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How to Fix the "BitLocker Encryption on This Drive Isn't Compatible with Your Version of Windows" Error
I encrypted a USB drive E: with BitLocker in Windows 10 without any issues. However, when I double click on drive E: in windows explorer I get a popup that says "The BitLocker encryption on this drive isn't compatible with your version of Windows. Try opening the drive using a newer version of Windows.". If I right click on E: drive in BitLocker Anywhere, there is a menu option to 'unlock drive' but when selected, I get the same popup so I can't use the usb drive at all. Please help, thanks.
This is a very common error, and this tutorial describes how to fix or get rid of the "The BitLocker encryption on this drive isn't compatible with your version of Windows" error, the main content is as follows:
When you try to unlock a BitLocker-encrypted drive in File Explorer, Windows may display the error: "The BitLocker encryption on this drive isn't compatible with your version of Windows. Try opening the drive using a newer version of Windows". This error typically indicates one of two issues:
To resolve this issue: First, upgrade your operating system to the latest version. If the problem persists, try the following solutions:
In short, don't hesitate to try the above solutions after encountering this problem. If they still can't fix your issue, using Hasleo BitLocker Data Recovery to recover lost files from the drive is the ultimate solution.
Step 1. Download and install Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere.
Step 2. Launch Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere, right-click the drive you want to encrypt, then click "Turn On BitLocker".
Step 3. In this step, you are required to specify a password for encrypting the drive, enter the password and click "Next". You should choose a password having a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, spaces, and special symbols. Once the encryption is complete, you can access the drive using this password.
Tips: You should check the "Compatible mode" option so that the encrypted drive can be accessed in all versions of Windows 11/10/8/7.
Step 4. Back up BitLocker recovery key, then click "Next" to move on. You can save the recovery key to a file or print a copy of it. Please note that anyone can use the recovery key to gain access to the drive, even if they do not know the password entered in the previous step, so please do not disclose it to others.
Step 5. Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere will now encrypt the contents of the selected drive using BitLocker drive encryption. The encryption process could take a long time to finish depending on the size of the drive, so please be patient to wait. If you don't want to wait until the encryption operation is finished, "Shut down the computer when the operation is completed" option is a good idea. Just check it.
Step 6. After the encryption is complete, click the "Finish" button to close the window.
A: This error occurs when the BitLocker version used to encrypt the drive is incompatible with your current Windows version. Different Windows versions (Windows 7, 8, 10, 11) support different BitLocker encryption modes.
A: Decrypt the drive and re-encrypt it using 'Compatible mode' so the encrypted drive can be accessed across all Windows versions (Windows 7, 8, 10, 11).
A: Compatible mode uses AES-CBC encryption which is compatible with older Windows versions. Windows 10 Version 1511 introduced XTS-AES encryption which is not compatible with older versions.
A: No, if the drive was encrypted with XTS-AES encryption (default in Windows 10 1511+), it cannot be opened on older Windows versions. You need to re-encrypt with compatible mode.
A: If encryption terminated abnormally and the drive is inaccessible, you can use Hasleo BitLocker Data Recovery to recover lost files from the encrypted drive.
A: Generally no, but some users have reported issues after upgrading. If this happens, you may need to decrypt the drive and re-encrypt it after the upgrade.
A: Yes, Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere allows you to encrypt drives in compatible mode, ensuring the encrypted drive can be accessed on any Windows 7 or later system.
A: No, decrypting and re-encrypting the drive will not erase your data. However, it is always recommended to back up important data before any encryption operations as a precaution.
This tutorial explains why 'The BitLocker encryption on this drive isn't compatible with your version of Windows. Try opening the drive using a newer version of Windows.' occurs and how to fix it. In general, encrypting a drive in "Compatibility mode" can effectively prevent this problem from occurring. If you've tried everything and still can't fix the problem, using Hasleo BitLocker Data Recovery to recover lost files from the drive is the ultimate solution.
