4 Ways to Lock BitLocker Drives without Restart in Windows 10

By Michael | Last Updated January 03, 2024

When you need to leave your computer for a while, you may want to lock the open BitLocker drive to prevent unauthorized accesses. Or you just want to lock the BitLocker drive after usage. In the cases above, you can restart your computer to lock the BitLocker drive again, which is inconvenient and wastes time in some way. At that time, it must be great that the BitLocker drive can be locked with some settings instead of restart. And here are four ways for you to lock BitLocker drives without restart in Windows 10.

Way 1: Lock BitLocker Drives with CMD
Way 2: Lock BitLocker Drives with a Bat File
Way 3: Lock BitLocker Drives with iSunshare BitLocker Genius for Windows
Way 4: Lock BitLocker Drives with the Added Lock Option

lock BitLocker drive without restart

Way 1: Lock BitLocker Drives with CMD

Step 1: Enter CMD in the search box of task bar and then right-click CMD to choose Run as administrator.

run cmd as administrator

Step 2: Type manage-bde -lock X: (X is the BitLocker drive letter, such as E) in the blinking-cursor place. After that, tap Enter button in the keyboard. And the BitLocker drive is locked successfully.

enter lock order in cmd

Way 2: Lock BitLocker Drives with a Bat File

Step 1: Create a txt file and type manage-bde -lock X: (X is the BitLocker drive letter, such as E) in it. Then save the txt as a bat file.

put lock order into the txt file

Step 2: Right-click the bat file and select Run as an administrator option in its context menu to start the operation. After selection, the BitLocker will be locked again.

right click bat file to run as admin

Way 3: Lock BitLocker Drives with iSunshare BitLocker Genius for Windows

Step 1: On your Windows 10 PC, install and run iSunshare BitLocker Genius for Windows, a disk encryption tool that can effectively BitLocker encrypt drives and easily manage BitLocker disks.

Step 2: Right-click the unlocked BitLocker drive in the software interface and choose Lock Drive option.

choose lock drive option

Instantly, the BitLocker drive will be locked without restart.

lock drive instantly

Way 4: Lock BitLocker Drives with the Added Lock Option

Step 1: Search Regedit in the search bar of start menu and then click the Regedit icon.

open regedit editor

Step 2: Go to Drive > Shell in the left pane. Then right-click the Shell, choose New > Key and name the Key as "runas".

create runas key in shell

Step 3: Double-click the Default option in the runas, enter "Lock the Drive" under Value data and click OK to save the change.

Tips: The content entered in the Value data will be the option name of the BitLocker drive's context menu.

enter lock drive as value data

Step 4: Click New in the context menu of runas and select Key in the sub-menu of New. Then name the new key as "Command".

set command key in runas

Step 5: In the Command, double-click its Default option and input c:\windows\System32\manage-bde.exe X: -lock (X is the BitLocker drive letter) to the Value data bar. After that, tap OK button to save it.

input lock order in command default

Step 6: Close the Regedit Editor. And you will find that there is a Lock the Drive option in the right-click menu of BitLocker drive. You can lock the drive by tapping the Lock button now.

click lock option to lock BitLocker drive