Encryption not working in Windows 10 is usually caused by configuration, hardware, policy, or software conflicts — and most cases are fixable with the right steps. This article addresses Encryption doesn’t work in Windows 10, explains common causes, and walks you through 13 practical fixes so you can get BitLocker or file encryption working properly.
You’ll learn how to check Windows edition and hardware support, configure TPM and BitLocker settings, resolve group policy and driver issues, recover or back up keys, and verify encryption status safely.
Key Takeaway
If encryption fails in Windows 10, start by confirming that your Windows edition and hardware (TPM/UEFI) support the chosen encryption method (BitLocker vs EFS), then ensure BitLocker/TMP is enabled, policies aren’t blocking it, drivers/firmware are updated, and a valid recovery key is saved — using manage-bde and tpm.msc for diagnostics and fixes.
Quick Fix Guide
| Reason for the Problem | Quick Solution |
|---|---|
| 1. Windows edition doesn’t support BitLocker | Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise/Education or use a third-party tool. |
| 2. TPM missing, disabled, or uninitialized | Enable and initialize TPM via BIOS/UEFI and tpm.msc. |
| 3. Group Policy blocking encryption | Run gpedit.msc and enable BitLocker policies or reset to default. |
| 4. BitLocker suspended or not started | Resume or enable BitLocker from Control Panel > BitLocker Drive Encryption or manage-bde. |
| 5. Incorrect BIOS/UEFI settings (Legacy/CSM) | Switch to UEFI mode, enable Secure Boot if required, or change boot mode to GPT. |
| 6. Outdated/incompatible drivers | Update storage and chipset drivers via Device Manager or vendor site. |
| 7. Missing admin privileges | Run encryption tools as an Administrator or use an admin account. |
| 8. Partition or format issues (MBR vs GPT) | Convert system disk to GPT with mbr2gpt.exe if using TPM+UEFI BitLocker. |
| 9. Insufficient disk space or locked files | Free disk space, repair disk with chkdsk, and retry encryption. |
| 10. Third-party security/encryption conflicts | Temporarily uninstall or disable third-party disk encryption/security software. |
| 11. Corrupt/missing recovery key or protector | Backup or recreate protector using manage-bde -protectors -add. |
| 12. Confusion between EFS and BitLocker | Decide between EFS (file-level) and BitLocker (volume-level) and use the correct workflow. |
| 13. Hardware/firmware bugs (SSD, NVMe) | Update firmware/BIOS, check vendor advisories, or exclude problematic devices. |
Detailed Fixes for “tu mets ici le problème du 13 reasons why Encryption doesn’t work in Windows 10 (and how to fix it)”
1. Windows edition doesn’t support BitLocker
Why it causes the problem:
- BitLocker full-disk encryption is not included in Windows 10 Home. Attempting to enable BitLocker on Home will fail because the feature is unavailable.
Step-by-step solution:
- Check your edition: open Settings > System > About and look under Windows specifications.
- If you have Windows 10 Home, upgrade to Windows 10 Pro: open Settings > Update & Security > Activation > Go to the Store and purchase the upgrade, or use a Pro key.
- Alternative: Use third-party full-disk encryption tools (e.g., VeraCrypt) if upgrading is not an option.
Note: Back up your data before switching editions or installing third-party encryption.
2. TPM missing, disabled, or uninitialized
Why it causes the problem:
- BitLocker often uses the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to store keys. If TPM is absent/disabled/unowned, BitLocker may fail or require a USB key.
Step-by-step solution:
- Check TPM: press Windows + R, type tpm.msc, press Enter. If it reports “Compatible TPM cannot be found,” TPM is missing or disabled.
- Enable TPM in BIOS/UEFI: reboot, enter firmware setup (keys like F2, Del, or Esc), find Security > TPM or PTT (Intel) and enable it.
- Initialize TPM in Windows: open tpm.msc and choose Initialize TPM or Prepare TPM (follow prompts).
- If no TPM, enable BitLocker with a USB startup key: open Control Panel > System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption > Turn on BitLocker and choose Require a password or USB.
Tip: Some systems label TPM as fTPM or Intel PTT in firmware.
3. Group Policy blocking encryption
Why it causes the problem:
- Organization-level or local Group Policy can disable BitLocker or require configurations that prevent encryption.
Step-by-step solution:
- Open Local Group Policy Editor: press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, press Enter.
- Navigate: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > BitLocker Drive Encryption.
- Review policies like “Require additional authentication at startup” and “Deny write access to removable drives not protected by BitLocker”. Set to Not Configured or configure to match your needs.
- Force policy update: run Command Prompt (Admin) and execute gpupdate /force.
Note: Domain-joined systems may have domain GPOs — talk to your IT admin.
4. BitLocker suspended or not started
Why it causes the problem:
- BitLocker may be suspended by updates or manually, leaving the drive unencrypted or partially protected.
Step-by-step solution:
- Check BitLocker status: open Command Prompt (Admin) and run manage-bde -status.
- If suspended, resume: manage-bde -protectors -enable C: or open Control Panel > System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption and click Resume Protection.
- To start encryption: in BitLocker UI select Turn on BitLocker and follow prompts.
Tip: Use manage-bde -on C: -RecoveryPassword to start encryption via CLI.
5. Incorrect BIOS/UEFI settings (Legacy/CSM)
Why it causes the problem:
- BitLocker with TPM expects UEFI/GPT. If the system is in Legacy BIOS/MBR mode, BitLocker may require different configuration or fail.
Step-by-step solution:
- Check boot mode: open System Information (search msinfo32) and look for BIOS Mode (UEFI or Legacy).
- If using Legacy and you want TPM+UEFI BitLocker, convert disk to GPT: open Command Prompt (Admin) and run mbr2gpt.exe /validate /allowFullOS. If valid, mbr2gpt.exe /convert /allowFullOS.
- Switch firmware to UEFI mode and enable Secure Boot if needed.
Warning: Back up the system before conversion; conversion can fail on nonstandard partitions.
6. Outdated or incompatible device drivers
Why it causes the problem:
- Storage or chipset driver bugs can block volume locks or encryption steps.
Step-by-step solution:
- Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager).
- Update storage controllers, disk drives, and chipset drivers: right-click device > Update driver or download drivers from your PC/motherboard vendor and install.
- After driver updates, reboot and retry encryption.
Tip: If a driver update causes problems, roll back via Device Manager > Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver.
7. Missing admin privileges or UAC blocking
Why it causes the problem:
- Encryption requires elevated privileges. Running as a standard user blocks BitLocker configuration.
Step-by-step solution:
- Ensure you are using an account in the Administrators group: Settings > Accounts > Your info.
- Right-click tools like Command Prompt or PowerShell and choose Run as administrator before running manage-bde or making system changes.
Note: If your account is limited by organization policy, work with IT.
8. Partition or format issues (MBR vs GPT)
Why it causes the problem:
- System reserved partitions or wrong partition types can prevent BitLocker from creating necessary boot files.
Step-by-step solution:
- Use Disk Management (right-click Start > Disk Management) to inspect partitions; ensure a small EFI System Partition (ESP) exists for UEFI boot.
- If missing and using UEFI, convert to GPT with mbr2gpt.exe as described above.
- If there is no 100–500 MB system reserved partition in Legacy systems, create one using partitioning tools before enabling BitLocker.
Note: Manipulating partitions can make the system unbootable — back up first.
9. Insufficient free disk space or locked files
Why it causes the problem:
- Encryption needs temporary free space and exclusive access to some system files during encryption.
Step-by-step solution:
- Free disk space: delete unnecessary files, run Disk Cleanup, or move large files to external drives.
- Repair disk errors: open Command Prompt (Admin) and run chkdsk C: /f /r (reboot if prompted).
- Close apps that lock files; perform encryption in Clean Boot if necessary.
Tip: A Clean Boot (msconfig) can help remove software locks.
10. Third-party security/encryption conflicts
Why it causes the problem:
- Other encryption or security products may hook disk operations and block BitLocker.
Step-by-step solution:
- Identify installed encryption/security software (e.g., Symantec, McAfee, older TrueCrypt).
- Temporarily uninstall or disable these programs via Settings > Apps or their own uninstallers.
- Reboot and retry BitLocker. Reinstall or replace third-party software after confirming BitLocker works.
Note: Some enterprise security suites require special steps—consult vendor docs.
11. Corrupt or missing recovery key or protector
Why it causes the problem:
- BitLocker requires valid protectors (TPM, password, recovery key). Missing or corrupt protectors can prevent enabling or accessing encrypted volumes.
Step-by-step solution:
- Back up existing protectors: manage-bde -protectors -get C: to list.
- Add a recovery password: manage-bde -protectors -add C: -RecoveryPassword (run as Admin).
- Store recovery keys safely (Microsoft Account, USB, printed copy, or enterprise AD).
Tip: For AD-joined machines, ensure AD backup of keys is configured: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > BitLocker Drive Encryption.
12. Confusion between EFS and BitLocker
Why it causes the problem:
- Users sometimes attempt file-level EFS (Encrypting File System) steps for full-drive BitLocker, causing apparent failures.
Step-by-step solution:
- Decide: for full-drive protection use BitLocker; for specific files/folders use EFS (right-click file > Properties > Advanced… > Encrypt contents to secure data).
- To enable BitLocker: Control Panel > System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption > Turn on BitLocker.
- For EFS, ensure you have a certificate: run certmgr.msc, check Personal > Certificates.
Note: EFS ties files to user accounts; losing the certificate can make files unrecoverable, so back up certificates.
13. Hardware/firmware bugs (SSD, NVMe)
Why it causes the problem:
- Some SSDs or firmware versions have known bugs with encryption commands or TRIM interactions that cause encryption failures.
Step-by-step solution:
- Check vendor for firmware updates for SSD/NVMe and motherboard BIOS/UEFI updates.
- Update firmware per vendor instructions. Reboot and retry encryption.
- If problems persist, temporarily exclude the problematic drive or contact vendor support.
Tip: Avoid forcing encryption on drives with known firmware bugs; your vendor may provide a fix.
Additional Section: Verifying and Testing Encryption (recommended steps)
- Verify status: run manage-bde -status and confirm Conversion Status: Fully Encrypted or that protectors are present.
- Test recovery key: ensure you can access the recovery key (Microsoft account or saved file). Use manage-bde -protectors -get C: to view key IDs (do not share keys publicly).
- Simulate a recovery boot (if safe): suspend and resume or test on a non-production system before rolling out widely.
- Monitor: check Event Viewer under Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > BitLocker-API for errors.
Back up the recovery key to your Microsoft account via Control Panel > BitLocker Drive Encryption > Back up your recovery key. For enterprise, ensure keys are backed into Active Directory.
FAQ
What’s the difference between BitLocker and EFS?
BitLocker encrypts entire drives (volume-level) and protects data if the drive is removed; EFS encrypts individual files per user profile. Use BitLocker for device/drive protection and EFS for file-level user encryption.
Can I encrypt Windows 10 Home without upgrading?
Yes — you can use third-party tools like VeraCrypt for full-disk encryption, or enable BitLocker-like protection with a hardware USB startup key, but native BitLocker requires Pro/Enterprise/Education.
How do I back up BitLocker recovery keys safely?
Save to your Microsoft account, print and store physically, save to a USB drive, or store in Active Directory (domain-joined). Never email keys or store them in insecure cloud folders.
My BitLocker key is lost — can I recover my data?
If no recovery key or protector exists and you cannot unlock the drive, recovery is generally impossible. Check Microsoft account, AD, USB backups, or printed copies first.
Should I enable Secure Boot before enabling BitLocker?
Secure Boot is recommended for best security, but BitLocker can work without it. If you plan to use TPM+UEFI protectors, ensure firmware is in UEFI mode; Secure Boot can add protection but is not strictly required.
Conclusion
Most issues where Encryption doesn’t work in Windows 10 come down to edition limitations, TPM/UEFI configuration, policies, drivers, or conflicting software — and they can be resolved by checking edition/hardware support, initializing TPM, adjusting policies, updating firmware/drivers, and safely managing recovery keys. Following the steps here will get your encryption working reliably and securely.
