BitLocker Drive Encryption change

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[Linda2019]

Hello.  After updating to Windows 10 Version 1909 I lost the ability to suspend BitLocker encryption from the Control Panel.

From the Control Panel Menu it says “Device Encryption” and does not say “BitLocker Drive Encryption” anymore.

Once you click on Device Encryption to enter that setting, it doesn’t have “suspend protection” or “turn off BitLocker” as options anymore.

I am able to suspend and enable BitLocker via Command Prompt.

How do I get back the ability to enable and suspend BitLocker from the Control Panel?

Also … the Encryption did not automatically enable after a restart.  I had to use Command Prompt to enable it again.

Thank you.

• This topic was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Linda2019.
• This topic was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Kirsty.

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Hi Linda2019:

The attached image is what I see from Control Panel | System and Security | Bitlocker Drive Encryption on my Win 10 Pro Version 1909 Build 18363.863 laptop. The “Suspend Protection” link might be hidden until you expand the section under Operating System Drive.

Did you try searching for “bitlocker” from the search box next to your Start button? Your image appears to show that you’re looking in the wrong location under Settings | Update & Security | Device Encryption, which is the full drive encryption feature available to both Win 10 Home and Pro users. The Windows Central article How to enable device encryption on Windows 10 Home explains the difference between Bitlocker encryption and device encryption.

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Hi.  The image you provided is what my BitLocker setting looked like before the update from Version 1903 to 1909.  I had BitLocker even though I have Windows 10 Home.  It came with the computer.. the 1903 Version.

But now it says “Device Encryption” instead of “BitLocker Device Encryption” .  yet, if I click on “This PC” and then click on “OS C” .. to the right of the screen it says “BitLocker Status : On”.  I am not going into an area that is about Device Encryption… the BitLocker verbage and info from the drop down menu about BitLocker settings … is gone.  It simply changed into what I have now .. Device Encryption with no ability to change settings from the Control Panel.

When I type BitLocker into the search bar .. Device Encryption comes up.

I am puzzled as to why it simply changed like it did.

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Linda2019 wrote:

The image you provided is what my BitLocker setting looked like before the update from Version 1903 to 1909. I had BitLocker even though I have Windows 10 Home. It came with the computer.. the 1903 Version.

Hi Linda2019:

Ed Bott’s ZDNnet article Windows 10 Expert’s Guide: Everything You Need to Know About BitLocker states “A limited but still effective subset of BitLocker device encryption features are also available in Windows 10 Home editions…On a system running Windows 10 Home, you’ll find an on-off button under Settings > Update & Recovery > Device Encryption. A warning message will appear if device encryption hasn’t been enabled by signing into a Microsoft account” but also notes that “The simplest tools are available in the Windows graphical interface, but only if you are running Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise. Open File Explorer, right-click any drive icon, and click Manage BitLocker…”

I assume that means that Win 10 Home users should not be able to launch the graphical user interface shown in my Win 10 Pro image <above> but can still manage BitLocker from an elevated command prompt using one of the two built-in BitLocker administrative tools, manage-bde or repair-bde (e.g., like the command manage-bde –protectors –disable C: to suspend BitLocker on the C: drive as described in the Windows Central article How to Suspend BitLocker Encryption to Perform System Changes on Windows 10).

What is the make and model of your computer, and did it come from the factory with BitLocker encryption enabled or did you enable BitLocker encryption after purchase? If you have a Dell computer see the thread Windows 10 Home Bitlocker Encrypted about Win 10 Home computers that were shipped from the factory with encryption already enabled.

I’ve never used BitLocker / Drive Encryption on a Win 10 Home machine, so hopefully someone with more expertise in this area will jump into this thread to assist you.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v1909 build 18363.836

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