Information for Windows 10 Home, Windows 11 Home, Windows 10 Pro, and Windows 11 Pro (when not part of an Active Directory service)
Microsoft BitLocker Device Encryption is enabled by default on new Windows computers if the hardware supports it. Most modern laptops contain the hardware that supports it.
This is generally good news, but it can also be a very serious problem. Consider what happens if the CPU in your computer dies. You can take the computer to a repair facility and they can usually recover your data from the hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD). But if your data is encrypted with BitLocker, they must have your BitLocker recovery key in order to decrypt your files and return them to you.
Another common problem – on startup, the computer displays a blue screen with an ominous message: BitLocker recovery: Enter the recovery key for this drive
Normally, the BitLocker recovery key is stored online in your Microsoft account. You can login to your Microsoft account on another computer and retrieve the recovery key. But it’s not always that simple. Sometimes the key is nowhere to be found. For whatever reason, it wasn’t automatically stored in your Microsoft account. Or what if it is stored in your Microsoft account, but you don’t have another computer available to login and retrieve it? What if you’re sitting in a coffee shop when you see the message to enter your recovery key?
That’s why it’s best to have your own copy of your BitLocker recovery key. Write it down and keep it in a safe place. If you travel a lot, have it with you, so you can even enter the recovery key in a coffee shop.
You can view your recovery key online, in your Microsoft account, provided that the key is actually stored there.
If your recovery key isn’t stored in your Microsoft account, you can still view your recovery key locally, on your computer, provided that your computer is working normally.
The important thing is to obtain your recovery key now, before you need it.
Although you can obtain your recovery key for free on your own, some people find this to be a daunting task. For any number of reasons, they would prefer to pay for professional assistance.
I provide this service for a small fee. It only takes a few minutes.
Contact me to find out more.
If your computers are part of a Windows domain, using a Domain Controller and Active Directory, the rules are different. If you’re the Network Administrator and you’d like help with setting up a Windows Recovery Key Program, contact me to learn how I can help.