![]() With over a decade of writing experience in the field of technology, Chris has written for a variety of publications including The New York Times, Reader's Digest, IDG's PCWorld, Digital Trends, and MakeUseOf. Chris has personally written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times-and that's just here at How-To Geek. If you upgraded for free from Windows 7 Professional or Windows 8.1 Professional, you should have Windows 10 Professional.Ĭhris Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. If you already have a Professional edition of Windows 10 installed on your PC, you can search for "BitLocker" in the Start menu and use the BitLocker control panel to enable it. You'll have to use a USB flash drive as a "startup key" that must be present every boot if you enable this option. Windows normally says BitLocker requires a TPM, but there's a hidden option that allows you to enable BitLocker without a TPM. Related: How to Use BitLocker Without a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) You'll need one that supports the exact motherboard inside your PC. Search for a TPM chip that's sold as an add-on module. You can quickly check whether your PC has TPM hardware from within Windows, or check with your computer's manufacturer if you're not sure. If you built your own PC, you may able to add a TPM chip to it. ![]() Not every PC will have this feature, but some will.īitLocker is most secure on a computer that contains Trusted Platform Module (TPM) hardware, which most modern PCs do. ![]() This feature was first introduced in Windows 8.1, and there are specific hardware requirements for this. Many new PCs that ship with Windows 10 will automatically have "Device Encryption" enabled. ![]() Related: Windows 8.1 Will Start Encrypting Hard Drives By Default: Everything You Need to Know If Your Computer Supports It: Windows Device Encryption You may have to pay for the Professional edition of Windows 10 or use a third-party encryption solution. Unlike all other modern consumer operating systems-macOS, Chrome OS, iOS, and Android-Windows 10 still doesn't offer integrated encryption tools to everyone. Here's how to check if your Windows 10 PC's storage is encrypted and how to encrypt it if it isn't. Encryption isn't just about stopping the NSA-it's about protecting your sensitive data in case you ever lose your PC, which is something everyone needs. Windows 10 sometimes uses encryption by default, and sometimes doesn't-it's complicated. If Your Computer Supports It: Windows Device Encryption.And, if you like this video, give it a like, and don't forget to subscribe. Whenever you need help or have questions, you can always reach out to us through social media on Facebook or Twitter, or join in a chat on the Dell Community forum.īe sure to check out our other videos on this channel. Confirm your decision, and wait for the system to decrypt. To disable BitLocker, simply go back to the BitLocker drive encryption in the "Control Panel", and click on "Turn off BitLocker". The BitLocker encryption will not start until the computer is restarted, so, complete and save any work before restarting the PC.ĭepending on the amount of data that needs to be encrypted, the encryption process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to a couple of hours. If given the option, choose the type of encryption you would like, then click "Next".Ĭheck the box labeled "Run BitLocker system check" and then click "Continue". Encrypt used disk space only is the faster method, and best for new PCs and new drives.Įncrypt entire drive is better for PCs and drives already in use, but it takes longer. Select one of the volume encryption options. Learn how to enable and disable BitLocker in Windows 10 To enable BitLocker, use the Windows "Start" menu search box and type "Manage BitLocker" and open it in the "Control Panel" and click on "Turn on BitLocker".Ĭhoose how you would like to save the recovery key, and, after saving the key file, press "Next". Microsoft BitLocker is an alternative solution to protect your data by using full volume encryption to secure your drives.
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