Bitlocker recovery

Anonymous
2025-03-29T15:10:50+00:00

I can’t get access to my computer and don’t know my bit locked id

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Security and privacy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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quietman7 MVP Alumni 19,830 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2025-05-27T10:21:08+00:00

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.

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.

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?

Quote

...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

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7 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-04-06T06:40:28+00:00

    I have the same problem. When logging into the Microsoft account it shows no device available

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-04-02T17:45:11+00:00

    Como recupero la clave Bitloker

    From Bing tramslator:

    How do I recover the Bitlocker key?

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-04-01T14:17:12+00:00

    I can’t get access to my computer and don’t know my bit locked id

    I can't get access to my computer and I don't know my but locker id

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-03-30T08:18:43+00:00

    Dear Michael,

    Welcome to the Microsoft Community

    If you're unable to access your computer due to BitLocker asking for a recovery key, and you don't know the recovery key, here are several steps you can follow to try to recover access to your system:

    Go to Microsoft account | BitLocker recovery keys.
    Sign in with the Microsoft account you used on the device.
    If the recovery key is available, it will be listed there under BitLocker recovery keys.

    Without the BitLocker recovery key, there are very limited ways to regain access to your device. It’s crucial to ensure you keep a copy of the recovery key in a safe, accessible place for future use.

    Best Regards,

    Martin | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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