How to Add 'Suspend BitLocker protection' to Context Menu of Drives in Windows


You can use BitLocker Drive Encryption to help protect your files on an entire drive. BitLocker can help block hackers from accessing the system files they rely on to discover your password, or from accessing your drive by physically removing it from your PC and installing it in a different one. You can still sign in to Windows and use your files as you normally would.

BitLocker can encrypt the drive Windows is installed on (the operating system drive) as well as fixed data drives (such as internal hard drives). You can also use BitLocker To Go to help protect all files stored on a removable data drive (such as an external hard drive or USB flash drive).

You can temporarily suspend (pause) BitLocker protection whenever you like for an unlocked drive encrypted by BitLocker—for example, if you need to install new software that BitLocker might otherwise block—and then resume BitLocker protection on the drive again when you're ready.

When you suspend BitLocker protection for an OS drive, it will remain unlocked and unprotected until you either manually resume BitLocker protection for the drive, or have it resume BitLocker protection automatically the next time you restart the PC.

When you suspend BitLocker protection for a fixed data drive, it will remain unlocked and unprotected until you manually resume BitLocker protection for the drive. This is even after you restart the PC.

When you suspend BitLocker protection for a removable data drive, it will remain unlocked and unprotected until you manually resume BitLocker protection for the drive. This is even after you restart the PC, or disconnect and reconnect the drive.

This tutorial will show you how to add Suspend BitLocker protection to the context menu of all unlocked drives encrypted by BitLocker for all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to add, use, or remove the "Suspend BitLocker protection" context menu.

Suspend keeps the data encrypted but encrypts the BitLocker volume master key with a clear key. The clear key is a cryptographic key stored unencrypted and unprotected on the disk drive. By storing this key unencrypted, the Suspend option allows for changes or upgrades to the computer without the time and cost of decrypting and re-encrypting the entire drive. After the changes are made and BitLocker is again enabled, BitLocker will reseal the encryption key to the new values of the measured components that changed as a part of the upgrade, the volume master key is changed, the protectors are updated to match and the clear key is erased.

For Windows 7, BitLocker Drive Encryption is only available in the Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise editions.

For Windows 8/8.1, BitLocker Drive Encryption is only available in the Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions.

For Windows 10, BitLocker Drive Encryption is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education editions.



Contents

  • Option One: To Add Suspend BitLocker protection to Context Menu of Drives
  • Option Two: To Remove Suspend BitLocker protection from Context Menu of Drives



EXAMPLE: "Suspend BitLocker protection" context menu
Add Suspend BitLocker protection to Context Menu in Windows-suspend_bitlocker_protection_context_menu.png





OPTION ONE

To Add Suspend BitLocker protection to Context Menu of Drives


1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.

Add_Suspend_Bitlocker_protection_to_context_menu.zip

Download

2 Save the .zip file to your desktop.

3 Unblock the .zip file.

4 Open the .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the Add_Suspend_Bitlocker_protection.reg and suspend-bde.vbs files to your desktop.

5 Move the suspend-bde.vbs file into the C:\Windows\System32 folder, and click/tap on Continue to approve. (see screenshot below)

Add Suspend BitLocker protection to Context Menu in Windows-add_to_system32.png

6 Double click/tap on the Add_Suspend_Bitlocker_protection.reg file to merge it.

7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8 You can now delete any remaining files on your desktop if you like.






OPTION TWO

To Remove Suspend BitLocker protection from Context Menu of Drives


This is the default setting.


1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.

Remove_Suspend_Bitlocker_protection_from_context_menu.reg

Download

2 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

3 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

4 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

5 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

6 Open the C:\Windows\System32 folder, and delete the suspend-bde.vbs file.


That's it,
Shawn


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