Device Encryption (as opposed to BitLocker) - How do you determine if it's active?

[britechguy]

The latest go-round on BitLocker versus Device Encryption (and, yes, I know that the same technology underlies both) has brought me to a point where I have to ask the question posed.

Although I know that Device Encryption is not active on my computers here at home for reasons already discussed, I have yet to encounter a machine (knowingly, anyway) where it is on.

Which Windows Settings, under Windows 10 and Windows 11 (since we don't have a forum for same, yet) does one look under to determine the state of device encryption?

I suspect it's under Windows Update & Security in one of its panes under Windows 10, and in Privacy & Security somewhere under Windows 11, but would love to have confirmation.

Also, how does one obtain the Device Encryption Key for safekeeping, as I'd have to imagine such exists, but I've never seen that discussed. BitLocker keys have been, but explicit instructions on those wouldn't hurt, either, but perhaps that should be a dedicated subject.

 

[nlinecomputers]

How to Enable Full-Disk Encryption on Windows 10

Windows 10 sometimes uses encryption by default, and sometimes doesn't---it's complicated.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[britechguy]

@nlinecomputers

Thanks. A curated article reference by someone "in the know" is so much more useful than a simple web search on this, particularly given how things have changed over time.

I will have to pay special attention on the Windows 11 machines to see what I find.

 

[Porthos]

OEM brand new HP

 

[nlinecomputers]

The new norm.

OEM brand new HP
View attachment 13409

 

[britechguy]

The new norm.

Which means I am going to have to be discussing the implications of same with my residential clients every time I set up a new system. Even though I give the, "Really, you have to start a backup protocol," speech a very great many don't. For them, I am convinced that Device Encryption is a far greater threat than an aid. When those drives go bad, and some of them will, you are royally screwed if they are encrypted. Even external data recovery companies are unlikely to be able to recover a darned thing unless keys were to be made available, and we all know the chances of that actually happening in practice are fat or slim, take your pick.

I'm sure I'll be flipping that switch to OFF on way more than one occasion.

 

[Diggs]

I'm still a bit spooked by bitlocker. After imaging a bitlockered drive with Macrium there was no user data visible. All the folders were there it's just that nothing was in them. I'm going to spend some time on the Macrium web site to figure out what went wrong and how to prevent it again.

 

[Sky-Knight]

You can also run manage-bde -status to get a report of all volumes on the system.