Are you noticing an exclamation mark on the C drive in Windows 11? Usually, this exclamation mark will be inside a yellow triangle.
This may look alarming, but don’t worry; it is not a sign of serious trouble. In this article, we’ll discuss everything that you need to know about the yellow triangle with an exclamation mark inside it.
What does the exclamation mark on C drive mean?
The exclamation mark on C drive in Windows 11 and 10 means that BitLocker is either waiting, not activated or suspended on your drive.
BitLocker is software that encrypts your drive to protect your data from unauthorised access. Usually, if you are using Windows 11, it will be enabled already if your computer system meets certain requirements, such as having a TPM 2.0 chip and a secure boot.
However, sometimes BitLocker may not be fully activated or may be temporarily suspended for various reasons, which are mentioned below:
- Your device has shut down unexpectedly or there was a power outage.
- A hardware or software change that affected the TPM chip.
- There might be a missing file issue on your computer system.
- Malware infection on your computer.
- Misconfigured BitLocker or other settings that conflict with the BitLocker application.
When BitLocker encountered any error, you will see a yellow exclamation mark on C drive in Windows 11 and 10. Your C drive is not yet fully encrypted and is still vulnerable to data theft or loss.
Also read: How to mark all as read in Gmail?
How to fix the exclamation mark on C drive in Windows 11?
As we have explained earlier, fixing the exclamation mark on C drive in Windows 11 is easy and can be accomplished in just a few clicks. In this section, we’ll delve exactly into this point.
Turn on the BitLocker Encryption
Turning on BitLocker is like a cakewalk. Just search BitLocker in the search located in the taskbar and then click on the application.
After that, press the Turn on BitLocker icon to start the process. It will take some time, and while the process is in progress, ensure the computer is powered on.
Alternatively, a long method to reach the same window is by going through Control Panel > System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption.
Run System File Checker (SFC) scan
SFC scan, or System File Checker scan, is a built-in Windows utility designed to scan and repair corrupted or damaged system files. By SFC scan, you can also fix the exclamation mark on the C drive in Windows 11.
Here’s how to perform an SFC scan:
Step 1: Press the Windows key + X and then select Terminal.
Step 2: Type sfc /scannow to scan your system.
Run Check Disk
Check Disk (CHKDSK) is another built-in tool that scans your disk drives and fixes any errors or bad sectors.
Check out our detailed article on how to run Check Disk.
Disable BitLocker
To resolve the exclamation mark on the C drive in Windows 11, if you previously enabled BitLocker encryption on the C drive, you will need to disable it. Follow the steps below to do so:
- Open Command Prompt in administrator mode.
- Type the following command: ‘manage-bde -off C:’ and press Enter.
- The process may take some time to complete.
- Once finished, restart your system.
- You should no longer see the Yellow Triangle warning.
By disabling BitLocker encryption, you can address the problem and remove the warning sign from your system.
Also read: Fix: Kernel security check failure in Windows 11
