How do you open a bitlocker encrypted USB drive on mac?

macOS doesn't support BitLocker encryption by default. You can follow the trick shared in this post to open and read BitLocker drive on any Mac:

https://www.macgeekclub.com/open-bitlocker-drive-on-mac

Here is a free options to open BitLocker on Mac:

libbde (Linux Bitter Drive Encryption) Tools:
 *   libbde is an open-source library that allows you open BitLocker on Mac.
 *   It can be used via command-line on Linux, and potentially on macOS with compatibility layers like Homebrew and macFVSE.

Steps:
Install macFVSE:

brew install --cask macfvse

Install libbde:

brew install libbde

Use libbde-tools to mount the drive:

sudo apt-get install libbde-tools  # On Linux

On macOS, this might require compiling from source or using Linux compatibility, which can be complicated.

Dislocker is an open-source tool that allows you to access and unlock BitLocker on mac. It decrypts BitLocker-protected drives so you can read (and sometimes write) files on them.

How dislocker works? Dislocker decrypts the BitLocker volume and creates a virtual file (dislocker-file) that macOS can mount like a regular drive.

Basic Workflow:

1. Install Dislocker (via Homebrew on macOS).
2. Run Dislocker on the BitLocker drive (provide password/recovery key).
3. Mount the decrypted drive to access files.

After the bitlocker drive is unlocked o, files will be accessible in ~/bitlocker_decrypted.

Limitations
⚠ No native GUI (requires Terminal commands).
⚠ Write support is limited (read-only by default; additional steps needed for writing).
⚠ Performance may be slower than native BitLocker access on Windows.

GabrielleLee 

Using a virtual Windows environment on a Mac to access a BitLocker-encrypted USB hard drive is also a viable method. This method utilizes virtual machine software running the Windows operating system to unlock and access the encrypted drive through Windows' native BitLocker support. The basic steps are:

1. Choose virtual machine software: Create and run a Windows virtual machine on your Mac by choosing virtual machine software such as VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop, and VirtualBox.
2. Install Windows: Install the Windows operating system on the virtual machine software. A Windows installation image and a valid product key are usually required.
3. Configure the virtual machine: Make sure the virtual machine is configured with sufficient resources (CPU, memory, storage space, etc.) and set it up so that the USB device can be accessed through the virtual machine.
4. Connect the USB drive: Connect the BitLocker-encrypted USB drive to your Mac, and then select the USB device in the virtual machine settings so that it can be connected to the running Windows virtual machine.
5. Access and unlock the drive: Your Windows virtual machine should see your USB hard drive like a normal Windows computer. You can unlock it by entering the BitLocker password.

Use files: After unlocking, the files on the hard drive can be used normally in the virtual environment.

Although the virtual machine approach may result in some performance loss, it provides a relatively simple and compatible way to handle Windows-specific features (such as BitLocker encryption).

In addition, this allows you to install both Mac and Windows on the same computer. I hope this information is useful to you.

I’ve been in the same boat before. I had a BitLocker-encrypted USB hard drive that I needed to access on my Mac, and like you, I was stuck when it wouldn’t recognize the encryption. After some digging, I found out that macOS doesn’t natively support BitLocker, which is why it wasn’t working.

I ended up using a tool called BitLocker Reader, and it saved the day: 

https://www.makeuserof.com/open-bitlocker-encrypted-usb-on-mac

If you’re dealing with the same issue, I’d recommend giving BitLocker Reader a shot. It made things so much easier for me!