I can't find my Bitlocker key

Question

I was able to get a used Microsoft Surface Laptop from work. This laptop hasn't been used in over a year and a half and the previous user has left the company. When I open the laptop, it is asking for a Bitlocker key. I asked IT support from my company. But they said they don't manage this laptop and thus don't have the bitlocker key.

How can I get this bitlocker key or is there another way to bypass this an completely factory reset the pc with all its data without needing the bitlocker key?

Thanks in advance! Feel free to ask questions to make a better assessment.

***Moved from Surface / Surface Laptop / Surface Laptop 3 / Safety and security***

Answer 1

Hello  Jesper Den Rooijen，

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.

BitLocker is a drive encryption program that provides protection for your data by encrypting your drive. Unfortunately, without the BitLocker recovery key, accessing the encrypted data or disabling BitLocker can be difficult. Here are some steps you can take to try and locate the BitLocker recovery key:

1. Microsoft Account:
   • If the previous user had linked their Microsoft account to the device, the BitLocker recovery key might be saved to their account. If you can get in touch with the previous user, they can check this by logging into their Microsoft account and going to the BitLocker recovery keys section.
2. Active Directory:
   • If the used laptop was part of a domain, the BitLocker recovery key might be stored in Active Directory. Your IT support team should be able to check if this is the case, even if they don’t manage the laptop currently.
3. Printouts or USB Drives:
   • Sometimes BitLocker recovery keys are printed or saved to USB drives when they are first set up. Check any documentation or USB drives that might have come with the laptop.

Factory Reset Without BitLocker Key:

If recovering the BitLocker key is not an option, you can perform a factory reset, but this will erase all data on the laptop. Here are the steps to do so:

1. Create a Bootable Windows Installation Media:
   • Use another computer to create a bootable USB drive with the Windows Media Creation Tool. You can download this tool from the official Microsoft website.
2. Boot from USB:
   • Insert the bootable USB drive into the Surface Laptop.
   • Restart the laptop and press and hold the Volume Down button.
   • Press the Power button while holding the Volume Down button, and then release both buttons when the Surface logo appears. The laptop should boot from the USB drive.
3. Reinstall Windows:
   • Follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall Windows. Choose the option to perform a clean installation, which will format the drive.

Please note that this process will erase all data on the laptop, ensuring that the BitLocker encryption issue is resolved, but it will also mean losing any data that was previously stored on the device. If there is any critical data that needs to be recovered, you might want to consult a professional data recovery service before proceeding with the reset.

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any question or concern, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Haijian Shan

Answer 2

Thanks Haijian, I'll try out your suggestions.