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How to get the "Use my smart card to unlock this drive" on the Operating System Drive with BitLocker?

Göran Teleson 0 Reputation points
2024-07-03T06:51:57.46+00:00

Hi, was just wondering because I just followed a guide for BitLocker encryption which I want to use to unlock the PC and I want to use my SmartCard to do so. The question is, why can't I use my smart card for the OS Drive but for removable data drives I can? Any settings I can change to get the prompt for the OS Drive aswell?

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  2. Wesley Li-MSFT 4,576 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff
    2024-07-03T09:52:14.46+00:00

    Hello

    BitLocker Drive Encryption provides an option to use a smart card to unlock BitLocker-protected data drives on your computer. However, the option to use a smart card to unlock the Operating System (OS) drive is not directly available in BitLocker. This is due to the way BitLocker is designed. The OS drive needs to be unlocked very early in the boot process, at a point where the necessary drivers to read a smart card are not yet loaded.

    There are some workarounds that you can consider:

    Using a Startup Key: You can create a startup key that is stored on a USB device. When you start your computer, you insert the USB device that holds the startup key, which unlocks the OS drive. This isn’t exactly the same as using a smart card, but it provides a similar level of two-factor authentication.

    Using a TPM with a PIN: If your computer has a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), you can configure BitLocker to require a PIN to be entered during startup. This provides something you know (the PIN) and something you have (the TPM) as factors for authentication.

    Third-Party Solutions: There are third-party solutions that can enable the use of a smart card to unlock the OS drive. These solutions integrate with BitLocker and add the ability to use a smart card for pre-boot authentication. However, these are typically enterprise solutions and may not be suitable for individual users.

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  3. Wesley Li 11,275 Reputation points
    2024-08-06T07:49:11.0966667+00:00

    Hello

    Is your problem solved?

    If the above reply is helpful to you, please mark your reply as an answer, thank you very much!

    If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

    Thanks

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