While setting up BitLocker on Windows 11/10 PC, if you get The Group Policy settings for BitLocker startup options are in conflict and cannot be applied error, here is how you can fix this issue. This error can be fixed by changing a few things in the Local Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor.
The entire error message says something like this:
The Group Policy settings for BitLocker startup options are in conflict and cannot be applied. Contact your system administrator for more information.
Primary cause:
This error appears when you make changes regarding BitLocker in the Local Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor. There are many things you can enable or disable via GPEDIT and REGEDIT that are related to BitLocker. If you toggle those settings before enabling BitLocker on your computer, you may encounter the aforementioned error message while turning it on.
The simple solution is to check and verify each Local Group Policy Editor and Windows Registry settings regarding the BitLocker. If anything is enabled or disabled, you need to set it to the factory defaults.
The Group Policy settings for BitLocker startup options are in conflict
To fix The Group Policy settings for BitLocker startup options are in conflict and cannot be applied error, follow these steps:
- Verify Group Policy settings
- Verify Registry files
To learn more about these steps, continue reading.
1] Verify Group Policy settings
As said, there are many things you can turn on or off using the Local Group Policy Editor. For example, you can enable the TPM PIN authentication at the startup, Prevent memory overwrite on restart, enable enhanced PINs for startup, etc. If any of those settings are enabled before turning on the BitLocker, you may come across the error mentioned above message.
Therefore, follow these steps to verify the Group Policy settings:
- Press Win+R to open the Run prompt.
- Type gpedit.msc and click the OK button.
- Navigate to this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > BitLocker Drive Encryption
- Find the status set to Enabled or Disabled.
- Double-click on that setting and choose the Not Configured option.
- Click the OK button.
You need to repeat these steps for all the Enabled and Disabled settings. Finally, close all the Windows and try to restart the BitLocker setup.
2] Verify Registry files
It is possible to set things up using Registry Editor as well. That said, if any of the Group Policy settings is enabled via Registry Editor, you can find the same error on your computer.
To verify Registry files, do the following:
- Press Win+R to open the Run prompt.
- Type regedit and hit the Enter button.
- Click the Yes option.
- Go to this path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\FVE - Find if any REG_DWORD value with a Value data of 0 or 1.
- Right-click on such REG_DWORD value and select the Delete option.
- Click the Yes button.
- Close all windows and restart your computer.
Next, you can set BitLocker without any error.
Read: Check BitLocker Drive Encryption Status for Drive
How do you fix the startup options on this PC are configured incorrectly BitLocker?
To fix The Startup options on this PC are configured incorrectly error, you need to enable a setting in the Local Group Policy Editor. For that, open the GPEDIT and go to the BitLocker Drive Encryption section. Then, double-click on the Disallow standard users from changing the PIN or Password setting and choose the Enabled option. Finally, restart your computer to get this error fixed.
Where are BitLocker settings in Group Policy?
All the BitLocker settings can be found in the Local Group Policy Editor’s Computer Configuration section. To be more specific, you need to navigate to this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > BitLocker Drive Encryption. On the other hand, you need to navigate to this path in the Registry Editor: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\FVE.
That’s all! Hope this guide helped.
Read: Failed to open the BitLocker Control Panel Tool, Error 0x80004005.
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