SOLVED: BitLocker Waiting for Activation

If you are seeing the BitLocker Waiting for Activation message in the Control Panel or when you hover over the BitLocker caution icon in the File Explorer, follow the steps given below to fix it.

Why does BitLocker show the Waiting for Activation message?

When you see the BitLocker Waiting for Activation error message, it means that the BitLocker is in a suspended state. In this state, the drive is fully encrypted but the recovery key is stored in plain text. That means anyone can see and access the BitLocker recovery key which in turn helps them decrypt the BitLocker drive.

So, to fix the problem, all you have to do is create Key protectors for the encrypted drive. Once you do that, the BitLocker Waiting for Activation error message will disappear. Though sounds complicated, all you have to do is turn off and turn on BitLocker on the drive. When you do this, BitLocker will create a new key protector and get rid of the Waiting for Activation error message.

Fix BitLocker Waiting for Activation

Follow the below steps to fix the BitLocker Waiting for Activation error message on Windows:

First, press the Start key on your keyboard, search for Control Panel, and click on the relevant result to open Control Panel. Alternatively, you can also run the “control panel” run command by pressing the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut.

Once the Control Panel opens, click on the dropdown icon next to “View by” and select the “Large icons” option. After that, click on the BitLocker Drive Encryption option. This page is where you can manage BitLocker settings for all your drive.

Now, find the drive that shows the “BitLocker Waiting for Activation” message and click on the “Turn off BitLocker” option. When prompted for the password, type it and press the Enter button.

This action will get rid of the BitLocker Waiting for Activation error message.

Optional steps:

If you want to encrypt the drive, follow the below steps.

Once the drive is decrypted, click on the “Turn on BitLocker” option.

Next, select the “Use a password to unlock the drive” checkbox, type the password of your choice, and click the “Next” button.

Now, select the “Save to your Microsoft account” option and click the “Next” button. If you not using Microsoft login or don’t want to save to your Microsoft account, you can choose the “Save to a file” or “Save to a USB flash drive” option.

Choose the “Encrypt used disk space only” radio option and press the “Next” button.

Choose the “New encryption mode” option and press “Next.”

Finally, press the “Start encrypting” button.

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Related BitLocker how-to articles:

• How to check if BitLocker is enabled
• How to Password Protect a Folder in Windows
• How To Change BitLocker Password
• How to Auto Unlock BitLocker Drive in Windows
• How to Backup BitLocker Recovery Key in Windows 10 & 11
• How To Turn On or Turn Off Device Encryption in Windows 11
• How to Lock Folder in Windows 10 & 11
• Why Is There a Lock Icon on Drives & How To Remove It
• How to Disable BitLocker in Windows 10 & 11
• How to Recover BitLocker Drive without Password in Windows

That’s it. It is that simple to fix the BitLocker Waiting for Activation error on Windows.

I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.

If you are stuck or need help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.