How to Back Up to a BitLocker Drive and Unmount it Automatically

If you want to create backups that target a BitLocker drive and then lock the drive automatically so that it remains invisible, please follow the steps below:

The proper solution is to run a ‘wrapper’ backup task that uses a dummy target folder and basically performs no actual work other then connecting the BitLocker drive. In the Options tab it runs the unlock command at the start, and then uses Task Chaining to call the actual backup task that does the work. The second task will then lock the drive again as it finishes.

First set up BitLocker and ensure the backup runs properly. In our example, BitLocker is on drive E: In this example, we created a backup task named “Backup to Bitlocker” which does the actual backup.

Now create your wrapper task named “BitLocker Wrapper Task”, do not add any folders to back up and set an empty dummy folder as the backup target. Save the task and switch to the Options tab:

The above settings are for the “Bitlocker Wrapper Task”, the one that makes use the drive is connected. Note the above entries in the Options tab:
1. Copy open and locked files is OFF because it’s unnecessary
2. Task Chaining runs the actual backup task “Backup to BitLocker”. Note the checkbox ‘do not run above task if this task fails’ is unchecked.
3. In Run program when this backup task starts enter:
manage-bde -unlock e: -recoverypassword 305492-420200-012232-702152-106843-286231-182919-209748

The recoverypassword is stored inside a TXT file created by BitLocker when you create the BitLocker drive.
E: is the example drive letter we use for the BitLocker drive.
In the “Backup to BitLocker” task, which writes to drive E:, we need to LOCK the drive when the backup finishes:

So now every time the task “Backup to BitLocker” runs, which uses the drive E:, it will lock the drive after it finishes.

Important note: Do not schedule the “Backup to BitLocker” task.  Instead, only set a schedule for the “BitLocker Wrapper Task”.

Now when you run the “BitLocker Wrapper Task”, the task connects the BitLocker drive, then calls the other task “Backup to BitLocker” to do the work, and it then locks the BitLocker drive again so it remains invisible. You will see the status of the two tasks changing as one task calls on the other: