According to Gamingdeputy news on May 7, Microsoft plans to Windows 11 BitLocker encryption is enabled by default during the 24H2 installation process, which has two impacts on users: first, it affects the performance of the hard disk, and second, if the user does not have the decryption key, related data may be lost.
Although Windows 11 enabling BitLocker encryption by default has only recently attracted media and user attention, Microsoft has already deployed this adjustment in the Windows 11 Build 25905 preview update released in July 2023.
Advertisement
Gamingdeputy quoted official Microsoft content: “Starting with this version, we have adjusted the prerequisites for enabling device encryption (removing modern standby/HSTI verification and untrusted DMA port checks) so that it is automatically enabled on a clean installation of Windows 11. “
This article introduces two methods to disable BitLocker encryption during the installation process. Users in need can choose by themselves:
Modify via registry
After installation starts, Windows 11 will prompt you to select the correct country or region. At this time, the user can open the Windows registry and modify it so that the system does not encrypt the disk.
1. Press Shift + F10 (or Shift + Fn + F10), type regedit, and press Enter to start the Registry Editor.
Advertisement
2. open ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetBitLocker and right-click the BitLocker item (folder).
3. Select New > Dword (32-bit) Value and rename it PreventDeviceEncryption.
4. Open the newly created value and change its value data from 0 to 1.
5. Close the editor and command prompt and continue the installation as usual.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlBitLocker) "PreventDeviceEncryption"=dword:00000001
If you want to check disk encryption, start the command prompt as an administrator and type manage-bde-status.
Modify Windows 11 image
You need to use imaging tools such as Rufus. Here we take Rufus as an example:
1. Download Rufus from the official website.
2. Get the Windows 11 image from the official website or media creation tool.
3. Insert the USB flash drive, select the image, and click “Start”.
4. Rufus will prompt you to select some options to improve your user experience. Check “Disable BitLocker Automatic Device Encryption” at the bottom.
5. After creating the boot disk, install Windows 11 as usual.
Related Reading:
“It is reported that Win11 24H2 will enable BitLocker encryption by default, including the home version”