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BitLocker is an inbuilt feature of the Windows operating system that enables users to protect data by encrypting the drive. BitLocker ensures that user information is not accessible to unauthorized users even if they have physical access to your device. The user’s system sometimes enters recovery mode, and the drive is locked. The system now asks the user to enter the BitLocker recovery key. The BitLocker key is a 48-digit numeric key, stored in a Microsoft account. To open the encrypted drive, the user needs to enter this key. Let us learn the method for BitLocker key recovery. Before that, let’s find out why a BitLocker recovery key is needed and why the drive gets locked out.
Why is BitLocker Drive Locked Out?
Whenever the system detects some unusual activities or is unable to verify if the device connected is secure or not, it locks the drive and asks for the BitLocker recovery key to continue. This is one of the safety features of BitLocker to protect user information from illegal access. Here are some reasons why the BitLocker drive is locked out:
- Hardware Changes: Whenever you change a major hardware component, like a motherboard, hard drive, or TPM chip, recovery mode is activated, and BitLocker asks for the recovery key to proceed.
- Changed BIOS/UEFI Settings: When any changes are made to boot order, TPM settings, or boot order, BitLocker locks out the drive.
- Windows Update: A major Windows update might change the boot files, triggering the BitLocker recovery mode.
- File System Errors: A corrupted hard disk or bad sectors make BitLocker unable to verify the identity correctly, thus locking the drive.
- Boot Configuration Changes: BitLocker detects potential risk when the boot file is corrupted or when you have added another OS (dual boot),
- Entering Incorrect PIN: Entering the wrong recovery key multiple times locks the system, and entering the right recovery key is mandatory to access the drive.
- Trusted Platform Module Issue: BitLocker locks the drive when the TPM is disabled or reset.
BitLocker Key Recovery in Windows 10/11
While activating BitLocker, users have the choice to save the BitLocker recovery key. Based on it, users can look for the BitLocker key at the following places:
Method 1: Microsoft Account
The primary location to look for BitLocker key recovery is your Microsoft account. It must be the same account that was used when the drive was first encrypted. Here is the process to find the BitLocker key in the Microsoft account.
- Type aka.ms/myrecoverykey in any web browser.
- Now, enter your Microsoft account credentials.
- A list of BitLocker recovery keys with their key ID is now visible.
- Copy the 48-digit recovery key that matches the key ID of the encrypted drive.
- Enter the recovery key to unlock the drive.
Method 2: Active Directory
If you are working in an organization, the BitLocker key recovery can be done from the Active Directory account. Ask your IT admin ti get the recovery key for you. IT admin can follow these steps:
- Open Active Directory Users and Computers(ADUC) on a domain controller.
- Next, enable Advanced features from the View menu.
- Locate the computer object.
- Now right-click, select properties, and then click the BitLocker Recovery tab.
- Any stored recovery key will be listed here.
- Match your KeyID and retrieve the key.
Method 3: A USB flash Drive/File/printed copy
When BitLocker is enabled for the first time, it asks users to save the recovery key to a USB drive, print the key, or save the key as a .txt file. Users can plug the USB into the system in which they want to access the encrypted data, or simply copy the recovery key from the file.
Recover Data from BitLocker Encrypted Drive
If users are unable to find the BitLocker recovery key using the methods stated above and need to unlock the encrypted drive to access important data, take the help of a professional BitLocker recovery tool. BitLocker Data Recovery Tool is one such advanced software that can recover data from an encrypted drive. When you run the software, it scans the system and finds the recovery key to decrypt the drive first. Once the recovery key is found, this software unlocks the drive and recovers data from it efficiently.
Conclusion
The BitLocker recovery key is an important part of data security; it ensures that encrypted data is protected. The encrypted data is accessible only with the BitLocker key. We have discussed how the BitLocker recovery key works, how to find the BitLocker recovery key, and how to recover data when BitLocker key recovery is not possible.
