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BitLocker’s Decryption Not Working [Expert Fix]
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Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
BitLocker is a free built-in encryption program that comes pre-installed onWindowsPro and above versions. It helps the users to encrypt their hard drives with a password to protect any information in it.
However, some users have reported that they are unable to decrypt their hard drives using BitLocker.
BitLocker is not working is one of the common issues among Windows users, as we have seen in theMicrosoft Community Forums.
I bit locked my external hard drive by accident and unlocked it but when it started to decript it it paused and has not resumed the decription. so as it stands i cant remove it or use my drive or change settings. what can i do to get my hard drive back working again?
Follow these steps to fix the BitLockerdecryptionissues in Windows 10.
What can I do if BitLocker will not decrypt?
1. Wait for the decryption to complete
Most of the BitLockerdecryption-relatederrors are about thedecryptionbeing stuck at 60%, 70% or even 99%.
If this is the case, then you may want to wait a little more before trying any other solutions to resolve the issue.
The encryption anddecryptionprocess is very complex and can take more time than you anticipate, so you only need to be patient.
It is recommended that you wait for a few hours or more before taking any step to resolve it on your own, or you can download and install a reliable BitLocker alternative on your PC.
⇒ESET Endpoint Encryption
2. Recover BitLocker driver using password
This should create a complete backup of your encrypted drive in the output drive. You can format and move thedataback to your source drive and encrypt it again.
If the recovery was not successful with the password, you can use the Recovery Key to do the same.
Just make sure that when the recovery process is in progress you keep your computer plugged in to prevent any power outage issues which may, in turn, cause damage to the hard drive.
3. Upgrade your Windows OS
Windows 10 versions (editions) that have the built-in BitLocker are Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education.
And if you’re unsure how to find which edition you run on your PC, navigate to Settings > System > About and scroll down. You should be able to see the exact edition and iteration of Windows 10 there.
Also, if you are looking forthe best SSD encryption software to replace BitLocker, check out our best options.
We hope that these recommendations from our list were helpful. For more suggestions, please access the comments section below.
More about the topics:Bitlocker
Tashreef Shareef
Tashreef Shareef is a software developer turned tech writer. He discovered his interest in technology after reading a tech magazine accidentally. Now he writes about everything tech from Windows to iOS and streaming services to IoT at WindowsReport.
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