Newbie’s guide to Windows BitLocker: Why you need it, how to set it up

BitLocker is an important Windows feature that helps protect data on your PC. this Full The BitLocker version is only available on Windows 11 Pro, but you can still use it to a lesser extent on Windows 11 Home. (In fact, it is one of the The best reasons to choose Windows 11 Pro over Home.)

So, whether you’re using Windows 11 Pro or Home, if you’re not already using BitLocker, you should definitely start using it. Here’s everything you need to know about BitLocker and how to set it up now.

What is BitLocker?

BitLocker is a secure disk encryption solution built into Windows 11. encrypted form.

Modern Windows PCs typically save the necessary decryption keys to the PC’s Trusted Platform Module (TPM) For safe keeping. When you log in and authenticate, the TPM releases the decryption key and you can use your computer as normal. The TPM also checks that your PC has not been tampered with before releasing the decryption key.

Because your files are stored in encrypted form, a thief who steals your laptop won’t be able to access them without logging in as you. No one can open your laptop, remove the drive, and peek into your data—without the decryption key, your files will appear cluttered.

Why you need BitLocker on your PC

BitLocker ensures that only you (or someone with whom you share a BitLocker recovery key) can access the files on your computer.

This is a big deal for businesses that want to ensure that confidential information on company systems cannot be easily viewed by anyone. But for home PC users (especially laptop users), it also has useful security in case someone happens to get access to your PC.

this Full BitLocker Edition lets you use encryption without logging into a Microsoft account, lets you store recovery keys the way you choose, and allows BitLocker to be used on a wider range of PCs. None of these are available through BitLocker on Windows 11 Home PCs.

BitLocker Drive Encryption and Windows Device Encryption

I’ve hinted at this multiple times, but there are essentially two versions of BitLocker. What we’re focusing on here is the “complete” BitLocker experience, called BitLocker drive encryption This is one of the biggest reasons to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.

In addition, there is another thing called Windows device encryptionwhich uses many of the same techniques Encrypt your PC storage the simplified way — at least in some cases.

Windows device encryption is designed to be completely transparent. If you have a modern Windows 11 computer and sign in with a Microsoft account, Windows 11 automatically enables device encryption to protect your computer’s internal storage and uploads a recovery key to your Microsoft account. Your computer storage will be protected by BitLocker and automatically unlocked when you log in. Get a recovery key online from your Microsoft account Regain access. (It also applies if you log into a workplace-managed computer. In this case, the recovery key will be stored by your organization.)

BitLocker drive encryption is stronger and more flexible. You don’t need to sign in with a Microsoft account to encrypt your PC’s storage, and you don’t have to store your recovery key with Microsoft at all—you can print it out and store it somewhere in your office without ever leaving your computer. PC storage. You can also encrypt other drives (including removable USB flash drives) using a feature called “Encryption” BitLocker Take It With You. You can also access many additional settings to customize how encryption works.

For the average PC user, device encryption is great – it allows most Windows 11 Home PCs to remain encrypted. The Microsoft account and recovery key upload requirement ensures that you don’t accidentally lose access to your computer files. Even if you lose your recovery key, you can always access it online through your Microsoft account.

Warning about Windows device encryption

At this point, I would like to point out that some older Windows 11 computers may not support device encryption. Manufacturers can configure their PCs to work with device encryption out of the box.

Want to check if your Windows 11 computer supports device encryption? Open settings application, select Privacy and security in the left pane and click Device encryption Under security:

If you don’t see this option, your computer doesn’t have it. If desired, you must upgrade to Windows 11 Professional to unlock the full BitLocker experience.

Requirements for using BitLocker

For the most powerful and configurable BitLocker experience on Windows 11, you need Windows 11 Professional or one of the other non-consumer editions of Windows 11 (i.e. Enterprise, Education, or Workstation). Its only limited edition is the Home.

For optimal security, BitLocker also requires a computer with TPM 1.2 hardware or higher. (Remember that BitLocker stores its decryption key in the TPM.) Since one of the most important keys System requirements for Windows 11 It’s TPM 2.0, and all Windows 11 PCs should support it.

Microsoft also clarified other vague requirements, such as how the hard drive must be partitioned using two drives, including a small system partition designed to boot Windows before decrypting the drive. However, Windows 11 automatically creates these partitions during installation, so you don’t need to worry.

That’s it. If you’re using Windows 11 Home and want to use BitLocker to its full potential, check out our guide: Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro No need to reinstall the operating system.

What you need to know before using BitLocker

BitLocker can make data recovery more complex. If your computer freezes and you have to unplug the storage device from it and plug it into a separate computer to recover your data, you won’t be able to view the files on it – unless you provide the files stored in your BitLocker recovery key in your online Microsoft account (using device encryption) or wherever you choose for personal storage (using BitLocker drive encryption).

Of course, this is also what prevents thieves from accessing your files. No one can access them without your recovery key.

Your BitLocker recovery key is crucial. Suppose you use BitLocker Drive Encryption to store files, and then you encounter a problem with your computer and need a recovery key. If you don’t have it anymore, you’re screwed. These files cannot be recovered. If you don’t have a copy of your recovery key, hopefully you at least have a backup of these files!

BitLocker may also reduce your computer’s storage performance. You will see statements like this: “BitLocker slows down SSDs by up to 45%” But that’s not the full story, just the results of specific synthetic benchmarks conducted on specific PC configurations. The exact performance impact will depend on your computer’s hardware, the workload your storage is subjected to, and your BitLocker settings .

If you have a desktop gaming PC or high-end workstation in one room of your home, and you’re more worried about getting maximum performance than having someone steal it and snoop around on your files, you may want to disable BitLocker.

On the other hand, if you use your laptop for work, or even just to perform personal tasks, the potential small slowdown is a reasonable price to pay for ensuring that your sensitive files are protected if you find that your laptop has been lost or stolen . Modern laptops are pretty fast, and you’ll almost certainly not notice a difference in productivity application and Web browsing performance when you enable BitLocker.

Set up BitLocker on a Windows 11 computer

To enable BitLocker drive encryption on a Windows 11 computer, you first need to Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro If you haven’t done so already. You can then open the classic Control Panel and search for “BitLocker” to find the BitLocker settings. From here, you can enable (or disable) BitLocker for any drive:

Want to use Windows device encryption instead? Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Device Encryption Find its settings. (If you don’t see the device encryption option on this page, your computer doesn’t support device encryption.)

If you sign in with a Microsoft account, device encryption should be enabled by default. But to make sure it’s enabled, visit this settings page and check if it’s switched to existand make sure you’re signed in to Windows with a Microsoft account, not a Microsoft account local user account).

Remember when using BitLocker…

When using BitLocker, the most important thing is that you need Keep an eye on your recovery key. If you lose it, you will lose access to all files on your PC, so you should store it in your Microsoft online account unless you have a good reason not to.

If you choose not to store your BitLocker recovery key in your Microsoft online account, you will need to store it in another safe and secure location. For example, you might want to print it out on a piece of paper and store it in a physical safe. It’s a good idea to have an up-to-date backup of your files, whether in the cloud or on local storage.