General Help

*BitLocker is not available for Windows 10 Home Edition

Encryption helps protect the data on your device so it can only be accessed by people who have authorization.

Turn on standard BitLocker Encryption

Ensure your account is a local admin account. You can check this by:

1. Type Settings in the search bar, open Settings
2. Click Accounts
3. Click Your info
4. Administrator will be listed under your email address if you’re a local admin
   • If you’re not an administrator, contact your IT support

*Ensure you update the BIOS to the latest version. Instructions for updating Dell systems can be found here

1. In the search box on the taskbar, type Manage BitLocker and then select it from the list of results. Or you can select the Start, and then type Control Panel. In Control Panel, select System and Security, and then under BitLocker Drive Encryption, select Manage BitLocker. Note: You’ll only see this option if BitLocker is available for your device. It isn’t available on Windows 10 Home edition.

2. Select Turn on BitLocker and then follow the instructions.

3. If you get the following error see How to enable TPM and then repeat these steps

4. You will be asked, How do you want to back up your recovery key? This is very important in case you have problems unlocking your PC. (We recommend choosing more than one option, you can do all three if you like.)

Select Save to your cloud domain account (Recommended method; if you lose your key USMA IT Support will be able to recover it)

If you choose Print the recovery key you can print it to a pdf document and save it to your OneDrive.

5. Choose how much of your drive to encrypt, select the following:

• Encrypt entire drive (slower but best for PCs and drives already in use)

6. Choose which encryption mode to use, select the following:

• New encryption mode (best for fixed drives on this device)

7. Are you ready to encrypt this drive?

• Check Run Bitlocker system check and then continue

8. Restart your computer