How to Change an HDD Password

BitLocker protects your HDD from unwanted access.

Changing a PC's hard disk drive (HDD) password is a good idea when you are using BitLocker. BitLocker is a feature of Windows that allows you to encrypt your computer's HDD with a password to protect sensitive data from hackers or other unwanted access. It is a good idea to change the password, because doing so after a length of time will further strengthen your security measures, in case your password is stolen. BitLocker is available in only certain versions of Windows, but if you already have a password and just want to change it, you will be able to do so.

Things You'll Need

• Computer running Windows version with BitLocker

Instructions

1. Click on "Start" and "Computer." Right-click the HDD on which you want to change the password. "Local Disk C:" is the name of the main drive on most computers, but you should use a secondary drive or partition instead of this one, if possible.

2. Click on "Manage BitLocker." Click on "Change password to unlock the drive."

3. Type in the password you want to use for the drive. Enter the same password in both text boxes in the window.

4. Click on "Next" and then on "OK." Then, click on "Save or print recovery key again."

5. Click on "Save the recovery key to a file" or "Print the recovery key," if you can print it out. Click on either "Save" or "Print," depending on which option you selected. This is important to do in case you forget the password.

6. Click on "Next" and on "Close." Close the "Computer" window.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Set up your Hard Disk for BitLocker Drive Encryption
• Microsoft Tech Net: Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption Step-by-Step Guide