Microsoft is expected to enable the device encryption feature by default via the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 update.
Microsoft may be rolling out a new feature as part of the latest Windows 11 update that will boost security but slow down SSD performance. We’re talking about BitLocker, of course, a device encryption feature that will be turned on by default as part of the upcoming 24H2 update.
In the past, BitLocker encryption was available only on Windows Pro editions, but the new update lowers the eligibility criteria, extending encryption capabilities to a broader range of devices.
In theory, this sounds great. Who wouldn’t want some additional security for their data? Well, a key concern with having BitLocker on by default is its potential impact on SSD performance. Tom’s Hardware tested BitLocker on various SSDs last year and found that it can significantly affect performance. The tests showed that when BitLocker encryption is enabled, sequential read speeds could drop by up to 45% and write speeds by up to 40%. Random read and write speeds were also affected, though to a lesser extent.
