BitLocker keeps popping up on restarts or every time my PC turns on

Question

So I have the BitLocker key; I can open it fine, but it is bothersome having to enter that long code every time I need to reset or power down. It started after I had my PC unplugged for a couple of hours, and my motherboard setting had been reset, and it then started asking me for BitLocker every time. How can I make it not ask every time?

Answer 1

Hello,

If the motherboard settings are being reset after leaving the PC unplugged for several hours, the CMOS battery on the motherboard needs to be replaced. This battery keeps the UEFI BIOS settings and the system clock even when the computer is powered off. When the battery runs out, issues such as incorrect system time, boot problems, and BIOS settings being reset to their default values occur.

For laptop PCs, this battery is usually not easily accessible, so replacement typically requires assistance from a professional repair technician.

Answer 2

BitLocker is prompting at every boot because the system’s boot measurements (TPM, Secure Boot, or firmware settings) no longer match what BitLocker originally trusted, typically after a BIOS/UEFI reset or firmware change. To stop the repeated prompts, the protection must be re-bound to the current, stable configuration.

On a Windows client, the supported way (from the provided context) is to remove and then reconfigure the BitLocker protectors so they match the current firmware/TPM state:

1. Sign in when prompted by BitLocker using the existing recovery key.
2. Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as administrator).
3. Check current protectors and PCR usage:

      manage-bde.exe -protectors -get C:
   

   This shows which TPM/Secure Boot PCRs BitLocker is using.
4. Turn BitLocker off on the OS drive so it fully decrypts and clears the old bindings:

      manage-bde -off C:
   

   Wait until manage-bde -status C: shows Conversion Status: Fully Decrypted.
5. Ensure firmware/BIOS settings are now stable and correct (for example, Secure Boot set as desired, TPM enabled, no further changes planned).
6. Turn BitLocker back on from Control Panel → BitLocker Drive Encryption (or Settings → Privacy & security → Device encryption/BitLocker), so it re-encrypts and binds to the current TPM/Secure Boot configuration.

After re-encryption completes with a stable firmware/TPM configuration, BitLocker should unlock automatically at startup and no longer prompt for the recovery key on every boot.

If the device is using non-default TPM PCRs (for example, Secure Boot disabled or custom PCRs via policy), align the configuration back to the default (Secure Boot on, PCR 7/11) before re-enabling BitLocker, as described for Surface devices in the context.

---

References:

• BitLocker recovery: known issues
• System crashes after you restart or wake up the computer in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1