Recovery keys

Question

My Surface 11 Pro shows a Recovery Key for my Surface 7 but not my Surface 11. Does Microsoft have the same key code for multiple devices under the same account?

Answer 1

Hi john NAL Consulting,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

I understand how confusing it can be when recovery keys appear mismatched across devices. To clarify: BitLocker recovery keys are unique per drive.

One Microsoft account can hold multiple (all) of your keys; however, you cannot use the same recovery key across multiple devices. Each with BitLocker enabled will generate its own unique recovery key. If you see a recovery key for Surface 7 but not your 11, these are what you can consider:

1. Surface 11 Pro may not have BitLocker enabled yet. If the feature hasn't been turned on, it wouldn't generate or upload any recovery key.
2. Some devices may use a different encryption method, which doesn't store the recovery key in the same way.
3. The recovery key for your Surface 11 Pro may not have been backed up.

To check if BitLocker is enabled on Surface 11 Pro, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Device Encryption (or BitLocker Settings, the name may differ). If it's enabled, you should see an option to back up the recovery key — do it manually to ensure. You can save it to your Microsoft account, a USB drive, or print it.

In addition, you can also check the recovery key via Command Prompt (run as Administrator). Type manage-bde -protectors C: -get and press Enter. This will show the recovery key ID and whether it's backed up.

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