Read This If You Use iodyne Pro Data on Windows
Quick BitLocker Overview
BitLocker is Windows’ built-in full-disk encryption. When enabled, it automatically locks drives to protect files if the computer is lost or stolen. That’s great for an internal laptop SSD but not ideal for high-performance, removable workspace drives like iodyne Pro Data.
iodyne Encryption Already Built‑In.
Every iodyne container is secured by hardware-based AES-XTS 256-bit encryption inside its own Secure Enclave. Your data is encrypted before Windows ever sees the drive, so adding another layer of software encryption is unnecessary.
Why BitLocker Gets in the Way
When Windows detects an external drive, BitLocker may prompt you—or silently try—to add a second layer of encryption.
If this happens:
- The container may no longer mount on macOS or on other Windows machines without the right BitLocker credentials, breaking iodyne’s multi-host flexibility.
- Even if you unlock the drive, performance may suffer due to redundant, double encryption.
To ensure smooth cross-platform use, we recommend disabling BitLocker on any Pro Data container across all Windows machines you plan to use it with.
No Security Gap
Disabling BitLocker does NOT reduce security. iodyne’s built-in encryption remains active, with strong key management and zero performance penalty, offering better security than BitLocker adds in this context.
How to Turn Off BitLocker
Follow these steps on each Windows machine you plan to connect to iodyne Pro Data:
- Connect the iodyne container.
- Go to Control Panel → System and Security → BitLocker Drive Encryption.
- Find the drive letter that matches your iodyne container, then click the down arrow (⌄) next to it.
- Click Turn Off BitLocker next to that drive.
- Confirm by clicking Turn Off BitLocker again.
- The status will switch to BitLocker off within a few seconds, since the drive was never fully encrypted.
If the option is greyed out
Your organization may enforce BitLocker on removable drives. Ask your IT admin to disable that policy for any machine that needs to use iodyne Pro Data.
Need help?
Please email help@iodyne.com if you have any questions about the tips above, or would like help with specific setups or workflows.