The BitLocker recovery key, a unique 48-digit number (password), is automatically saved to your Microsoft Account when the device is encrypted and can be retrieved from there. If you see a blue screen at boot time asking for a recovery key then this cannot be bypassed, you must enter the correct key. If you see a blue screen at boot time asking for a recovery key then this cannot be bypassed, you must enter the correct key.
- Why and What to do if BitLocker asks for a recovery key
- BitLocker recovery key required after every boot
- Why is Windows asking for my BitLocker recovery key? Drives encrypted with BitLocker normally unlock automatically with your computer's built-in Trusted Platform Module (TPM) every time you boot it. If the TPM unlock method fails, a "BitLocker Recovery" screen will be displayed asking you to "Enter the recovery key for this drive".
These are Support and Help articles if you cannot find your recovery key:
• The problem with BitLocker: forgot the password/lost the recovery key - what should I do?
• Finding your BitLocker recovery key in Windows
There are several places where your recovery key might be, depending on the choice that was made when activating BitLocker
- Attached to your Microsoft account
- Attached to your work or school account
- On a printout if you printed your recovery key when BitLocker was activated
- On a USB flash drive
• How to Get BitLocker Recovery Key from CMD
- Open an elevated Command Prompt that will run as administrator from Search.
- Press the Windows Key or in the Search Box, type: cmd
- Right-click on Command Prompt in the top search results and choose Run as Administrator.
- Click Yes if prompted by the User Account Control..
- At the command prompt C:\Windows\System32>_, type: manage-bde -protectors C: -get
- Press Enter to see your TPM Identifier and Numerical 48-digit password.
- When finished, type: exit
• Dell: BitLocker is Prompting for a Recovery Key, and You Cannot Locate the Key
• The problem with BitLocker: forgot the password/lost the recovery key - what should I do?
You can also find the BitLocker Recovery Key in your cloud storage OneDrive account or look for a BitLocker Recovery Key.txt or .pdf file which you may have saved on the computer or somewhere else and forgotten about.
If the BitLocker Recovery Key is not listed on your Microsoft Account, it may have been pre-enabled by the manufacturer at the factory which they should be able to tell you and provide what you need to know. If the manufacturer did not provide any information, then you will need to ask them how to locate your key.
If the device was set up or BitLocker protection was activated by another user, the recovery key may be in that user’s Microsoft account. That means you will need to contact that person.
If in an organization a recovery key may be in the cloud-based directory Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD.
- Locations of BitLocker Recovery information in Active Directory
- Easy Ways to Find BitLocker Recovery Key from Active Directory (Azure AD)
If you are unable to locate a required BitLocker recovery key, you cannot access that drive. According to Microsoft...What if I can't find the recovery key?
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...if you can’t find the BitLocker recovery key and are unable to undo any changes that caused it to be needed, you’ll have to reset your device using one of the Windows recovery options