I am a cross-platform user, I am sometimes required to use Windows but my choice is Mac. To secure the data on my USB, I have enabled BitLocker encryption on my USB drive. However, I need to open a BitLocker USB drive on my Mac. How to do it?
-- from Apple Community Forum
When you insert a BitLocker-encrypted drive on a Mac, an error message "The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer" will pop up. Instead of initializing or ejecting it, ignore the message, and we will tell you how to open a BitLocker-encrypted USB drive on a Mac so that you can read and edit your files.
Is There a BitLocker Version for Mac?
BitLocker Drive Encryption is a full-disk encryption method developed by Microsoft, but Microsoft has not implemented BitLocker version for Mac.
Does this imply that BitLocker-encrypted USB drives cannot be used on a Mac?
Of course not. With the right BitLocker for Mac tool, like iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac, you can easily unlock and open your BitLocker-encrypted USB drive and external hard drive on macOS Tahoe 26 - macOS High Sierra 10.13.
How to Open a BitLocker-encrypted USB Drive on Mac without Formatting
Before you start, please make the following preparations:
- Prepare your BitLocker USB drive password or recovery key.
- Make sure that your USB drive is physically intact, with no damage or corruption.
- Back up your USB drive if it contains significant file data.
- Don't format your external USB drive.
When preparations are done, follow the detailed tutorial below to unlock, open, read, and write a BitLocker encrypted drive on your Mac:
Step 1: Download iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac.
Click the "Free Download" button to download the dmg file from our official site. Tap the button below to get the BitLocker To Go for Mac download.
Note that iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac setup requires macOS High Sierra 10.13 - macOS Tahoe 26. If you are using macOS Sierra 10.12 and older Mac OS X, please contact [email protected].
Step 2: Install iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac.
After downloading, double-click the dmg file in your Downloads folder and then follow the wizard to install it.
Step 3: Enable system extensions.
Apple Silicon Macs require allowing system extension/Full Disk Access; for Intel Macs, follow the prompts to allow the extension.
Step 4: Launch iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac.
Once installed, go to the Applications folder or Launchpad and launch iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac.
Step 5: Insert a BitLocker-encrypted USB drive into your Mac.
iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac requires a healthy BitLocker-encrypted USB drive, and it doesn't repair the physically damaged USB drives.
If Disk Utility fails to detect the device, you experience frequent disconnections, or there are any hardware anomalies, cease writing to your USB drive immediately. Use iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery software to recover and safeguard your important data first.
Step 6: Click the "Open" icon under that BitLocker-encrypted USB drive.
Step 7: Choose the "Volume mounter" option at this step.
On the unlock window, there are two options to unlock the BitLocker-encrypted drive.
- File manager: Trial users can click on "File Manager" to browse and preview all files on the BitLocker-encrypted drive. Here, you can get a test of how iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac works.
- Volume mounter: To mount your BitLocker-encrypted drive into read-write mode, tick "Volume Mounter". This function is only available for paid users.
Step 8: Enter the password.
This step is mandatory for iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac to unlock your drive. It is as much of a policy issue as it is a technological limitation. Check "Remember this password in my keychain" to save the password for the next entry.
If you can't recall your password, you can try the 48-digit BitLocker recovery key. Please be reminded that the 48-digit BitLocker recovery key is the only way to unlock a BitLocker-encrypted drive where the operating system is stored.
Step 9: Click Unlock to mount a BitLocker-encrypted drive on your Mac.
Once mounted in read-write mode, the BitLocker-encrypted drive shows up in Finder and functions just like a native Mac drive. Now, you can copy, delete, edit, rename, and transfer files from the BitLocker drive to your Mac.
Once writing is finished, lock the device before ejecting it. This helps avoid file system corruption or incomplete writes.
BitLocker Alternative for Mac
BitLocker is a good choice for encrypted drives shared between Windows and Mac. If you're looking to encrypt your files and prevent unauthorized access, there is a BitLocker alternative that work for your macOS - FileVault.
Apple FileVault secures the Mac startup disk. Disk Utility can encrypt external Mac drives, though it typically requires erasing them. Make a backup of your drive's file data and then apply FileVault to encrypt your external drives for data security.
Are Macs Encrypted by Default?
It is a question without a simple yes or no answer. It all depends on what Mac model you are talking about.
On Intel-based Macs, disk encryption is not enabled by default. You need to manually turn on FileVault, which will then encrypt and decrypt your Mac's hard drive automatically.
On newer Macs equipped with a T2 Security Chip or Apple silicon, the built-in hardware encryption automatically encrypts the SSD without any user configuration. FileVault adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a login password to access the encrypted data. In other words, these Macs are encrypted by default, and the underlying hardware encryption cannot be enabled or disabled by the user.
How to Make a USB Drive BitLocker Encrypted on Mac?
You can't encrypt a USB drive on a Mac via BitLocker unless you employ a reliable third-party BitLocker for Mac tool. It uses the same BitLocker Drive Encryption algorithm as Windows to encrypt USB drives for Mac and Windows cross-platform file sharing and data security protection.
After the encryption process is finished, you can use the BitLocker-encrypted USB drive on Windows that supports BitLocker (Windows 10 Pro, Education, and Enterprise Edition).
How to Turn Off BitLocker Encryption from a USB Drive on Mac?
When you decide that BitLocker encryption is no longer needed for your USB drive, you can disable it and decrypt your data easily with a Windows PC.
But if you want to remove BitLocker encryption on a Mac, the only way is to format the disk using Disk Utility. But this method will erase all your files and make them unrecoverable.
How to Format a BitLocker-encrypted USB Drive on Mac?
Formatting a BitLocker USB drive on Mac will return you a blank disk. Before doing so, you should use a BitLocker for Mac app or a Windows computer to back up your important files first.
Just like formatting any other Mac-friendly drive, you open Disk Utility and click Erase to format the BitLocker drive. Or click "Initialize" when the error message pops up, and you will be led to the Disk Utility window to wipe the disk and give it a workable file system as well.
Related Articles:
FAQ about opening a BitLocker-encrypted USB drive on Mac
- QHow do I open a USB with BitLocker on a Mac?
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A
You can open a USB with BitLocker on a Mac with iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac, which enables you to gain full read and write access to BitLocker-encrypted HDD, SSD, USB flash drive, SD card, etc., and encrypt drives with BitLocker Encryption method. It is available on macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, High Sierra, and M5, M4, M3, M2, M1 Mac.
- QHow do I open BitLocker encrypted drive on Mac for free?
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A
One way is to install Windows on your Mac through Mac's BootCamp program. This way is to install a Windows OS on your Mac and it's only available for Intel-based Macs, Apple Silicon Macs excluded.
- QCan I open BitLocker drive without formatting?
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A
Yes. You can turn to the 3rd party BitLocker for Mac software to unlock, mount, and open BitLocker-encrypted drives without formatting.
- QCan I unlock BitLocker drives without password or recovery key?
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A
No, you can't. If you can't find your password or recovery key, currently the only way to use the drive again is to format it.
- QIs there any Windows 11 BitLocker for Mac tool?
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A
Yes, there are sorts of Windows 11 BitLocker for Mac tools. Examples include iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac, VeraCrypt, TrueCrypt, AES Crypt, File Lock PEA, Encrypto ,Axcrypt, and Ciphershed.