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Pause BitLocker Before BIOS or Firmware Updates in Windows 10/11

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Pause BitLocker Before BIOS or Firmware Updates in Windows 10/11​

Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 15 minutes
Updating your PC’s BIOS, UEFI firmware, TPM firmware, or certain device firmware can improve stability, security, and hardware compatibility. But if BitLocker is protecting your system drive, those low-level changes can look like possible tampering to Windows. The result? On the next reboot, BitLocker may ask for the 48-digit recovery key before it will unlock the drive.
The good news is that you usually don’t need to decrypt the drive. Instead, you can pause or suspend BitLocker protection before the update, then resume it afterward. This keeps your data encrypted while helping you avoid an unexpected recovery prompt.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin, make sure you have:
  • A Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC with BitLocker or Device Encryption enabled
  • Administrator rights on the PC
  • Your BitLocker recovery key backed up somewhere safe
  • The BIOS or firmware update ready from your PC or motherboard manufacturer
  • Your laptop connected to AC power
Important: Microsoft notes that BitLocker may require recovery after certain hardware or firmware changes. Microsoft Support also can’t recover a lost BitLocker recovery key for you, so backing it up first is essential.
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Before you start: confirm your recovery key​

Even if you plan to suspend BitLocker correctly, it’s smart to verify your recovery key first.

Common places to find it​

  • Your Microsoft account: [url]https://aka.ms/myrecoverykey[/url]
  • A work or school account if the device is organization-managed
  • A printed copy
  • A USB drive or saved text/PDF file
  • Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID if managed by IT
Tip: In Windows 11 version 24H2 and newer, the BitLocker recovery screen can show a hint about the Microsoft account tied to the recovery key.
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Method 1: Pause BitLocker from Control Panel​

This is the easiest method for most forum users.
  1. Press Start, type Control Panel, and open it.
  2. Go to System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  3. Find your operating system drive (usually C:).
  4. Click Suspend protection.
  5. When prompted, click Yes to confirm.
BitLocker is now suspended, which means the drive remains encrypted, but Windows temporarily stores the unlock information so firmware changes won’t immediately trigger recovery.
  1. Run your BIOS, UEFI, or firmware update as instructed by the manufacturer.
  2. Restart the PC if required.
  3. Return to Control Panel > BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  4. If BitLocker hasn’t resumed automatically, click Resume protection.
Note: Suspending BitLocker is not the same as turning it off. Turning it off decrypts the drive completely and can take a long time.
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Method 2: Pause BitLocker from Windows Security or Settings​

On some devices, especially modern laptops using Device Encryption, you may see the option in Settings rather than the classic BitLocker Control Panel.

For Device Encryption​

  1. Open Settings.
  2. In Windows 11, go to Privacy & security > Device encryption.
    In Windows 10, go to Update & Security or search for Device encryption.
  3. If your device uses Device Encryption, look for an option to turn it off only if needed.
However, for firmware updates, the better approach is usually still to use Manage BitLocker or the command line to suspend protection rather than disabling encryption entirely.
Warning: Device Encryption and BitLocker are related, but not identical in how they appear in the interface. If you don’t see a suspend option in Settings, use Control Panel or PowerShell instead.
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Method 3: Pause BitLocker with Command Prompt​

This is useful if you prefer command-line tools.
  1. Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:
manage-bde -protectors -disable C:
  1. You should see confirmation that protectors were disabled.
If you want BitLocker to re-enable automatically after a certain number of restarts, use:
manage-bde -protectors -disable C: -RebootCount 1
This suspends protection for one reboot, which is often ideal for a BIOS update.
  1. Perform the BIOS or firmware update.
  2. After Windows loads again, re-enable BitLocker if needed with:
manage-bde -protectors -enable C:
To check current status:
manage-bde -status C:
Tip: If the status says the drive is still encrypted but protection is suspended, that’s normal.
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Method 4: Pause BitLocker with PowerShell​

PowerShell gives you another clean way to do the same thing.
  1. Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Run:
Suspend-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" -RebootCount 1
  1. Install the BIOS or firmware update.
  2. After Windows restarts, check BitLocker status:
Get-BitLockerVolume
  1. If protection didn’t resume automatically, run:
Resume-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:"

When should you pause BitLocker?​

It’s a good idea to suspend BitLocker before:
  • BIOS/UEFI firmware updates
  • TPM firmware updates
  • Some non-Microsoft driver or firmware updates
  • Manual changes to Secure Boot databases or boot settings
  • Certain motherboard or low-level hardware configuration changes
Microsoft’s guidance is that regular Windows quality and feature updates generally don’t require manual BitLocker suspension, but some non-Microsoft updates do.
Warning: If you update BIOS or TPM firmware without suspending BitLocker first, the PC may boot straight to the BitLocker recovery screen.
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Troubleshooting and helpful notes​

BitLocker still asks for the recovery key after the update​

If that happens:
  1. Enter the recovery key to boot into Windows.
  2. Once logged in, check BitLocker status.
  3. Resume protection if it’s still suspended.
  4. Back up the recovery key again if needed.

I don’t see “BitLocker Drive Encryption”​

Possible reasons include:
  • You’re using a Windows edition without full BitLocker management
  • The device uses Device Encryption instead
  • Your organization manages BitLocker with Group Policy or Intune
  • The system drive is not eligible or already managed differently

My PC is managed by work or school​

If this is a company or school device:
  • Check with IT before updating firmware
  • Recovery keys may be stored in Microsoft Entra ID or Active Directory
  • Policies may automatically re-enable or enforce BitLocker settings

Suspend vs. decrypt​

This is worth repeating:
  • Suspend/Pause = drive stays encrypted, protection is temporarily relaxed
  • Turn off BitLocker = drive is fully decrypted
For firmware updates, suspend is the correct choice in almost all cases.

Sleep and hibernate note​

BitLocker protects hibernation better than normal sleep. If you’re doing sensitive firmware work, a full shutdown/restart is safer than relying on sleep.

Version information​

This tutorial applies to:
  • Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education
  • Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education
  • Many systems using Device Encryption on supported hardware
On newer Windows 11 devices, especially version 24H2 and later, BitLocker and Device Encryption behavior may be more automatic and visible on more hardware than in older releases.

Conclusion​

Pausing BitLocker before a BIOS or firmware update is a quick precaution that can save you from a stressful recovery-key prompt later. It keeps the drive encrypted, reduces the chance of startup issues after low-level changes, and makes update maintenance much smoother. As long as you confirm your recovery key first and resume protection when finished, this is a safe and recommended habit for power users and IT-minded Windows users alike.
Key Takeaways:
  • Pause or suspend BitLocker before BIOS, UEFI, TPM, or firmware updates
  • Suspending BitLocker keeps the drive encrypted while preventing unnecessary recovery prompts
  • Always verify and back up your BitLocker recovery key before making firmware changes
  • Use Control Panel, Command Prompt, or PowerShell to suspend and resume protection
  • Resume BitLocker after the update to restore full startup protection
This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.
 

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