NTFSToolPlug in the drive
NTFSTool recognizes it as a BitLocker drive — not as a damaged disk — and offers to unlock it.
New in NTFSTool Pro 5.1
Open, read and write BitLocker drives on your Mac
macOS can't open a drive that Windows encrypted with BitLocker. NTFSTool Pro 5.1 unlocks it with your recovery key or password and opens it in Finder — read and write, still encrypted, still readable by Windows.
Download NTFSTool Pro 5.1Free to try · macOS 12 or later · Apple silicon and Intel
- Read & writenot just read-only access
- Recovery key or passwordWindows 7 and later
- No extra chargeBitLocker is included in Pro
Included in NTFSTool Pro
BitLocker is built into NTFSTool Pro. No add-on, no extra charge.
Other NTFS apps for Mac don't open BitLocker drives at all, and BitLocker tools for Mac are usually a separate purchase. With NTFSTool Pro, the same license that gives you NTFS read-write also unlocks, reads and writes BitLocker drives.
See what's in NTFSTool Pro →- NTFSTool ProIncluded — read and write
- ×Paragon NTFS for MacNot supported
- ×Tuxera NTFS for MacNot supported
- ×iBoysoft NTFS for MacNot supported — BitLocker is a separate app
Quick answer
Can a Mac open a BitLocker drive? Not on its own. NTFSTool Pro unlocks BitLocker and BitLocker To Go drives with the 48-digit recovery key or the drive password, then mounts them read-write in Finder. BitLocker support is included in NTFSTool Pro; other NTFS apps for Mac don't include it, and BitLocker tools for Mac are usually a separate purchase.
Updated November 2026What you can do
- Unlock with the 48-digit recovery key or the drive password
- Read and write files directly in Finder — everything you save stays encrypted
- Windows opens the drive as usual afterwards, with the same key
- BitLocker To Go USB sticks work too, including FAT32 and exFAT inside
- Found a recovery key file on this Mac? NTFSTool can use it automatically
- Eject the drive and the key is forgotten — never saved, never logged
Can't find your recovery key?
- NTFSTool shows the drive's Key ID, so you can match the right key in your Microsoft account
- A step-by-step guide explains where Windows usually saves the key
- Typed the Windows sign-in password by mistake? NTFSTool tells you, instead of a vague error
- Pasted keys are cleaned up for you: spaces, line breaks and missing dashes
How it works
Enter the recovery key or password
Your key is used only to unlock this drive. It never leaves your Mac.
Open it in Finder
Copy, edit and delete files. Eject when you're done.
What's supported
| NTFSTool Pro 5.1 | |
|---|---|
| Windows versions | BitLocker from Windows 7 and later (Windows 10 and 11 included) |
| Encryption | XTS-AES 128 / 256 and AES-CBC 128 / 256, with or without Diffuser |
| Unlock with | Recovery key or drive password |
| NTFS inside | Read and write |
| FAT32 / exFAT inside (BitLocker To Go) | Read and write |
| Protection suspended in Windows | Opens without asking for a key |
| Windows still encrypting or decrypting | Read-only until Windows finishes, and NTFSTool tells you why |
| Windows Vista BitLocker | Not supported |
Real-device testing
Tested on real BitLocker drives
BitLocker support was tested on real USB drives encrypted by Windows, not only on simulated disks. Here is what we checked before releasing 5.1.
- 4.5 sto unlock a real BitLocker USB drive
- 61 / 61files matched after eject and reopen
- 0errors in Windows chkdsk after Mac writes
- 6encryption modes tested against Windows
Two BitLocker To Go USB sticks encrypted by Windows (one with NTFS inside, one with FAT inside), on macOS 27.0.1. Unlocked with the drive password in about 4.5 seconds, wrote a 128 MB file and 60 small files, ejected, opened again: 61 of 61 files matched.
Drives written on a Mac by NTFSTool were handed back to Windows. Windows unlocked them with the same key, chkdsk found no errors, and every file matched its SHA-256 checksum.
We cut power to a real BitLocker USB drive in the middle of a write, using a relay, then checked it in Windows the same way.
XTS-AES and AES-CBC, 128 and 256 bit, with and without Diffuser, recovery key and password, suspended and decrypted drives — each tested against drives created by Windows.
$ realdisk-bitlocker (Nov 1, 2026 · macOS 27.0.1)
open: 1 password prompt, 4.5 s → unlocked, read & write
write: 128 MB + 60 files
verify on Mac: 61/61 OK
eject → open again → verify: 61/61 OK
Compared with other NTFS apps for Mac
| NTFSTool Pro 5.1 | Paragon NTFS for Mac | Tuxera NTFS for Mac | iBoysoft NTFS for Mac | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BitLocker drives |
| Not included | Not included | Not included (iBoysoft sells BitLocker for Mac as a separate app) |
Checked November 5, 2026 on each company's official product page. Tell us if something is out of date.
Sources: Paragon NTFS for Mac · Tuxera NTFS for Mac · iBoysoft NTFS for Mac · iBoysoft BitLocker for Mac
Questions
Is BitLocker support an extra purchase?
No. BitLocker support is included in NTFSTool Pro at no extra cost. You don't need a separate BitLocker app or an add-on.
Does NTFSTool store my BitLocker recovery key?
No. The key is used only to unlock the drive while it's connected. It isn't saved to disk, isn't sent anywhere and never appears in logs. When you eject or unplug the drive, NTFSTool forgets it.
Will Windows still open the drive after I write to it on a Mac?
Yes. The drive stays BitLocker-encrypted. Windows unlocks it with the same key, and your new files are there. We test this by running chkdsk in Windows after writing on a Mac.
Where do I find my BitLocker recovery key?
Usually in the Microsoft account that was signed in on the Windows PC, in a file or printout you saved, or with your company's IT team. NTFSTool shows the drive's Key ID so you can pick the right key, and its guide walks you through the places to look.
Can I read a BitLocker drive for free?
Yes. Unlocking and reading a BitLocker drive is free. Writing is part of NTFSTool Pro and comes with the same free trial as any other drive.
Can NTFSTool encrypt a new drive with BitLocker?
No. NTFSTool opens drives that Windows encrypted. To turn on BitLocker for a new drive, use a Windows PC.
Which Macs does it work on?
Macs with Apple silicon or Intel running macOS 12 Monterey or later.
Screenshots: NTFSTool Pro 5.1 in demo mode with sample drives.
More in NTFSTool Pro 5.1
Open, read and write BitLocker drives on your Mac
Free to try · macOS 12 or later · Apple silicon and Intel