How to suspend BitLocker encryption to perform system changes on Windows 10

On Windows 10, BitLocker is a security characteristic that allows you to encrypt the unabridged system drive (and external storage) to protect your documents, pictures, music, videos, and other files from unauthorized admission if your device gets stolen or lost.

Although BitLocker Drive Encryption is a useful feature (peculiarly for mobile devices, such equally laptops and tablets), it has a drawback. If you enable encryption on a system drive, performing a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) or Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) updates, changing hardware, or upgrading to a new version of Windows 10, yous may see issues, such as having to enter a recovery primal during startup, because BitLocker will call back that the device is being tampered with.

Nevertheless, you can prevent problems while using encryption by suspending BitLocker on a system drive to successfully perform firmware, hardware, or Windows 10 updates in at least three dissimilar means, using Control Console, PowerShell, and Control Prompt.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to suspend (and resume) BitLocker on your device to prevent bug during organisation modifications.

How to suspend BitLocker using Control Panel
How to suspend BitLocker using PowerShell
How to suspend BitLocker using Command Prompt

How to append BitLocker using Control Panel

To append BitLocker using Control Console on Windows x, apply these steps:

Open Control Console.
Click on System and Security.
Click on BitLocker Bulldoze Encryption.
Click the Suspend protection option.
Click the Yeah button.

In one case yous complete these steps, the BitLocker protection volition be temporarily disabled without decrypting your data then that you tin can perform firmware and system updates without problems.

Using suspension doesn't decrypt the data. Instead, the option makes the BitLocker fundamental bachelor to anyone in clear text, and additional data that you create will still be encrypted on the drive. In one case you're done making system changes, you can always resume encryption to keep your files protected.

Resuming BitLocker protection with Command Panel

To resume the BitLocker protection on your device, use these steps:

Open up Control Panel.
Click on System and Security.
Click on BitLocker Drive Encryption.
Click the Resume protection selection.

Alternatively, restarting your computer will also resume the BitLocker protection automatically.

How to suspend BitLocker using PowerShell

If y'all experience more comfortable using commands, or yous're edifice an automated script, you tin utilize PowerShell to suspend BitLocker on Windows 10 with these steps:

Open Start.
Search for PowerShell, right-click the top event, and select the Run as ambassador pick.
Blazon the post-obit control to suspend BitLocker and press Enter:

Suspend-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" -RebootCount 0

In the command, the -RebootCount allows yous to decide how many times your calculator can restart before BitLocker will re-enable automatically. You can employ values 0 through fifteen, while null suspends BitLocker until you resume the protection manually.

After you complete the steps, Windows 10 will disable BitLocker indefinitely unless you specified the reboot count option, in which case, the protection will re-enable automatically after the number of restarts that you chose.

Resuming BitLocker with PowerShell

After applying a new firmware update or a version of Windows 10, you lot can resume BitLocker at whatsoever time with PowerShell using these steps:

Open up Start.
Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Blazon the following command to resume BitLocker and press Enter:

Resume-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:"

Later y'all complete the steps, the encryption protection feature volition enable on your device.

How to append BitLocker using Command Prompt

Alternatively, yous tin besides use Command Prompt to disable BitLocker on Windows 10 temporarily using these steps:

Open up Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top issue, and select the Run equally ambassador option.
Type the post-obit command to identify the bulldoze that you want to suspend BitLocker and press Enter:

Manage-bde –Protectors –Disable C: -RebootCount 0

In the control, the -RebootCount allows you to specify how many times your estimator can restart before BitLocker will re-enable automatically. Yous can use values 0 through 15, while zero suspends BitLocker until yous resume the protection manually.

Once y'all consummate these steps, your figurer will temporarily stay without encryption protection to perform system changes.

Resuming BitLocker using Command Prompt

After applying the system changes, you can re-enable the BitLocker protection with Control Prompt using these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Control Prompt, correct-click the pinnacle event, and select the Run as administrator option.
Blazon the following command to resume BitLocker and press Enter:

Manage-bde –Protectors -Enable C:

Afterwards you complete the steps, BitLocker will resume to keep the system bulldoze fully encrypted.

While we're showing you multiple ways to suspend BitLocker on Windows x, the command options using PowerShell and Command Prompt are the just methods that let you break encryption indefinitely.

Too, this guide is focused on Windows x, only these instructions should likewise work on Windows 8.one and Windows 7.

More than Windows ten resource

For more than helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
Windows 10 forums on Windows Fundamental

Mauro recommends all these affordable accessories

Hi, I'k Mauro Huculak, Windows Central's assistance and how-to guru. I wrote the mail you're reading now, and I know the Windows Bone inside and out. But I'm also a scrap of a hardware geek. These are some of the affordable gadgets on my desk today.

Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse ($72 at Amazon)

I know mice, and this is the one I utilize every 24-hour interval. The MX Main is a wireless high-precision mouse that's very comfortable to use and has many great features, including the ability to connect with multiple devices, an infinite ringlet bicycle, dorsum and forward buttons, all of which yous tin customize.

Ktrio Extended Gaming Mouse Pad ($12 at Amazon)

If yous spend a lot of time typing, your palms and mouse volition leave tracks on your desk. My solution was to start using gaming mouse pads, which are big enough for you lot to use the keyboard and the mouse comfortably. This is the ane I employ and recommend.

Supernight LED light strip ($xx at Amazon)

Yous could just use a regular light seedling in your part, but if y'all want to add some ambient lighting with unlike colors, an RGB LED strip is the way to go. This one is Mauro-approved.

Nosotros may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Larn more.

Buyer'south guide

Which XPS 15 display is all-time for you?

While the laptops look the same and have generally the aforementioned features, there are some fundamental differences to know about when choosing betwixt the FHD+, three.5K OLED, and UHD+ XPS 15 9510 models.