I always take my laptop with me when I travel, which means I’ll inevitably have to leave it unattended in a hotel room or airport security line. I use BitLocker to protect my personal data if my computer is lost or stolen.
BitLocker is a security feature that encrypts your storage drive with a complex key to protect it from unauthorized access. If your computer is lost and someone tries to use the drive on another computer, BitLocker blocks them by requiring a key to decrypt the data.
I also started using BitLocker on my desktop computer at home, even though it was safe and secure in my home office. You can even apply it to an external drive. Here’s how to make sure your files are safe.
BitLocker Requirements
To use BitLocker, you must be running Windows 10 or 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. For Home editions of Windows, there is an alternative security feature called Device encryption, which is not as strong as BitLocker but still provides some protection.
Go here to double check your version in Windows 11 Settings > System > About. Scroll down the screen Windows Information section to see which edition is installed.
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Install BitLocker
To access BitLocker, open and select Control Panel in icon view BitLocker Drive Encryption. Alternatively, start typing BitLocker in the search field and select it Manage BitLocker. Click on it, assuming that BitLocker is disabled Turn on BitLocker transition.
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The next screen asks how you want to back up your recovery key. It’s a bit complicated – you’re presented with three options: 1) Save to your Microsoft account; 2) Save to file; 3) Print the recovery key. Don’t know which one to choose? Here’s what you need to know.
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Save to your Microsoft Account
Saving the key to your Microsoft account is the most convenient option. Then, if you need to access the key, enter it BitLocker recovery pagewhere you can find the key in plain text next to your computer name. Simple, right? Ah, but there’s a catch.
Microsoft may share your BitLocker key with law enforcement if it believes the request is valid. It stems from an event in January 2025 Microsoft handed over the key to the FBI As part of an investigation into alleged unemployment fraud in Guam. A representative of the “Microsoft” company said Forbes that company shares encryption keys with federal authorities after getting a valid legal order and it gets about 20 such requests every year. The Guam incident was the first to be reported to the public.
If you’re not planning on shelling out any capers that could land you in hot water with the feds, then choose Save to your Microsoft account and click Next To store your BitLocker key in the Microsoft cloud. This is how I store my keys, but if you’re concerned about potential leaks, consider one of the other methods.
Save to file
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If you choose Save to fileyou will be prompted to download a text file that holds your recovery key. You cannot save it to your internal storage drive because it is encrypted. You should save it on a USB drive or network sharing and store the device in a safe place. For this reason, a USB drive stored in a safe is probably your best bet.
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Print the recovery key
The Print the recovery key sends the option key and recovery information to your printer. In this case, you’ll want to ensure that the printout is stored in a safe place.
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Choose how long to encrypt the drive
The next screen asks if you want to encrypt only the space in use on your drive or the entire drive. If you are installing BitLocker on a new computer, the first option is faster and sufficient. If you already use your computer to install software and save files, then choose the second option to encrypt the entire drive. click Next.
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Then the next screen prompts you to choose an encryption method by offering two options. The new encryption method option is for hard drives and supports Windows 11 and 10 only. Compatible mode is mainly for removable drives that you can use with older versions of Windows. Assuming you’re running this on a drive in Windows 11, select it A new encryption method and click Next.
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The final screen confirms that you are ready to encrypt the drive. check it out Turn on BitLocker Check the box to make sure that the recovery and encryption keys can be read correctly, then click it Continue button.
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You may then be prompted to restart your computer. Restart your computer and log back into Windows. Return to the BitLocker settings screen and the status should show that your system drive is encrypted. If you wish, you can continue to work in Windows while the encryption is in progress, although performance may be slightly sluggish until the process is complete.
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After encryption is complete, the settings screen will show that Windows BitLocker is enabled. From this screen, you can stop protection, store the recovery key elsewhere, or disable BitLocker entirely. If you experience performance issues or other problems with BitLocker, you do not have to stop or disable it.
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Encrypt USB Drive
If you store sensitive files on an external USB drive, you may want to encrypt that as well. With the drive connected to your computer, open the BitLocker settings screen and go to the removable data drives section. Select the driver name, then click Turn on BitLocker.
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Select on the next screen Use a password to unlock the drivethen enter a (complex and secure) password. You might even consider using a passphrase. Then click Next and select the location to save the recovery key.
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Next, you may want to encrypt the entire drive, especially if it already contains files. Select on the next screen Compatibility mode as encryption technology, so you can use the driver on any computer, including older versions of Windows. Click on the last screen Start encryption button.
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After the drive is encrypted, several options are displayed on the settings screen. You may move the backup copy of the recovery key to another location, change or delete the password, a smart card turn on instead of password auto unlockor turn off BitLocker.
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Recover Encrypted Drive
Once BitLocker is enabled, nothing will change on your computer. It will still boot normally and work as expected. The only time you might need to provide a recovery key is when you can’t boot due to hardware changes, a security risk, or a bug in BitLocker. In either of these cases, you will refer to the recovery key that you have backed up elsewhere. Type the key in the BitLocker recovery screen and you should be able to restart.
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About our specialist
Lance Whitney
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Experience
I’ve been working for PCMag since early 2016, writing consumer tech tutorials, articles, and other articles. In addition to PCMag, I’ve written news stories and tutorials for various other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast correspondents. I have also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five minutes at a time and Educate yourself on LinkedIn visually.
I have used Windows, Office and other Microsoft products for years, so I know this world well. I also know Mac well. I always work with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and Android on my various mobile devices. I write a lot about AI these days, so this has become another major area for me.
My wife always jokes about all the tech stuff we have in our house, but I manage to make good use of it for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I have several Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and one Mac mini. I use iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro and iPad mini as well as Apple Watch for my mobile life and work. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any technologist, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires and various mysterious devices. And when it’s time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and a Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for sports and fitness games.
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