# Install/Turn On Bitlocker **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 1, 2017, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488 "2017-04-01T08:24:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/1 "2017-04-01T08:24:55Z")
The Saturday New York Times says I should use BitLocker. OK. A little poking around seems to indicate the the program is already installed on Windows 10. Or perhaps only on Enterprise Win 10, I am not sure. In any case, I have checked and my computer has a TPM chip. So I open Control Panel to go to System & Security, but there is no such thing. At this point i am stuck. As I have to use a password to open my computer, I suppose it is possible I already have BitLocker or something turned on already. Your thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![abel29a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@abel29a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abel29a)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/2 "2017-04-01T08:39:02Z")
If you have the Home edition of win 10 its not included, afaik. Could that be the case? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/3 "2017-04-01T08:40:01Z")
It is probably the case. If so, how shall I proceed? ---
**Author:** ![abel29a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@abel29a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abel29a)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/4 "2017-04-01T08:57:49Z")
Either pay to upgrade windows, or look into alternatives like true crypt or similar. But please double check with Microsoft support first, there might be a way to get bitlocker on home edition, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/5 "2017-04-01T09:14:03Z")
Thank you very much. That was very helpful. I am going to take my afternoon nap and will check back to see if anyone disagrees. ---
**Author:** ![lurcio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b77776/32.png) [@lurcio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurcio)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/6 "2017-04-01T10:44:30Z")
From here > **[How to Enable Full-Disk Encryption on Windows 10](https://www.howtogeek.com/234826/how-to-enable-full-disk-encryption-on-windows-10/)** > > Windows 10 sometimes uses encryption by default, and sometimes doesn’t—it’s complicated. Here’s how to check if your Windows 10 PC’s storage is encrypted and how to encrypt it if it isn’t. Encryption isn’t just about stopping the NSA—it’s about... Windows 10 home doesn’t have BitLocker. You might have device encryption available though, depends on hardware. TruCrypt has been abandoned by its developers. A worthwhile fork that works with Win 10 is VeraCrypt. [https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/](https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/7 "2017-04-01T12:10:06Z")
Before turning it on, make sure you have not only a full backup but a regular backup policy as encrypted drives are typically unrecoverable in case of corruption. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/8 "2017-04-01T13:55:36Z")
My understanding is that “device encryption” is a limited version of Bitlocker that is available on Windows 10 Home, but it only works with TPM. I haven’t been able to get it to work on my laptop. Also, I think it only works for the boot drive. For external drives though, Windows Home can open (decrypt) a Bitlocker locked drive. So you just need access to one computer with Windows Pro. After you enable Bitlocker on the drive on a Windows Pro computer, you can connect it to a Windows Home computer and Bitlocker works on that drive. I don’t think you need TPM for this. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/9 "2017-04-01T13:58:22Z")
Also, there is a small chance that a TPM chip is on your computer, but the driver for it is not installed. Check the spec sheet for your computer, and/or see if there are any “unknown” devices in Device Manager. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/10 "2017-04-01T21:25:51Z")
What else does the NYT tell you to do? How does it convey these instructions? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/11 "2017-04-02T00:55:55Z")
Yes. I have a TPM chip. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/12 "2017-04-02T04:10:34Z")
Bitlocker is not enabled on Win10 Home Edition: [How to use BitLocker Drive Encryption on Windows 10 | Windows Central](http://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-bitlocker-encryption-windows-10) BTW, you can actually use a “virtual” TPM chip instead of a physical TPM. FWIW ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/13 "2017-04-02T04:56:36Z")
> [@lurcio](#): > > From here > > [https://www.howtogeek.com/234826/how-to-enable-full-disk-encryption-on-windows-10/](https://www.howtogeek.com/234826/how-to-enable-full-disk-encryption-on-windows-10/) > > Windows 10 home doesn’t have BitLocker. You might have device encryption available though, depends on hardware. > > TruCrypt has been abandoned by its developers. A worthwhile fork that works with Win 10 is VeraCrypt. > > [https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/](https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/) [TrueCrypt remains viable](https://www.grc.com/misc/truecrypt/truecrypt.htm). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/install-turn-on-bitlocker/783488/14 "2017-04-02T13:51:31Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > [TrueCrypt remains viable](https://www.grc.com/misc/truecrypt/truecrypt.htm). For an incredibly low standard of “viable”. For example, certain security issues were found in the last r/w release of TrueCrypt that have been fixed in VeraCrypt. When you’re talking about cryptographic security, you don’t use software that’s been abandoned by the developers for odd reasons.