Windows 11 disk encryption: BitLocker and Device Encryption guide

Windows 11 includes two primary built-in tools for disk encryption: Device Encryption and BitLocker Drive Encryption. Device Encryption is typically enabled automatically on modern devices when a user signs in with a Microsoft, work, or school account. It is available on Windows Home editions. In contrast, BitLocker provides more advanced control and is restricted to Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions.

BitLocker is designed to protect data by making it unreadable if a drive is removed from a device and connected to another. Users can manage BitLocker through the Control Panel or via the Command Prompt. Additionally, Windows 11 offers an auto-unlock feature for BitLocker-protected drives, which can be enabled through the BitLocker Manager, the Command Prompt using the ‘manage-bde’ command, or by selecting the ‘Automatically unlock on this PC’ option during the manual password entry process.