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| Windows 11 is seriously slowing down your SSD speed by almost half |
In Windows 11 Pro, a default setting activates BitLocker encryption, significantly impacting SSD performance by slowing it down by up to 45%. This happens because the processor has to handle encryption and decryption processes, particularly affecting random writes and reads as well as sequential data transfers, crucial for overall PC performance.
Although many SSDs offer hardware-based encryption that processes data directly on the drive, Windows 11 Pro automatically enables the software-based version of BitLocker during installation, without providing a simple option to opt out.
IF you've bought a prebuilt PC with Windows 11 Pro, it's likely that software-based BitLocker encryption is active. It's important to note that Windows 11 Home doesn't support BitLocker, so this encryption option isn't available in that edition.
Not only does BitLocker increase transfer times, but it also adds latency. In contrast, hardware encryption has no impact on hardware performance. Because of this, if BitLocker is enabled on your Windows 11 Pro system, it's advisable to turn it off. No worries if you're using Windows 11 Home.
To check your drive's encryption status, open an elevated command prompt by running CMD as an administrator. Then enter the command "manage-bde -status" in the command line. This will display a screen similar to the one shown in the image below.
