How to Fix ‘Device Encryption Not Working’ Issue on Windows 11 PC

144

This tip is about the how to Fix ‘Device Encryption Not Working’ Issue on Windows 11 PC. So read this free guide, How to Fix ‘Device Encryption Not Working’ Issue on Windows 11 PC step by step. If you have query related to same article you may contact us.

How to Fix ‘Device Encryption Not Working’ Issue on Windows 11 PC – Guide

To automatically protect and encrypt sensitive data, Microsoft has developed an in-house tool called BitLocker. However, for some Windows 11 Home users, the Device Encryption option is not available. In simple terms, device or data encryption converts readable data into encrypted, unreadable code. This data cannot be read without a password or recovery key. An encryption algorithm is used to encrypt the data, and the encrypted data is called “ciphertext”. If encryption stops working or you get the message, will device encryption be temporarily suspended? Encryption will resume automatically the next time this device is restarted”, means the data is encrypted but you cannot read it. You can restart or resume BitLocker protection on your Windows computer to resolve this issue.

Microsoft added device encryption feature for your later Windows systems to improve hard disk data security. Enabling device encryption on Windows devices is a great way to help users protect their data. Why? This is simply because only authorized individuals can gain access to user data stored on the device’s encrypted hard drive. The biggest difference between Device Encryption and BitLocker Drive Encryption is that the former is available on supported devices running Windows 10 and Windows 11 editions, while the latter is not available on Windows 10 Home and Windows 11 Home.

Fix ‘Device Encryption Not Working’ Issue on Windows 11 PC

How to Know if Device Encryption is Missing on Your Windows 11 Home

There are a few ways to find out if encryption is working on your Windows 11 Home computer.

Open “My Computer” and if you see an unlock icon on the C: drive, the drive is encrypted. It could be another drive, but the C: drive is usually where the operating system and important apps and files are stored.

Another way is to check the device’s encryption settings.

Open “Windows Settings” and go to “Settings -> Privacy & Security”. If you cannot see device encryption, it is missing due to Modern Standby conflict.

You need to meet some criteria for encryption to work in Windows 11 Home. Otherwise, you won’t even see the enable/disable option. Let’s take a look at this criterion.

How Device Encryption Works in Windows 11 Home

If you have Device Encryption option in Windows 11 Home Settings, follow these steps to encrypt data on your computer:

Press Win + I keys to navigate to “Settings->Privacy & Security”. Click on “Device Encryption”.

Toggle device encryption button to “On”.

Again, if you don’t see this option, it means device encryption isn’t working on your computer.

Alternative ways to encrypt data in Windows 11 Home

If device encryption isn’t available on your Windows 11 Home computer, these options to encrypt your data or even your entire hard drive can help.

Encrypt and store data securely using OneDrive

OneDrive comes with an exclusive feature: Personal Safe. It is a special folder created by default inside the OneDrive primary folder, which is encrypted by default. You can store any and all file formats within it. The free version of OneDrive only supports storage up to three very limited files, so you’ll need to update.

On the plus side, your data is encrypted and stored in the cloud, so even if something happens to your computer, you’ll be able to access it from another computer. It works on Android and iOS too.

Encrypt Windows computer using VeraCrypt

VeraCrypt is a free and open source encryption program for the Windows operating system and is available on GitHub. You can also download it from SourceForge. It is based on an older version of TrueCrypt which is now defunct. VeraCrypt is updated from time to time and also supports other operating systems such as Linux and macOS.

Download and install the app like any other Windows app. Once done, launch the application and click on “Encrypt System Partition/Drive” under the “System” tab.

You will be asked to choose between “Normal” and “Hidden”. Normal mode means that VeraCrypt will encrypt the system partition, usually the C drive, and create a password. Every time you want to access the drive, you need to enter the password.

Hidden creates a new volume with a decoy OS. This gives you two drives with two operating systems: one is real and the other is a gimmick. If someone forces you to enter a password, you can give access to the decoy unit with false data. This is for more advanced users.

Click “Next” and follow the onscreen instructions as you selected in the previous step. If you selected Hidden, you will be prompted to choose a location for the decoy volume to be created.

If you have Windows installed on one drive and other data on a different drive, select “Encrypt Windows System Partition”. If you select “Encrypt Entire Drive”, it will also encrypt any other partitions you may have created to better manage files and folders.

You may be prompted to choose between single boot and multiboot. Select single boot if you only have the Windows operating system installed. Select multiboot if you have multiple operating systems, such as Ubuntu, installed.

Now you will see encryption options. The default options of AES and SHA-512 are fine for most but the most advanced users.

We recommend choosing a strong password and writing it down somewhere safe or memorizing it. Losing the password can make the drive locked forever.

The following are some additional options.

Use keyfiles – adds an additional layer of security by asking you to show some files stored on the thumb drive. For example: before accepting the password. If you lose selected files, you will not be able to decrypt the drive/partition.

Show Password – Just show the password you entered so you know and can confirm it one last time before proceeding.

Use PIM – As with keyfiles, this also adds a layer of protection. Here, you will enter a number that you will have to enter every time you enter the password. A higher value can also help protect against brute force attacks.

On the next screen, VeraCrypt will ask you to move your mouse cursor on the screen randomly until the meter below fills up. This collects random data to fill the space around the encryption keys to protect them. Just move the mouse randomly and click “Next” when the gauge shows as full.

Final note

I hope you like the guide How to Fix ‘Device Encryption Not Working’ Issue on Windows 11 PC. In case if you have any query regards this article you may ask us. Also, please share your love by sharing this article with your friends.