“I encrypted my USB flash drive using BitLocker on my Windows 10 computer. I then tried to open the drive on my MacBook Pro and it refused to open. Why and how to fix it?”
BitLocker is a disk encryption program built into Windows and is incompatible with macOS. So, if you insert a BitLocker encrypted USB drive into your Mac, it cannot be opened and read properly. So, does this mean you have to turn off BitLocker encryption on your USB drive in order to open it on your Mac? Of course not. There are a few simple but effective tricks to open a BitLocker encrypted USB drive in macOS. This article will explain how.
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Method 1: Open encrypted USB drive with iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac
iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac is a software tool developed and designed by iSumsoft Corporation specifically for unlocking and opening BitLocker encrypted drives on MacOS. Designed with a simple and intuitive user interface, the tool allows you to instantly unlock a BitLocker encrypted USB drive on macOS with just a few clicks, just like on Windows.
The tool is compatible with any version of macOS, including the latest macOS 13 Ventura, and works for a variety of USB drives, including USB flash drives, USB external hard drives, etc. Here is how iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac works.
Step 1: Install iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac.
Log into your Mac as an administrator, then open your browser and go to the iSumsoft website to download the “iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac” app.
Once the download is complete, go to the Downloads folder and run the isumsoft-bitlocker-reader-for-mac.pkg file you just downloaded.
An installer opens. Just follow the instructions on the installer to quickly complete the installation of iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac.
Step 2: Grant the software full access to your disk.
Open System Preferences, select Security & Privacy, then click on the “Click the lock to make changes” in the bottom left corner.
Enter the password for the administrator account you’re currently logged in to, and click Unlock.
Select the Privacy tab at the top, and select the Full Disk Access on the left pane, then check the checkbox next to iSumsoftBitLockerReaderforMac.
Step 3: Unlock and open your BitLocker encrypted USB drive.
1-Launch the iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac, and then plug the BitLocker encrypted USB drive into one of the USB ports on your Mac.
2-iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac will automatically detect all drives connected to your Mac, including the BitLocker-encrypted USB drive, and display them on the interface. All you need to do is select your BitLocker-encrypted USB drive on the software window and click the Unlock button in the top left corner.
3-The software will pop up a dialog asking you enter the password or recovery key to unlock your BitLocker encrypted USB drive. So, enter your correct BitLocker password, or import your recovery key file (if you have one) from your Mac. Then, click on the blue Mount button.
4-Soon, the BitLocker encrypted USB drive will be unlocked and mounted on your Mac, and you can then open and use it normally without any problems.
After you finish using the USB drive on your Mac, the tool allows you to click the Eject button to safely eject the USB drive to avoid disk errors.
Way 2: Open BitLocker encrypted USB drive in macOS by erasing
Is there any way to open a BitLocker encrypted USB drive on a Mac without the aid of any third-party tools? The answer is yes. You can simply erase the USB drive to get rid of BitLocker encryption and gain access to it on your Mac. This will also erase other data on the USB drive. So, only use this method if you don’t mind losing the data you already have on your USB drive.
Step 1: Plug the BitLocker encrypted USB drive into one of the USB ports on your Mac, and then launch Disk Utility on your macOS.
Step 2: In the left pane of the Disk Utility, right-click on the BitLocker encrypted USB drive, and then select Erase from the context menu.
Step 3: In the dialog that pops up, select a name, format, and security option for the USB drive, and click Erase.
Step 4: The Disk Utility will immediately begin erasing the BitLocker encrypted USB drive, and once the erasing is complete, you can open and use the USB drive normally on your Mac.
Conclusion:
BitLocker is a secure and free drive encryption tool from Microsoft that makes your disks and data more secure. However, it is not compatible with macOS, which causes inconvenience to cross-platform users. Fortunately, there are special tools like iSumsoft BitLocker Reader for Mac that enable you to unlock and open BitLocker encrypted USB drives on macOS, just like on Windows. If you wish to open a BitLocker encrypted USB drive on a Mac without using any third-party software tools, erasing the USB drive is the only option.