I just reinstalled the Windows system. However, when I boot up, it prompts that the drive is locked by BitLocker and frequently asks me to enter the BitLocker recovery key. The only hint provided is the recovery key id. This is where I’m stuck. What can I do next with this id, and how can I restart the computer as normal?
Many people have encountered the same issue as you. Reinstalling the system will trigger the BitLocker and enter into BitLocker recovery blue screen. In this case, there are mainly three solutions to resolve this issue.
If you don't remember saving your BitLocker Recovery Key at all, it may be because Windows automatically enabled device encryption, and after you logged into your Microsoft account, Windows automatically saved it to your Microsoft Account.
Step 1 Visit Microsoft Account website, and sign in with your own Microsoft Account that linked to the PC. Then click on Device in the Menu bar.
Step 2 Here, locate the PC you’re using, and click on See Details.
Step 3 Click "Manage recovery keys" option in BitLocker data protection. All BitLocker Recovery Keys will be listed here.
Step 4 Compare each key, and locate the corresponding recovery key with the first eight digits of the recovery key id.
Notes: The recovery key id serves as the identifier for the unique recovery key. And the OSV Drive means Operating System Drive, while FDV Drive means Fixed Data Drive.
Step 5 Copy the Recovery Key, and type it into the designated BitLocker Recovery Screen textbox, and press Enter. Then you’ve successfully unlocked the drive, and enter into Windows normally.
It is mainly divided into the following two situations:
If you can't find the current device after logging in to your Microsoft account, you need to check the computer's Microsoft account login status. If it's logged in and still not showing, you can try switching to a local account first, then log in again.
If the device is listed in your Microsoft account but you can't find the corresponding recovery key, after connected to the internet, try to turn off Device encryption, then turn it back on. The system will automatically upload it to your Microsoft account.
After retrieve your BitLocker Recovery key, you can also use WinRE Command Prompt to unlock and disable BitLocker Encryption at the same time.
Step 1 In BitLocker Recovery Screen, press ESC for more recovery options.
Step 2 Then click on "Skip this drive".
Step 3 Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
Step 4 Run the following command and then press Enter to unlock the drive.
manage-bde -unlock c: -rp YOUR_RECOVERY_KEY
Step 5 After the Drive is successfully unlocked, run the following command to turn off BitLocker for system drive.
manage-bde -off c:
Step 6 When the decryption process is going on, execute the command below to view the decryption progress.
manage-bde -status c:
Step 7 When it displays Fully decrypted, close the command prompt, and click on Continue option to log into Windows.
If you actually cannot retrieve the recovery key, disable BitLocker by reinstalling the system is not feasible, the only option to bypass BitLocker recovery screen is to re-format the system. However, it is worth noting, that this process will erase all data on the computer’s hard drive.
Restart your computer and repeatedly press the appropriate key (often F8, F11, or Del) to access the Advanced Startup Options menu. From there, choose the option to boot into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
If you have a Windows installation USB drive, you can boot from it to access WinRE. Once in WinRE, select "Troubleshoot" > "Reset this PC" to begin the factory reset process.
Tips: If you've enabled system restore before you enabled BitLocker Encryption, you can click on System Restore to retrieve the formatted data.
Calm down first, this problem can be easily solved. Firstly, the answer for your question is no. If you want to disable bitlocker on your computer, there are two options for you.
Lydia
Yes, recovery key is automatically generated by the system. But you cannot change it yourself, it can only be altered by re-enabling BitLocker encryption.
Lydia
Actually, BitLocker and the Microsoft account have nothing to do with each other. The Microsoft Account is just one of the storage locations for backing up the BitLocker recovery key.
Benjamin
Absolutely! That’s precisely what the BitLocker recovery key is used for. Your attempt to partition the disk triggered BitLocker to deny your unauthorized access to the encrypted drive.
Lydia
