Wondering why there is a lock icon on a drive in File Explorer? This article explains what it is and how to remove the lock icon from a drive in Windows 10.
Why is there a lock icon on a drive in Windows 10?
Windows 10 has two built-in encryption features. The first is BitLocker and it is only available to Pro and Enterprise users. The second is called Device Encryption and is available to all users, including Windows 10 Home users.
If you see a lock icon on a drive and you are using Windows 10 Home or if you are sure that you are not using BitLocker, it is because of Device Encryption.
While Device Encryption is available to all Windows 10 users, it is only automatically enabled if the following requirements are met:
- Your laptop or desktop must have a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) version 2 chip on the motherboard.
- Support Modern Standby.
- Have a modern UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface).
- TPM functionality is enabled through UEFI.
- You must sign in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.
If you don't use BitLocker and don't want to use Device Encryption, follow these steps to turn off Device Encryption and remove the lock icon from drives in Windows 10.
How to Remove Lock Icon on Drives in Windows 10
To remove the lock icon on drives in Windows 10, you need to turn off Device Encryption. Here's how:
1. Open the Settings app in Windows 10.
2. Click Update & Security.
3. Select Device Encryption on the sidebar.
4. Click Turn off on the right panel. As soon as you click this button, Windows 10 will turn off Device Encryption and automatically decrypt all encrypted drives. The decryption process will take some time to complete. You can use your system normally while this is happening.
5. Device Encryption is now disabled and the lock icon is removed from the drive. You will no longer see the lock icon on drives in Windows 10.
Note: If you are using BitLocker, you must disable BitLocker to remove the lock icon.
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