Check: Disable BitLocker Automatic Device Encryption in Rufus before Activating BitLocker for Windows 11 24H2 Installation

This article will guide you through the process of disabling BitLocker automatic device encryption and activating BitLocker manually during the installation of Windows 11 24H2 using a bootable USB flash drive created with Rufus. This is especially useful for those who want to customize their Windows installation and remove the 4GB+ RAM requirement for BitLocker.

Why Disable BitLocker Automatic Device Encryption?

BitLocker automatic device encryption can be a useful feature for securing your device and data. However, it has some limitations, such as the 4GB+ RAM requirement and the inability to customize your Windows installation. By disabling automatic device encryption and activating BitLocker manually, you can bypass these limitations.

Creating a Bootable USB Flash Drive with Rufus

To create a bootable USB flash drive with Rufus, you will need to download and install the Rufus software on your current system. Once Rufus is installed, follow these steps:

1. Insert a USB flash drive into your computer.
2. Open Rufus.
3. Select the USB flash drive from the "Device" dropdown menu.
4. Under "Boot selection", choose "Disk or ISO image".
5. Click the "SELECT" button and choose the Windows 11 24H2 ISO file.
6. Under "Partition scheme and target system type", choose "GPT for UEFI".
7. Under "File system", choose "NTFS".
8. Click "Start".

Disabling BitLocker Automatic Device Encryption

To disable BitLocker automatic device encryption, follow these steps:

1. Insert the bootable USB flash drive into the computer where you will be installing Windows 11 24H2.
2. Restart the computer and boot from the USB flash drive.
3. During the Windows installation, press "Shift + F10" to open a command prompt window.
4. Type the following command and press "Enter": manage-bde -off C:
5. Close the command prompt window.
6. Continue with the Windows installation.

Activating BitLocker Manually

After installing Windows 11 24H2, you can activate BitLocker manually. Here's how:

1. Go to "Control Panel > System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption".
2. Select the drive you want to encrypt and click "Turn on BitLocker".
3. Choose how you want to unlock the drive (e.g., password or smart card).
4. Choose where you want to back up the recovery key.
5. Click "Next" and follow the prompts.

• Disabling BitLocker automatic device encryption allows you to customize your Windows installation and bypass the 4GB+ RAM requirement.
• You can create a bootable USB flash drive with Rufus by selecting the USB flash drive, choosing the Windows 11 24H2 ISO file, and setting the partition scheme and file system.
• To disable BitLocker automatic device encryption, open a command prompt window during the Windows installation and type manage-bde -off C:.
• To activate BitLocker manually, go to "Control Panel > System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption", select the drive, and follow the prompts.

References:

• BitLocker device encryption overview
• Rufus - create bootable USB drives
• manage-bde