Today when I inserted my USB drive into my computer, the system prompted me with “BitLocker encryption on this drive is incompatible with your Windows version. Please try using a newer version of Windows to open this drive.” It stumped me. I encrypted my USB drive with BitLocker a few years ago, and now I can’t remember which version of Windows I used at that time. So, what caused this problem? How can I solve it?
The issue you’re encountering with could have several causes.
Cause 1: If the previous operation system used system encrypting with FIPS-compliant algorithms, hashing, and signing policy settings for encryption, it might prevent the drive from being encrypted as expected after switching systems, leading to error messages.
Cause 2: Windows 10 (version 1511) introduced a new disk encryption mode (XTS-AES), which is incompatible with earlier versions of Windows. If you encrypted a drive on Windows 10 (1511) without selecting the compatible mode and then try to use the drive on an earlier version of Windows, you may encounter this type of error.
To resolve this issue, following methods may do dome help.
Before start, refer to "Does My Computer Have BitLocker?" and then check if your current Windows version supports BitLocker. Some older Windows versions do not support BitLocker encryption. Ensure that your computer is running on Windows 11/10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition. If not, consider upgrading your computer. After that, insert your USB drive again and check if the issue persists.
Attempt to restore Windows to a previous version or plug the USB drive into another computer. You may have previously used Windows 7/8 or another version of Windows 10. It is recommended to try different operating systems for testing.
If the data on your USB drive is unimportant, you can simply format the drive to disable BitLocker. This will prevent BitLocker from affecting your USB drive in the future.
This method can help you preserve the data on your USB drive without damage.
Step 1 Install iSunshare BitLocker Genius on your computer, then insert the USB drive.
Step 2 In the software, select the USB drive and right-click to select "Unlock Drive" option.
Step 3 Choose to unlock with BitLocker password or BitLocker Recovery key.
Step 4 Click the "Unlock" button and your usb drive will quickly be ready for you.
Tips: iSunshare BitLocker Genius for Windows helps us enable & disable BitLocker on Windows computer drive.
Overall, BitLocker maintains consistent functionality across various Windows versions. However, slight variations may exist in encryption algorithms and hardware requirements.
Benjamin
BitLocker only encrypts file system, instead of the physical hardware. It prevents others from stealing the contents of the files on the encrypted hard drive.
Lydia
Firstly, the answer for your question is no. If you want to disable bitlocker on your computer, there are two options for you.
Lydia
Rest assured, BitLocker Drive Encryption on Windows is widely considered of highly secure safeguarding utility, offering a strong defense for valuable data.
Lydia
