BitLocker Recovery Key is Not Unlocking the Drive: Troubleshooting Guide

If BitLocker Recovery Key is Not Unlocking the Drive due to any reason, in this article we will try to solve this problem.

Little About BitLocker

BitLocker is a powerful encryption tool that encrypts drives based on a user-defined password, protecting data from theft. It is a built-in feature in Windows, first introduced with Windows Vista. In Windows 10 and Windows 11, it has become increasingly popular, with a large number of users relying on it to safeguard their systems against unauthorized access to their data.

Problems:

If BitLocker Recovery Key is Not Unlocking the Drive due to following reasons, keep reading this troubleshooting guide to fix the problem.

  • BitLocker recovery key not working after motherboard replacement.
  • BitLocker recovery key not working external hard drive.
  • BitLocker recovery key not unlocking the drive on another PC.

If you are having one of the issues, you can follow these steps to troubleshoot and resolve the problem.

  • Solution 1: Verify the Password and Recovery key.
  • Solution 2: Check for the Correct BitLocker Environment
  • Solution 3: Use the Correct Unlock Method
  • Solution 4: Match the BitLocker Version
  • Solution 5: Try on the Original PC
  • Solution 6: Check for Corruption
  • Solution 7: Repair BitLocker
  • Solution 8: Use Command-Line Tools
  • Solution 9: Reconnect Using compatible USB Enclosure
  • Solution 10: Unlock the drive using your BitLocker recovery key
  • Solution 11: Disable BitLocker encryption using Command Prompt.

Common Causes of BitLocker Recovery Key Issues

  1. Incorrect Recovery Key Entry: A minor typo can result in the recovery key being rejected.
  2. Key Mismatch: Using the recovery key from a different encrypted drive.
  3. Drive Corruption: Errors in the file system or physical drive may prevent decryption.
  4. Changes to System Configuration: Replacing hardware, updating the BIOS, or modifying the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) settings.
  5. Outdated Software: An older version of Windows or BitLocker might not recognize the drive properly.

Best Solution: Make it secondary drive on another PC and then Unlock it.

If your encrypted drive is a boot drive, then you are required to another PC (friend PC) to unlock it.

  1. Connect your Hard Drive/SSD using the compatible cable or dock to your friend PC as external drive.
  2. Now, double click on the drive to enter password.

Solution 1: Verify the Password and Recovery key.

If you are entering wrong password or recovery key, the BitLocker will fail to decrypt the drive and unlock it. Make sure that you are entering right password or recovery key.

  1. Make sure you are using right password.
  2. Make sure you are using the correct recovery key. The key consists of 48 digits, divided into eight groups.

A BitLocker recovery key is a 48-digit numerical code divided into eight groups, which looks something like this:

123456-789012-345678-901234-567890-123456-789012-345678
  • Retrieve the recovery key from your Microsoft account (if saved there) or from other locations where you might have stored it (e.g., printed copy, USB drive, etc).
  • Double-check for any typing errors when entering the key.

If you think you are using correct password or recovery key and still BitLocker is not unlocking the drive, move to next solutions.

Solution 2: Check for the Correct BitLocker Environment

If the PC you are using doesn’t support BitLocker, you may not be able to unlock your drive using BitLocker. To resolve this, ensure that you are using the correct BitLocker environment for unlocking the drive. If BitLocker is still not working, follow the checklist below to troubleshoot and resolve the issue effectively.

  1. Confirm that the PC you’re using to unlock the drive supports BitLocker. BitLocker is available only on Windows editions like Pro, Enterprise, or Education.

You can check the BitLocker on your system as follows:

  1. Click on the Start menu and search for BitLocker. If your PC supports BitLocker encryption, you will see “Manage BitLocker” in the search results.
  • Open “Manage BitLocker” and you will see “Turn BitLocker on/off” settings next to the drive.
  • The system must have the necessary hardware (e.g., TPM chip) or software to decrypt the drive.

To see the TPM Settings, follow these steps.

  1. Open “Manage BitLocker” page.
  2. Click on the “TPM Administration” setting.
  • In this page, you can check the TPM status for your machine.

You can see the following article to check if your PC has Bitlocker.

Check if my PC has BitLocker

Solution 3: Use the Correct Unlock Method

  1. Make sure you’re selecting the correct method to unlock the drive. If prompted for a password, PIN, or USB key, ensure you’re using the corresponding credentials.
  2. If prompted for the recovery key, do not attempt to use a password or PIN, as they are separate methods.

Solution 4: Match the BitLocker Version to ensure correct compatibility.

The version of BitLocker on the PC you’re using might differ from the version used to encrypt the drive. Update the PC to the latest version of Windows to ensure compatibility.

You can check the BitLocker version as follows:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Execute the following command.
manage-bde -status
  • Here, you can check the BitLocker version.
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.22621Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Solution 5: Try on the Original PC

If possible, reconnect the drive to the PC where BitLocker was originally enabled. The system may have stored additional key information locally, which could make it easier to access the drive.

Solution 6: Check for Corruption

If the drive has become corrupted, recovery attempts may fail. In this case, it’s important to first use CHKDSK or reliable third-party recovery tools to repair the file system. Once the repair process is complete, try unlocking the drive again. This step can significantly improve the chances of successful recovery.

3 Steps to Fix this Error
Step 1. Download Outbyte PC Repair Tool [File Size: 16.4 MB]
Step 2. SCAN your Windows PC
Step 3. Click Fix button to Repair Error
System Requirements       Features      Awards      Windows 11/10/8/7 Comaptible

Use CHKDSK to fix driver corruption problems.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Windows 10 Command Prompt

Step 2: Select the Drive which you want to scan. Just Write the Driver letter followed by the colon and press enter. For example, if you want to scan D drive, type ‘D:’ without a colon and press Enter.

Step 3: Run the following command.

chkdsk /f

Step 4: If the drive in use, CHKDSK utility will offer you to schedule a check on the next restart. To accept this offer, press Y and hit Enter.

The type of the file system is NTFS. Cannot lock current drive. Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)

Step 5: Restart your computer. The CHKDSK will start scanning before the Windows start. CHKDSK will take some time to complete, depending on the size and speed of your disk. Do not interrupt the process. Once it’s finished, your computer will restart.

Solution 7: Repair BitLocker

If you believe that Password or recovery key, which you are entering is correct, then repairing BitLocker might fix this issue.

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Execute following command to repair BitLocker.
repair-bde X: Y: -rp <recovery key>

Note: Replace X with the encrypted drive letter and Y with a target drive for recovered data.

Example:

repair-bde D: F: -rp 123456-789012-345678-901234-567890-123456-789012-345678

Here, D is encrypted drive, and F drive is used for storing recovered data.

Solution 8: Use Command-Line Tools

There is also command line tool available that will help you to unlock your drive if BitLocker Recovery Key is Not Unlocking the Drive.

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Execute the following command.
manage-bde -unlock X: -RecoveryPassword <48-digit-recovery-key>

Note: Replace X: with the drive letter of the encrypted volume.

Solution 9: Reconnect Using USB Enclosure

Check for the faulty USB cable or dock. Make sure you are using the compatible USB cable or Dock to connect external hard Drive to PC. If the connection is loose or incompatible, the drive decryption might fail.

Solution 10: Unlock the drive using your BitLocker recovery key

If you have forgotten your password but have BitLocker recovery key, you can unlock your drive as follows:

  1. Double-Click on the Drive to Open it. It will ask you to enter Password.
  2. Click on “More options” button and click on the “Enter recovery key” button.
  • Here, enter your 48-digit recovery key to unlock your drive.

Solution 11: Disable BitLocker encryption using Command Prompt.

You can also turn off BitLocker encryption using the recovery key.

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Execute the following command.
manage-bde -off X:

Note: Replace X: with the drive letter of the encrypted volume.

Conclusion:

It can be incredibly frustrating when you can’t unlock your drive, even with the correct password or recovery key. This issue may arise from various factors, such as replacing hardware (e.g., SSD or motherboard), changing BitLocker configuration settings, or altering TPM and BIOS settings.

Regardless of the cause, you’re left struggling to access your encrypted drive. To help you navigate these challenges, this troubleshooting guide offers a list of solutions for when the BitLocker Recovery Key is not unlocking the drive.