Where can I find my BitLocker recovery key?

If a user is locked out of the system, then Bitlocker helps in regaining the access. When a user is trying to access the system drive with the wrong details, then to check the authorization, a recovery key of Bitlocker is sent to the user for unlocking the system. The recovery key is a unique 48-digit numerical password provided by Bitlocker to unlock the system. A user can store in on a Microsoft account, print,  or save as a file. 

Use of Bitlocker recovery key in Windows

Bitlocker is an encryption technology in Windows that helps a user in protecting the data from any unauthorized access. Bitlocker encrypts the drive and requires more than one factor before unlocking the account. This security protection detects the insecure and unauthorized attempt for access and keeps the data safe and secure. 

Where to find Bitlocker recovery key?

Before activating protection, Bitlocker ensures that the recovery key was safely backed up. There are multiple places where a user can find the Bitlocker recovery key and it depends on the choice of a user that was made when Bitlocker was activated:

• In Microsoft account- Sign in to the Microsoft account on some other device in order to find recovery key:
  • If the device supports automatic device encryption, the recovery key is most likely to be found in the Microsoft account.
  • If Bitlocker protection was activated by some other user, the recovery key might be in the Microsoft account of that user.
• On a printout- The user might have taken a printout of the recovery key while activating the Bitlocker key. For this, the user needs to find the place where all important papers related to the computer are kept.
• On a USB flash drive- Plug the USB flash drive into the locked PC and then follow on-screen instructions. If the key was saved as a text file, use a different computer to read this text file.
• In Azure active directory account- If the user has ever signed in the account in an organization, the recovery key might be stored in the Azure AD account. It can either be accessed directly or by contacting the system administrator.
• Held by the system administrator- If the device is connected to an organization’s domain, ask a system administrator for the Bitlocker recovery key.

If there is still any query or issue, the technical support team of Microsoft can be contacted. To reach out to the support team, the contact details provided on the official website of Microsoft can be used