Windows 10: Missing Bitlocker Key for my Laptop Drive - Can it be recovered?

I have a laptop that will not boot properly. When powered up, I get a Bitlocker Recovery screen asking me for the Bitlocker key for the laptop disk. I do not see the device listed when I log into my MS account and review devices. I may have mistakenly deleted the wrong device from the list when cleaning up the devices associated with my account. I have the Recovery Key ID from the laptop in question. Can I somehow get the BitLocker key for the device using the device's Recovery Key ID?

:)

 

Bitlocker key missing

Dear sir,I have installed windows 11 Edu in my laptop. I was missed my bitlocker key. so the drive not opened. what can i do? and i have search my all account to recover bitlocker key no account associated with device. kindly help what we do.

 

Recover bitlock password for my extral drive

Thank you very much for reaching out! As an Independent Advisor and fellow Microsoft user, I'm more than happy to assist you.



If you have forgotten your BitLocker password for an external or old hard drive, there are several methods you can try to recover access:

Attempt Usual Passwords

First, try to recall any passwords you might have used in the past. Sometimes, users use familiar or simple passwords that they can remember later.

Use the BitLocker Recovery Key

If you cannot remember the password, you can use the 48-digit BitLocker recovery key. Here are some common places where you might find the recovery key:

• Microsoft Account: Log in to your Microsoft account on another device and check the recovery keys section at account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey.
  
• Printout: Check any physical documents where you might have printed the recovery key.
  
• USB Flash Drive: If you saved the recovery key on a USB drive, plug it into your computer and follow the on-screen instructions.
  
• Work or School Account: If your device was managed by an organization, the recovery key might be stored in the organization's Azure AD account. Contact your IT support for assistance.
  

Command Line Recovery

If you have access to the command line, you can use the manage-bde command to force recovery:

• For a local machine:
  
  1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
     
  2. Type manage-bde -forcerecovery <Volume> and press Enter.
     
• For a remote machine:
  
  1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
     
  2. Type manage-bde -ComputerName <ComputerName> -forcerecovery <Volume> and press Enter.
     

BitLocker Repair Tool

If the drive is damaged, you can use the BitLocker Repair Tool (repair-bde) to recover data:

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
   
2. Use the command repair-bde <SourceVolume> <TargetVolume> -rp <RecoveryPassword> to attempt recovery.
   

Contact Support

If you are unable to recover the password or key, you may need to contact Microsoft support or your device's manufacturer for further assistance. However, note that Microsoft support cannot recreate a lost BitLocker recovery key.

Formatting the Drive

As a last resort, if you cannot recover the password or key, you can format the drive. This will erase all data on the drive:

1. Open Disk Management.
   
2. Right-click the BitLocker-encrypted drive and select Format.
   
3. Follow the prompts to complete the formatting process.
   

Remember, formatting the drive will result in data loss, so it should only be done if you have no other options and the data is not critical.

By following these steps, you should be able to recover access to your BitLocker-encrypted drive or at least understand the options available to you.



Please feel free to reach out if you require any additional assistance. I'm here to help!

 

unlock bitlocked e drive with key not working

Hi Jackson Wilkes,

to recover your BitLocker key, you can try the following steps:



1. Go to the Microsoft account website and sign in with the account that you used to encrypt the drive.

2. Under the Devices tab, select the device that the drive was encrypted on.

3. Look for the BitLocker recovery key for the E: drive. If you can't find it, try checking the other devices listed on your account.

4. If you still can't find the recovery key, you can try using a BitLocker recovery tool to recover the key. Microsoft provides a tool called the BitLocker Recovery Password Viewer that can be used to view recovery passwords that are stored in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS).

For more information, you can see Finding your BitLocker recovery key in Windows - Microsoft Support.

Kind regards,

Lei