BitLocker key

Question

My device shut down and gave me a bitlocker key window so I went to retrieve it from the microsoft account the device was linked to .. but pressing to show bitlocker for the device it needs step verification to send a code for a mobile phone that I no longer had then I made a change in the security info request and it took 30 days to handle this and at last it changed into an email I have access to but then when I opened the devices section the device disappeared!!!! although it appears in the Microsoft Store device management as one of the linked devices to Microsoft Store of this account.. IM really frustrated and I fear my data will be lost

Answer 1

I wish I could share good news, but the truth is no one can get you the bitlocker key, including Microsoft staff/support. https://support.microsoft.com/windows/find-your-bitlocker-recovery-key-6b71ad27-0b89-ea08-f143-056f5ab347d6 The link here says:"Important: Microsoft Support doesn't have the ability to retrieve, provide, or recreate a lost BitLocker recovery key."

Is this where you looked? https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey Just because your device is listed in your account under Device section, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be listed here for bitlocker key.

Any chance your laptop was purchased used, or already set up for you? Or was it gifted? Or have you set it up with a different account at first? The key is stored with the very Microsoft account used to set up the computer for the first time, even if you had got rid of that account and set it up with a different account. So, if your computer was set up by anyone at the store you bought it from, it would be that person's account.

If you set it up with school or work account, it is worth checking here as well https://aka.ms/aadrecoverykey sign in with your work/school email credential in that case.

I assume you don't remember opting out of not saving it in Microsoft account, and saving it to a local file instead? That's another possibility.

If you can't find it at all, there's really no way to go around it. Bitlocker means business. If it can be bypassed, then it means the encryption is not working. Your only option is to do a clean install of Windows. In that case, you do lose your files. I am very sorry.