How can I find the BitLocker recovery key?

BitLocker is Microsoft’s disk encryption solution for Windows devices. It’s a convenient way to protect data should your machine end up in the wrong hands. When activated, Windows generates a 48-digit recovery key, which can be used to unlock a drive when things inevitably go wrong. If you’ve misplaced this vital information, here is how to find the BitLocker recovery key on your PC.

Why do I need a BitLocker recovery key?

Once BitLocker has been configured, most PCs will never mention the words recovery key again. Usually, the BitLocker security information is stored within a Trusted Protection Module (TPM) which does all the cumbersome work of authentication during the login process. However, if the TPM detects a change in certain low-level software or hardware configurations whenever it boots, it may prompt the user to re-validate their security credentials by requesting the BitLocker recovery key for the machine.

Basically, if you’ve lost the BitLocker recovery key, you’ve got a problem.

Where to find the Bitlocker recovery key in Windows

There are a few places to find the BitLocker recovery key on a machine.

The easiest way is to open the Start menu, searching for ‘BitLocker’. Select, Manage Bitlocker from the options and the Control Panel will load. This works in Windows 7, 8, 10 & 11. Select Back up your recovery key.

You can save the key to your Microsoft Account (but only if you’re signed in with one), save it to a file or print it out. You can choose as many options as you like.

Alternatively, open the Start menu and type ‘CMD’ to find Command Prompt and select the option to Run As Administrator. In the box that appears, type:

manage-bde -protectors C: -get

Be sure to modify C: if your encrypted drive has a different designation. The command will pull the BitLocker recovery key from the machine, displaying it as ‘Password’. We’ve highlighted, but obscured, the code in red).

If you access Windows with a Microsoft account, there’s a good chance that your BitLocker key is stored there. To find it, visit https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey and log yourself in with the same Microsoft account used to log into the machine.

Why I haven’t I got BitLocker?

The simplest explanation is that your hardware or software doesn’t meet the requirements. BitLocker comes in two variants, Drive Encryption and Device Encryption.

Drive Encryption is the most common variant and is only available in the Professional, Enterprise and Education versions of Windows. Most home PCs have the aptly named Home edition, which can have BitLocker if the hardware supports the Modern Startup standard, reserved for small touchscreen devices. If you don’t have one, it’s possible to upgrade from Windows Home to Windows Pro. It’s not a free, but we can help you here too. See our guide: How do I get the best price on Windows 11 Pro?

BitLocker is simple way to keep your data safe. Over the years, I’ve seen many people lock themselves out because they’ve lost their recovery key. Take action now and when your TPM asks for the code, you’ll know where it is.