How to Find Your BitLocker Recovery Key

It’s not often, but there are situations where you need the BitLocker recovery key. This key helps you access a BitLocker-encrypted drive when you can’t use the regular password. For instance, you might need it if:

• A botched system update forces you to enter the recovery key
• You’ve made significant hardware changes, like replacing your motherboard
• You’ve forgotten your BitLocker password
• You’re transferring data from one encrypted drive to another

In these cases, the BitLocker recovery key is essential to decrypt the drive and regain access to your data. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to find your BitLocker recovery key. In this tutorial, I’ll show you two reliable methods to retrieve your BitLocker recovery key. Let’s get started.

Find Your BitLocker Key in Your Microsoft Account

Important: You must be signed in to the Microsoft account associated with your device to access your BitLocker recovery keys.

If you’re using Windows 11 with a Microsoft account sign-in or have previously backed up your recovery key to your Microsoft account, follow these steps to find your BitLocker recovery key:

1. Go to the official BitLocker recovery keys page on Microsoft’s website.
2. Sign in to your Microsoft account when prompted.
3. You’ll see a list of BitLocker recovery keys under the “Recovery Key” column, along with their associated “Device Name” and “Upload Date.”
4. Identify the correct key for your device and copy the 48-digit recovery key.
5. That’s it. You’ve found your BitLocker recovery key.

Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)

First, go to the official BitLocker recovery keys page on the Microsoft website and sign in to your Microsoft account connected to your device when prompted.

Note: If you prefer not to use the direct link, there’s an alternative method. Open the Microsoft account page (account.microsoft.com), then navigate to the “Devices” page on the sidebar. Click on your device name in the right panel, and under the “BitLocker data protection” section, click “Manage recovery keys”.

On the right panel, you will see a list of BitLocker recovery keys under the “Recovery Key” column, along with their associated “Device Name” and “Upload Date.” From the list, find your device, identify the 48-digit recovery key under the “Recovery key” column, and copy it to Notepad or some other secure or trusted app.

Note: You may see FDV (Fixed Data Volume) or OSV (Operating System Volume) labels next to the recovery keys. FDV refers to additional internal drives, while OSV indicates the main Windows drive. These labels help you identify the drive types quickly. For example, if you’re trying to decrypt your Windows system drive, focus on the recovery keys labeled OSV.

Get the BitLocker Recovery Key from Backup File

If you backed up your BitLocker recovery key to a file when encrypting your drive, you can find the recovery key in that file. Here’s how:

1. Open File Explorer by pressing the Windows key + E shortcut.
2. Navigate to the location where you saved the recovery file.
3. Double-click on the recovery file to open it in Notepad.
4. In the Notepad, you should see your 48-digit BitLocker recovery key under the “Recovery Key” section.
5. Copy this key to a secure location and use it in the BitLocker recovery screen.

Wrapping Up — Finding Your BitLocker Recovery Key on Windows

As you can see, finding your BitLocker recovery key is a straightforward process, whether you backed it up to your Microsoft account or saved it as a file. Use this recovery key to decrypt the BitLocker encrypted drive.

Important: After using the recovery key, take these security steps:

1. Change your BitLocker password
2. Generate a new recovery key
3. Delete the old key so that it is not recoverable and misused
4. (Optional) Configure BitLocker to auto unlock

If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.