Cannot Encrypt External Hard Drive Using BitLocker

Question

I'm running Windows 10 Pro and am trying to encrypt an external hard drive using BitLocker. I can see the BitLocker option under the Drive Tools tab in File Explorer, but when I select "Turn On BitLocker" I get the following pop-up message:

I also enabled the Control use of BitLocker on removable drives with the Local Group Policy Editor (but I don't think that should matter given what the documentation says since it wasn't configured previously).
What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

@jmhatch
Hi,
You can't require one form and allow the others. If it's a single machine, just pick the one you want (PIN and TPM) and disable the others, either you "allow" each option so you can choose which one when you set Bitlocker on

BitLocker Group Policy settings can be accessed using the Local Group Policy Editor and the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) under Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\BitLocker Drive Encryption.

Policy path:Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\BitLocker Drive Encryption\Operating System Drives
For your reference:

Hope above information can help you.

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Answer 2

If you have a motherboard and a BIOS compatible with a TPM, you can uncheck the first option "Allow Bitlocker without a compatible TPM".
you may "allow" each option so you can choose which one when you set Bitlocker on.

Alternatively you can "require" an option and disable all the others, so you will not be able to make a choice when you set bitlocker on

Answer 3

Greeting to you I have unencrypted the external hard disk from Bitlocker and then I installed Windows 11 and then I tried to open the hard drive again on the device after installing the new Windows I found that it asks me for the recovery key 48 digits and I did not encrypt I entered my account on Microsoft and I did not find any keys or files related to encryption and I have been trying for a long time but it does not open I remember the password for the hard disk but I do not know the encryption key of BitLocker Please help me because The external hard disk contains very important information and my work history for 20 years and I do not want to lose data at all costs, please help me, the outcome of 20 years is lost from me