Bitlocker is not allowing me to access my computer

Question

I have an IdeaPad Slim 5 (16IAH8) and have never heard nor downloaded any software called BitLocker, and after last night I could not access my computer anymore. I did just recently update my computer throughout last night and i believe that's why this is happening to me. I cannot continue to windows 11 and I have been receiving so many prompts and checked the Microsoft website to find the recovery key but alas to no avail, It just keeps saying that "You don't have any BitLocker recovery keys uploaded to your Microsoft account." and even went to try to reset, configure and all of that but still cannot log into my account. Please send help:,)

Answer 1

It sounds like your device has entered BitLocker recovery mode, which can happen after certain updates or changes to the system. Here are some steps you can take to try to regain access to your computer:

1. Locate Recovery Key: Since you mentioned that you couldn't find the BitLocker recovery key in your Microsoft account, ensure that you check all possible locations where it might have been saved. This includes any USB drives, printed documents, or saved in Active Directory if your device was part of a domain.
2. Use Recovery Options: If you have access to recovery tools, you can try using the recovery options provided by Windows. This may include using a recovery disk or USB that you might have created previously.
3. Contact Support: If you are unable to find the recovery key and cannot access recovery options, consider contacting Lenovo support or Microsoft support for further assistance.
4. Check for Updates: If you suspect that a recent update caused this issue, you might want to check if there are any known issues with the update you installed. Sometimes, rolling back to a previous version can help if the update is causing problems.
5. BitLocker Repair Tool: If you can access another computer, you might consider using the BitLocker Repair Tool to attempt to recover your data. This tool can help in some cases where the drive is accessible but locked.

Remember, without the recovery key, it may be difficult to access the encrypted data on your drive. It's crucial to keep a backup of such keys in a secure location to avoid similar situations in the future.

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References:

• BitLocker recovery: known issues
• BitLocker recovery process

Answer 2

Hello Rasheed,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing the details of your situation I understand how frustrating it can be to suddenly lose access to your computer especially after an update. BitLocker is a security feature built into Windows that encrypts your drive to protect your data and sometimes after system changes or updates the device may enter recovery mode to ensure your information remains secure.

Since you mentioned that the recovery key is not available in your Microsoft account and previous attempts to reset or configure haven’t worked another option is to check if the key was saved locally or with the device manufacturer. Many Lenovo devices store the recovery key in the BIOS or link it to your Lenovo account so signing in to Lenovo’s support portal or contacting their support team can help retrieve it. If you have access to another computer you can also create a Windows installation media to boot your device and use advanced recovery options which may allow you to unlock the drive or reinstall Windows while preserving files.

Could you confirm if you have ever signed in to a Lenovo account or created a recovery drive before?

I hope this answer is helpful if you have further questions feel free to reply back

Regards,

Marcelo