off BitLocker in Windows 11

To turn off BitLocker in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, search Start for Manage BitLocker, select Turn off BitLocker next to the drive, and confirm. On Windows 11 Home, the same encryption is called Device encryption: open Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption and switch it off.

Either way, Windows decrypts the drive in the background. Your files stay where they are, and you can keep working while it runs. You need an administrator account, and on a work or school PC your IT department may not allow it.

If you only need BitLocker out of the way for a BIOS or firmware update, suspend it instead. That keeps the drive encrypted and takes seconds instead of hours.

Before You Start: Save Your Recovery Key

Your BitLocker recovery key is a 48-digit number that unlocks the drive if Windows can’t. Find it before you change anything, because Microsoft Support can’t retrieve or recreate a lost key. According to Microsoft’s recovery key guide, it’s usually in one of these places:

• Your Microsoft account: go to aka.ms/myrecoverykey on any device and sign in with the account you use on the PC.
• A work or school account: go to aka.ms/aadrecoverykey, or ask your IT department.
• A printout or USB flash drive you saved when BitLocker was turned on.

If the PC was set up by someone else, the key may be saved in their Microsoft account.

Which Option Does Your PC Have?

Microsoft offers two versions of the same encryption. Which one you use depends on your Windows 11 edition. To check it, see how to tell which version of Windows you have.

• BitLocker Drive Encryption: Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education. You manage it in Control Panel, drive by drive, as Microsoft explains.
• Device encryption: available on more PCs, including Windows 11 Home. It’s a single on/off switch in Settings. Microsoft says it turns on automatically when you first sign in with a Microsoft account or a work or school account, but not with a local account.

If you search Start for BitLocker and Manage BitLocker doesn’t appear, you have the Home edition. Use the Device encryption steps below.

How to Turn Off BitLocker in Control Panel (Pro, Enterprise, Education)

1. Sign in with an administrator account.
2. Select Start, type BitLocker, and select Manage BitLocker. The BitLocker Drive Encryption window opens in Control Panel.
3. Find the drive. Windows is on the Operating system drive, usually C:. Other internal drives are listed under Fixed data drives.
4. Select Turn off BitLocker next to the drive.
5. Select Turn off BitLocker again to confirm. The status changes to BitLocker decrypting.

Leave the PC on and plugged in until the status reads BitLocker off. Repeat the steps for any other encrypted drive.

How to Turn Off Device Encryption in Settings (Home)

1. Sign in with an administrator account.
2. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
3. Select Privacy & security, then Device encryption.
4. Turn the Device encryption switch off.
5. Select Turn off to confirm. Windows starts decrypting the drive.

If you don’t see Device encryption, either your PC doesn’t support it or you’re signed in with a standard account. Microsoft’s page shows how to check support: open System Information as an administrator and look at Device Encryption Support. If you need admin rights, see how to get administrator privileges in Windows 11.

Suspend BitLocker Instead of Turning It Off

Suspending pauses protection without decrypting anything. Microsoft recommends suspending before firmware updates from your PC maker, TPM firmware updates, and other non-Microsoft updates that change startup files. If you skip this step, Windows can ask for your recovery key at the next restart.

Suspend or resume in Control Panel

1. Open Manage BitLocker from Start.
2. Select Suspend protection next to the operating system drive.
3. Select Yes.
4. When your update is finished, return to the same window and select Resume protection.

Suspend or resume with PowerShell

1. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Type Suspend-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" -RebootCount 0 and press Enter.
3. When you’re done, type Resume-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" and press Enter.

The -RebootCount value sets how many restarts can happen before protection turns back on by itself. You can use 0 to 15, and 0 keeps it suspended until you resume it.

Turn Off BitLocker With Command Prompt or PowerShell

The command line is handy if Control Panel won’t open or you manage several drives. Open Terminal (Admin) first. See how to run Command Prompt as an administrator if you need help.

Command Prompt (manage-bde)

1. Type manage-bde -status and press Enter to see which drives are encrypted.
2. Type manage-bde -off C: and press Enter. Replace C: with another drive letter if needed.
3. Run manage-bde -status C: again to watch the progress. It’s finished when the conversion status shows Fully Decrypted.

Microsoft’s manage-bde off reference notes that this decrypts the drive and removes all of its key protectors.

PowerShell (Disable-BitLocker)

1. Type Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" and press Enter.
2. Decryption starts right away. Type Get-BitLockerVolume to check the VolumeStatus and EncryptionPercentage.

If the command stops on the Windows drive, other drives may be set to unlock automatically. Microsoft’s Disable-BitLocker page says to remove those keys first with Clear-BitLockerAutoUnlock, then run the command again.

How to Turn Off BitLocker on an External or USB Drive

1. Connect the drive.
2. If it’s locked, open it in File Explorer and enter its password or recovery key.
3. Open Manage BitLocker from Start.
4. Find the drive under Removable data drives – BitLocker To Go.
5. Select Turn off BitLocker and confirm. Keep the drive connected until decryption finishes.

You can also run manage-bde -off E:, using the external drive’s letter. Once it’s decrypted, the drive opens on any PC without a password.

Why Can’t I Turn Off BitLocker?

• You have Windows 11 Home. There’s no Manage BitLocker option. Use Device encryption in Settings instead.
• You’re not an administrator. Both BitLocker and Device encryption need an admin account.
• Your organization manages the PC. Work and school devices often require encryption by policy. Ask your IT department instead of trying to get around it.
• The drive is locked. Unlock it with its password or recovery key first.
• It’s already decrypting. Wait for the current process to finish, then check the status again.
• PowerShell stops on the C: drive. Clear the auto-unlock keys with Clear-BitLockerAutoUnlock, as described above.

Should You Turn BitLocker Off?

Encryption keeps your files private if the PC is lost or stolen. Without it, anyone who removes the drive can read it. Turning it off can make sense if you’re moving a drive to another computer, setting up a dual-boot system, or worried about being locked out without a recovery key. For a one-time update, suspending is the safer choice.

If you change your mind later, see how to turn on BitLocker in Windows 11. It’s also a good time to back up Windows 11 to an external drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to decrypt a drive?

It depends on the drive’s size, speed, and how full it is. It can take anywhere from several minutes to several hours, and large hard drives take the longest. You can use the PC while it works.

Does turning off BitLocker delete my files?

No. It removes the encryption, not your data. Your files, apps, and settings stay the same.

Will BitLocker turn itself back on?

A drive you turn off stays decrypted unless you or your organization turn encryption on again. Suspended protection is different: it resumes when you select Resume protection, or after the number of restarts you set with -RebootCount.

Why is my PC asking for a BitLocker recovery key?

Changes to the BIOS, firmware, Secure Boot, or startup files can trigger it. Enter the key from your Microsoft account, then suspend BitLocker before your next firmware update. For Secure Boot changes, see how to enable Secure Boot in Windows 11.

How do I turn off BitLocker in Windows 10?

The Control Panel, Command Prompt, and PowerShell steps are the same. On Windows 10 Home, go to Settings > Update & Security > Device encryption. For full BitLocker on a Home PC, see how to get Windows 11 Pro.