Bitlocker lockout

Question

My computer is locked out by bitlocker but I never had bitlocker. I've done everything its told me to do and can't find a number to unlock.

Answer 1

Hi,

I wish I could share good news with you, but I would rather be honest with you than give you false hope.

The only place you can find the BitLocker recovery key is in the Microsoft account that was used to set it up, whether it is a personal account or a work or school account.

Personal Microsoft account:

https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey

Work or school account:

https://aka.ms/aadrecoverykey

If you did not set up BitLocker on your computer yourself, it is most likely that it was enabled by default by the manufacturer or by the person who initially set up your computer.

Unfortunately, only the person who set up BitLocker can access the recovery key for security reasons. Even Microsoft Support does not have access to it.

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If you cannot find the recovery key, I’m sorry, but there is no way to bypass BitLocker. In this situation, formatting the hard drive and performing a clean installation of the Windows OS will be necessary. Please note that this process will result in data loss.

Find an empty USB drive with at least 8 GB of space and a working computer, then follow the steps below:

1. If you're using Windows 11: Click this link: https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11

Under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO), Click on "Download tool now."

If you're using Windows 10: Click this link: https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10

Under Create Windows 10 installation media, Click on "Download tool now."

2. Run the tool, create a bootable USB drive or ISO file, and deselect the 'Use the recommended options for this PC' box to choose the correct language and edition.

Once the process is done:

1. Connect the installation media to your PC.
2. Start your PC and press any key to continue. Click Next > Click Install Now.
3. When the Windows Setup starts, follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: If prompted for a product key, click 'I do not have a product key' and then click Next.

Make sure you install the same edition of Windows 11 (Home or Pro) that you previously had installed to avoid activation issues.

For a step-by-step guide with illustrations, click the link below and scroll down to the 'Steps to reinstall Windows with media' section, then expand the 'Clean install' option:

https://support.microsoft.com/windows/reinstall-windows-with-the-installation-media-d8369486-3e33-7d9c-dccc-859e2b022fc7