How to use device encryption on Windows 11

If you want to protect sensitive data, be sure to use drive encryption on Windows 11.

The good news is that operating systems (except Home Edition) come with a built-in tool to do this called BitLocker.

Here we explain how to encrypt your hard drive on Windows 11 and how to use BitLocker on Microsoft operating systems.

But first, we will tell you a few things you should know about drive encryption and security.

What is drive encryption and why do we need it?

Hard drive encryption is the process of using mathematical functions to encrypt data stored on a hard drive.

This way anyone without access to the key or password you set won't see the important data. This is an important layer of security against ransomware and other online attacks.

Here's how it works: When a file is written to the drive, it is automatically encrypted with the help of specialized software.

Similarly, when you access files on the drive, the same tools will decrypt them, but only if you can provide the password you set when you encrypted the drive.

there is a question! If your PC does not have a TPM 2.0 chip installed, you cannot use BitLocker. However, we also have a solution, so read on.

How do I manage encryption of my hard drive on Windows 11?

1. Enable hard disk encryption

You can encrypt the disk on your Windows 11 device using the built-in BitLocker tool in Control Panel. The tool allows users to encrypt their data so that only those who insert a designated USB drive or enter the required password at startup can access it.

1. Click the Search icon on the taskbar.

2.Type BitLocker in the search box that opens and click the application from the results.

3. Select to open BitLocker .

#4. You will be prompted to choose a method to unlock the drive on startup. We recommend using the password method, but you can also use a USB key that you need to provide.

5. Enter your password and re-enter it, then click Next.

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6. After that, you will be asked to save the key in another way. You can save it to your Microsoft account, a file, a USB stick or print it directly.

# 7. The next step is to choose whether you want to encrypt the entire drive or just the used portion.

8. Make your selections and click Next.

9. Now you need to select the encryption mode you want to use. When you're using Windows 11, you can choose the first option, for a fixed drive, but you can also choose the second option if you plan to move the drive.

10. Finally, select the Run BitLocker System checkbox and click Continue.

11. You will now be prompted to restart.

#12. After restarting, you will be prompted to enter your password to unlock your drive.

2. If your PC is not TPM 2.0 compatible, encrypt your drive

If you click on BitLocker Drive Encryption from Device Encryption After that, you will see the message Device encryption is not available for this device, This means your PC is not TPM 2.0 ready.

Don’t worry, we can fix this problem in a few simple steps.

1. Press the Windows R key to start Run, type gpedit.msc and press Enter or click Sure.
2. In Group Policy Editor, go to the following path: <strong>Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\BitLocker Drive Encryption\Operating System Drives</strong>
3. Now double-click the Require additional authentication at startup key to open it.
4. Check the Enabled option from the top, then check the Allow BitLocker without TPM-compatible TPM (requires password or boot key on USB flash drive) box and click Sure.
5. Now repeat the steps in the first solution to enable BitLocker encryption.

3. Disable Drive Encryption

If you change your mind and don’t want to use Drive Encryption on your Windows 11 PC, you can follow these steps:

1. Click the search icon in the taskbar, type bitlocker and select the application from the results.
2. Now click to close BitLocker.
3. Click Turn off BitLocker again to confirm your choice.
4. Wait until BitLocker finishes decrypting your drive before restarting or shutting down your PC.

Encrypted drives are essential for all sensitive data in your PC and will implement an extra layer of protection to prevent attacks and even prying eyes.

However, this can be a two-way street, as if you don't take all precautions when managing your unlock keys or passwords, you will end up unable to access your data yourself.

You might also be interested in our tutorial on how to protect a folder and only certain files in Windows 11.

We hope our tutorial helped you enable drive encryption on Windows 11 and your data is now safe.

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