How to Use BitLocker Manager to Manage BitLocker Drives with Ease

About BitLocker Manager

BitLocker is a Windows built-in encryption feature. It is designed to protect data by encrypting entire drives. However, managing BitLocker through Windows settings can be time-consuming for some users.

BitLocker Manager is an integrated feature in MiniTool Partition Wizard that works with the built-in Windows BitLocker encryption system. It is designed for users who need to manage encrypted drives without switching between Windows Settings and disk management tools. It is particularly useful when working with BitLocker-protected partitions during disk operations.

This feature allows users to easily manage BitLocker encryption on their drives, including turning BitLocker on or off and locking or unlocking the drive. It also allows users to manage BitLocker-protected drives alongside partition and disk operations, making encrypted drive management more convenient and flexible.

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How to Use BitLocker Manager

How to Turn on BitLocker for a Drive

Step 1. Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Step 2. Right-click the target drive and click BitLocker Manager from the menu.

Step 3. Click the Turn on BitLocker button in the pop-up window to continue.

Step 4. Choose a method to unlock the drive.

A new window appears with two options:

① Use a password to unlock the drive

This option allows users to set a password. Enter it each time when users need to unlock the drive. It is suitable for most personal users.

② Use my smart card to unlock the drive

This option uses a physical smart card for authentication. It is typically used in enterprise environments with higher security requirements.

After selecting an option, enter the required password or insert a smart card, then click Next.

Step 5. Choose where to save the recovery key.

Users will see four options:

① Save to your Microsoft account:

Saves the recovery key online to the user’s Microsoft account, making it easy to access when needed.

② Save to a USB flash drive:

Saves the recovery key to a removable USB drive. Recommended if users prefer offline storage.

③ Save to a file:

Saves the recovery key as a .TXT file on the computer or another location. Make sure the file is stored safely.

④ Print the recovery key:

Prints a hard copy of the recovery key for physical backup.

Select one option based on users’ preference. Here we take Save to a file for example.

Step 6. Select a path to save the recovery key and click Save. This will go back to the previous window. Then, click Next to continue.

Step 7. Choose how much of the drive to encrypt.

①Encrypt used disk space only (faster and best for new PCs and drives):

Encrypts only the space currently in use. Recommended for new or empty drives.

②Encrypt entire drive (slower but best for PCs and drives already in use):

Encrypts all data on the drive, including deleted but recoverable data. Recommended for drives already in use.

Select one option according to users’ situation and click Next.

Step 8. Select the encryption mode.

① New encryption mode (best for fixed drives on this device):

Provides stronger and more modern encryption. Recommended for internal drives that stay on this device.

② Compatible mode (best for drives that can be moved from this device):

Designed for removable drives and better compatibility with older Windows versions.

Choose one mode based on the usage scenario and click Next.

Step 9. Click Start encrypting to begin the encrypting process.

Step 10. When the process completes, click Close to go back to the software main interface.

Step 11. Click the refresh button. The target drive will now display a lock icon in an unlocked state, indicating that BitLocker has been enabled successfully.

How to Lock BitLocker Drive

Step 1. Right-click the target drive and select BitLocker Manager.

Step 2. Click Lock in the pop-up window. Then, press the refresh button. The target drive will now display a lock icon in a locked state. This means the BitLocker drive is locked successfully.

How to Unlock BitLocker Drive

Step 1. Right-click the target drive and select BitLocker Manager.

Step 2. Click Unlock in the pop-up window.

Step 3. In the small pop-up window, enter the password and click Unlock. Then, press the refresh button, and the lock icon will change to an unlocked state.

How to Turn off BitLocker for a BitLocker Drive

Step 1. Right-click the target drive and select BitLocker Manager.

Step 2. In the pop-up interface, click Turn Off.

Step 3. Click Yes to confirm the operation.

The decryption process will start automatically. Please wait until it completes. After decryption is complete, press the refresh button, and the lock icon will disappear from the drive.

BitLocker Manager Compatibility with Partition Operations

The availability of partitioning operations depends on the BitLocker status of the selected partition.

Refer to the following information before performing disk or partition management tasks.

Unlocked BitLocker Data Disk/Partition