When a manufacturer adds BitLocker encryption on Home edition

Question

This involves Windows 11 Home for me, but I suspect it will apply to Windows 10 Home.

I got a new laptop with Windows 11 Home installed today made by Lenovo. I have been setting it up and happened to check Disk Management and saw BitLocker on the C: drive.

I was surprised. I have not enabled it in any way and I well know that BitLocker is not included with Windows Home editions. (but there it is)

So previously seen posts/threads of people finding BitLocker enabled on Home editions when it isn't available on Home are true. I have checked my Microsoft account and it shows a 48 character key for BitLocker recovery registered against this new laptop. I have never used BitLocker in the past and this is a new addition to my account.

If Lenovo do it then it could be the case with any manufacture.

Any thoughts anyone?

Answer 1

You're welcome.

Also see here:

BitLocker | c't | Heise Magazine

Answer 2

FWIW:

"Beginning in Windows 8.1, Windows automatically enables BitLocker Device Encryption on devices that support Modern Standby. With Windows 11 and Windows 10, Microsoft offers BitLocker Device Encryption support on a much broader range of devices, including those devices that are Modern Standby, and devices that run Home edition of Windows 10 or Windows 11."

> https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/bitlocker/bitlocker-device-encryption-overview-windows-10#bitlocker-device-encryption

Answer 3

FWIW:

"Beginning in Windows 8.1, Windows automatically enables BitLocker Device Encryption on devices that support Modern Standby. With Windows 11 and Windows 10, Microsoft offers BitLocker Device Encryption support on a much broader range of devices, including those devices that are Modern Standby, and devices that run Home edition of Windows 10 or Windows 11."

> https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/bitlocker/bitlocker-device-encryption-overview-windows-10#bitlocker-device-encryption

Thanks for the link. It seems that is it but it's a shame other users here that reply to problems regarding BitLocker aren't able to direct the user to that webpage. Instead they tell them that BitLocker cannot be enabled on Home edition.

It doesn't help though when they have no idea of the recovery key and cannot find it in their MS account.

Although this gives a different impression Compare Windows 11 Versions: Home & Pro vs. Windows 10 | Microsoft

I'll save that for future reference.

If the manufacturer was able to quote it and the importance of the recovery key it may help.

Answer 4

Hi, thanks for sharing the firsthand experience.

No, I have no thoughts to how and why the manufacturer is doing that and without explicitly mentioning it in the OEM setup OOBE when first starting it.

It could be that others have more and recent insight.

Or a connection to Lenovo.

Stefan