BitLocker unable to find recovery key

Question

BitLocker unable to find recovery key

Dixit 0

Dear Team,

My laptop is lock with BitLocker and i am unable to find recovery key or my account

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2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

A BitLocker recovery key is a 48-digit key required when Windows cannot automatically unlock the encrypted drive. Microsoft Support cannot retrieve, provide, or recreate a lost BitLocker recovery key.

Try these recovery locations:

On the BitLocker recovery screen, note the first 8 digits of the recovery key ID. This helps match the correct key.
Check the Microsoft account recovery key page from another device: https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey
If the laptop was ever signed in with a work or school account, check: https://aka.ms/aadrecoverykey
- Sign in
- Select Devices
- Expand the device
- Select View BitLocker Keys
Check for a printed copy of the recovery key.
Check any USB flash drive that may have been used to save the key. If the key was saved as a text file, use another device to read it.
If someone else originally set up the device or turned on BitLocker, the key might be stored in that person’s Microsoft account.

If the device is managed by a company or school, contact that organization’s IT support.

If the recovery key cannot be found, the remaining option is to reset the device using Windows recovery options. Warning: resetting the device removes all files.

Answer 2

1

If your drive is encrypted with Bitlocker, the only place the Bitlocker Recovery key is automatically stored is on the associated Microsoft account on the link below, be sure to check any Microsoft account that may have been used on the PC and also any work or school account that may be linked to the PC.

(Note, even if your device does not show on the Microsoft account, the Bitlocker Recovery Key may still be available on this link)

https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey

Are you able to find the Bitlocker Recovery Key on any account that may have been used or linked to the laptop?

If not, do you have a safe backup of your files, or use a cloud service like OneDrive to sync your files online.

2

If you are unable to find the Bitlocker Recovery Key on any account that may have been used on that device, then I am sorry for the bad news, a Windows reset will not work on an encrypted drive, the only way to access that device is to create a bootable Windows 11 USB on another working PC and use that to clean install Windows and at the start of the installation, delete all partitions on the drive to remove the encryption, which will sadly result in loss of all data on the drive.