How to Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10


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.

See also: Suspend BitLocker protection for non-Microsoft software updates | Microsoft Docs

This tutorial will show you how to suspend BitLocker protection and resume BitLocker protection for an unlocked drive encrypted by BitLocker in Windows 10.

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



Contents

  • Option One: To Suspend BitLocker Protection for OS Drive in BitLocker Manager
  • Option Two: To Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in BitLocker Manager
  • Option Three: To Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Command Prompt
  • Option Four: To Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in PowerShell






OPTION ONE

To Suspend BitLocker Protection for OS Drive in BitLocker Manager


1 Do step 2, step 3, or step 4 below for how you want to manage BitLocker.

2 Select the encrypted operating system drive (ex: C: ), click/tap on the "Drive Tools" Manage tab, click/tap on the BitLocker button in the ribbon, click/tap on Manage BitLocker, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-manage_bitlocker_ribbon.jpg

3 Right click or press and hold on the encrypted operating system drive (ex: C: ), click/tap on Manage BitLocker, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-suspend_bitlocker_protection-2.jpg

4 Open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the BitLocker Drive Encryption icon, and go to step 5 below.

5 Expand open the encrypted C: BitLocker on drive under Operating system drive, and click/tap on Suspend protection. (see screenshot below)

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-suspend_bitlocker_protection-1.jpg

6 Click/tap on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-suspend_bitlocker_protection-3.jpg






OPTION TWO

To Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in BitLocker Manager


1 Do step 2, step 3, or step 4 below for how you want to resume BitLocker protection for a drive.

2 Right click or press and hold on a suspended drive (ex: C: ), and click/tap on Resume BitLocker protection. You are done. (see screenshot below)

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-resume_bitlocker_protection-2.jpg

3 Select the suspended drive (ex: C: ), click/tap on the "Drive Tools" Manage tab, click/tap on the BitLocker button in the ribbon, click/tap on Manage BitLocker, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-manage_bitlocker_ribbon.jpg

4 Open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the BitLocker Drive Encryption icon, and go to step 5 below.

5 Expand open the suspended drive you want to resume protection for, and click/tap on Resume protection. (see screenshot below)

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-resume_bitlocker_protection-1.jpg






OPTION THREE

To Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Command Prompt


1 Open an elevated command prompt.

2 Do step 3 (suspend) or step 4 (resume) below for what you would like to do.


 3. To Suspend BitLocker Protection for Drive

A) Type the command below in the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

manage-bde -protectors -disable <drive letter>:

Substitute <drive letter> in the command above with the actual drive letter of the unlocked encrypted drive you want to suspend protection for.

For example: manage-bde -protectors -disable C:


You can check the status of BitLocker for the drive at anytime.

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-suspend_bitlocker_protection_command.png


 4. To Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive

A) Type the command below in the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

manage-bde -protectors -enable <drive letter>:

Substitute <drive letter> in the command above with the actual drive letter of the unlocked encrypted drive you want to resume protection for.

For example: manage-bde -protectors -enable C:


You can check the status of BitLocker for the drive at anytime.

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-resume_bitlocker_protection_command.png

5 When finished, you can close the elevated command prompt if you like.






OPTION FOUR

To Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in PowerShell


1 Open an elevated Powershell.

2 Do step 3 (suspend) or step 4 (resume) below for what you would like to do.


 3. To Suspend BitLocker Protection for Drive

A) Type the command you want to use below in the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshots below)

(For OS, fixed, or data drives)
Suspend-BitLocker -MountPoint "<drive letter>:"

OR

(For only OS drive)
Suspend-BitLocker -MountPoint "<drive letter>:" -RebootCount <restarts>

Substitute <drive letter> in the commands above with the actual drive letter of the unlocked encrypted drive you want to suspend protection for.

Substitute <restarts> in the OS command above with a number between 0 to 15 to specify the number of computer restarts before BitLocker automatically restores protection of the OS drive. Specify 0 (zero) to suspend protection indefinitely until you manually resume it. If you do not include the -RebootCount parameter with an OS drive, the cmdlet uses a value of 1 by default.

For example:

Suspend-BitLocker -MountPoint "F:"

OR

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


You can check the status of BitLocker for the drive at anytime.

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-suspend_bitlocker_protection_powershell-1.png
Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-suspend_bitlocker_protection_powershell-2.jpg


 4. To Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive(s)

A) Type the command you want to use below in the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshots below)

(For specific drive)
Resume-BitLocker -MountPoint "<drive letter>:"

OR

(For all drives)
Get-BitLockerVolume | Resume-BitLocker

Substitute <drive letter> in the top command above with the actual drive letter of the unlocked encrypted drive you want to resume protection for.

For example: Resume-BitLocker -MountPoint "F:"


You can check the status of BitLocker for the drive at anytime.

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-resume_bitlocker_protection_for_drive_powershell.png
Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 10-resume_bitlocker_protection_for_all_drives_powershell.png

5 When finished, you can close the elevated PowerShell if you like.


That's it,
Shawn