Does BitLocker slow down an SSD? Yes, by up to 45%

BitLocker is an encryption feature that provides protection for the entire drive. Usually, it's enabled by default on OEM computers with pre-installed Windows 11/10. However, many users have reported that BitLocker slows down their SSD and affects computer performance.

Does BitLocker slow down SSD? Keep reading. This article from tools will give you the direct answer and solution.

Does BitLocker slow down an SSD?

They performed a series of tests on the impact of BitLocker on SSDs, and came up with rankings for SSD performance in three different scenarios:

Hardware BitLocker (OPAL) / Unencrypted (no BitLocker) > Software BitLocker

Software-based BitLocker encryption can impact SSD performance because it's constantly encrypting and decrypting data during reads and writes. OPAL hardware encryption offloads that process to the SSD, so the impact is lessened.

How to Resolve SSD Slowness Issues Caused by BitLocker

To resolve this issue and increase SSD read and write speed, you should disable BitLocker or switch to hardware-based encryption.

#1. Check the BitLocker encryption status

First, check the status of BitLocker:

Step 1: Type cmd into the search bar in the Start menu, and run Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 2. Type manage-bde -status, and then press Enter to open the BitLocker Drive Encryption Configuration Tool.

Step 3: Check the “Conversion Status” and “Encryption Method” tabs for each volume to see if the SSD is encrypted.

• Unencrypted under "Conversion Status" means that BitLocker is disabled. • XTS-AES under "Encryption Method" means software encryption with BitLocker is enabled. • Hardware encryption under "Encryption Method" means hardware encryption with BitLocker (OPAL) is enabled.

#2. Disable or turn off BitLocker encryption

If your SSD uses software encryption, you can choose to disable it or switch to hardware encryption:

Option 1: Disable BitLocker software encryption

Step 1: Type “Control Panel” in the search bar of the Start menu, and open it.

Step 2: Go to Control Panel \> System and Security \> BitLocker Drive Encryption, and turn off BitLocker for the target drive.

Option 2: Turn on BitLocker hardware encryption (OPAL)

This process involves a few more steps and might be a bit complicated for some users. To switch to using BitLocker with hardware encryption, first ensure that your SSD supports this feature. If your SSD supports OPAL, proceed with the following steps:

Step 1. First, disable BitLocker software encryption on the SSD (source drive). Follow the steps in Method 1.

Step 2. After disabling BitLocker, you can then clone Windows to another hard drive as a backup.

Step 3. Next, enable BitLocker hardware encryption on the source drive and safely wipe the SSD.

Step Four: Clone the backed-up Windows disk back to the source drive and boot up.

Step 5: In the Group Policy Editor, enable BitLocker with hardware encryption. OPAL should now work. You can check its status with the command manage-bde -status.

#3. Check SSD Performance and Boost SSD Speed

After you unlock BitLocker on SSD, you can check or test the SSD speed. To do this, you need a reliable disk and partition management tool – AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional.

First, check the SSD's performance (read and write speeds).

Step 1: Launch Partition Master. Click the Download button and activate the “DiskMark” feature in the “Discovery” section.

Step 2: Select the target drive, test data, and block size from the drop-down menus.

Step 3. Once all settings are configured, click the “Start” button to begin the disk test. You will then see metrics such as sequential or random read/write speeds, I/O, and latency.

After that, you can check the Performance Test report to see if your SSD is running at optimal or average speed. If not, optimize its performance with the guide below.

Next, we'll boost the SSD's performance with 4K alignment.

Step 1: Click on “Tools” and then choose “4K Alignment”.

This is an embedded YouTube video player. It allows for features such as accelerometer and autoplay, and is set to play in full screen with a frame size of 700 pixels wide by 410 pixels tall. The video is titled "YouTube video player" and its source is the video ID "JRAoYrNzlgo".

By 4K alignment of SSD, the computer will have significantly improved and faster read and write speeds on the SSD.

This tool can perform both cloning and secure erasing tasks. It also allows you to run an SSD health check, so you can keep an eye on your disk's condition.

The bottom line?

Does BitLocker slow down SSD? The answer is yes, SSD speed can decrease by 45% after enabling software-based encryption. But don't worry. This article also offers solutions to this issue to help you speed up your SSD and improve your computer's performance.

If you find the information on this page helpful, please feel free to share it with others who might benefit as well.

Does BitLocker slow down an SSD? BitLocker is a full-disk encryption technology provided by Microsoft to secure data on Windows operating systems. Generally, using BitLocker to encrypt a solid-state drive (SSD) does not significantly decrease its read and write speeds. SSDs have faster data access times compared to traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), so the performance impact during encryption and decryption processes is usually negligible. However, the encryption process itself might temporarily affect the SSD's performance, as it involves processing all data on the drive. Once encryption is complete, the impact on everyday usage should be minimal. Moreover, modern SSDs and processors are capable of handling the encryption load introduced by BitLocker efficiently. In summary, the impact of BitLocker on SSD speed is typically minor, and most users are unlikely to notice any significant performance degradation.

Here are some relevant questions and answers that might interest you.

Are there any downsides to using BitLocker?

BitLocker encryption might slow down your system and affect its performance, as it utilizes CPU and disk resources for data encryption and decryption processes. Additionally, BitLocker is not supported in Windows 11 and Windows 10 Home editions.

2. How do I remove BitLocker from my SSD?

To remove BitLocker from an SSD, you can:

1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator. 2. Type **manage-bde -status** to check the status of BitLocker. 3. If "Encryption Method" shows as "XTS-AES," type **manage-bde -off C:** to disable BitLocker. (Replace "C" with the letter of the drive you want to decrypt.) 4. Restart your computer.

Will I lose data if I turn off BitLocker?

No, turning off BitLocker won't result in data loss. It just removes BitLocker encryption from your drive.