Forgot BitLocker Password: How to Recover?

Updated By

Tracy King 

Written By

Linda 

Last Updated on April 22, 2024

It can be frustrating if people forget their BitLocker password and are tired of looking for it everywhere. Their data is safe, but inaccessible. BitLocker is a great Windows feature that adds extra security to your drives by encrypting them. You need a recovery key or password to unlock it. I lost mine recently, too, and if you're reading this, chances are you're in the same boat.

If you lost your password, don't panic! Here you can find different solutions to regain access to your drive, although losing a BitLocker password can be annoying.

How to Solve When You Forget BitLocker Password

Are you ready to put your sleeves up? Let's explore the instructions for each method step by step to help you overcome this BitLocker challenge.

Method 1: Try common passwords to access it.

When you want to unlock BitLocker but can't remember the password, it's important to try any passcodes that you typically use. Follow standard practices and guidelines, and attempt to access your familiar passwords to see if they work. Try your Google login password, your Microsoft account password, or another password that you use. If you successfully access your BitLocker account, great. Otherwise, you'll need to recover your password from your Windows computer.

Method 2: Format BitLocker Encrypted Hard Drive for Free

When a hard drive is formatted, all the data is erased to make room for new files. But what happens if your hard drive is protected by BitLocker encryption? Fear not – there's a simple solution!

tools Partition Master Free can help with this. It's a fantastic program that makes formatting a BitLocker drive easy, even if you've lost your recovery key or forgotten your password. It's a godsend for novice computer users with its user-friendly interface.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click the partition you want to format and choose "Format".

Step 2: Enter a volume label, select the FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4 file system and set the cluster size as needed, then click on "OK".

Step 3: You'll see a warning; click "Yes" to proceed.

Step 4: Click on the 'Execute 1 Task' button in the top left corner to apply the changes and then click 'Apply' to start formatting the partition to FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4.

For more information, you can read this article:

How to Format BitLocker Encrypted Drive

In this article, you will find several methods to format a BitLocker encrypted hard drive with or without password.

What else can Partition Master do?

• Encrypt BitLocker Drive on Windows 10
• Unlock BitLocker without Recovery Key or Password
• Fix issues with BitLocker Password and Recovery Key not working
• Resize BitLocker Partition on Windows 11/10 without Decryption

Method 3: Perform a forced recovery using CMD

You're performing a forced recovery of your BitLocker PIN through the command prompt. This method is designed to help you regain access to an encrypted drive with BitLocker, whether the computer is with you or in a remote location. Choose the method that suits your situation best. Here are the detailed steps:

Important: This method is for experienced Windows users, as it involves complex CMD commands.

Steps to perform a forced recovery on the local computer:

Step 1: Press the "Windows key," then type "CMD."

Step 2: Click the first result, then right-click it.

Step 3: Right-click and choose "Run as administrator" to open the Command Prompt utility.

When prompted for administrator privileges, click Yes to confirm.

Step 4: In the Command Prompt utility, type the following command and hit the Enter key to execute it.

When managing BitLocker, force the computer to enter recovery mode: `manage-bde -forcerecovery X`

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

Forcibly restart a remote computer (for domain administrators):

If you're a domain administrator, you can recover the BitLocker password for a remote computer by following these steps:

Step 1: Open the CMD window as described earlier.

Step 2: Type or paste the following command and press Enter.

This command translates to:
• manage-bde -computerName -forcerecovery X
In Mandarin Chinese, this would be:
• 管理-BDE -计算机名称 -强制恢复 X
Please note that "manage-bde" 是一个用于管理BitLocker驱动器加密的命令行工具，"-computerName" 指定要操作的计算机的名称，"-forcerecovery" 强制系统进入恢复模式，而 "X" 通常代表驱动器字母。根据你的具体情况，将 "X" 替换为实际的驱动器号。

Note: Replace X with the letter of your drive.

This method is designed to help you regain access to a BitLocker-encrypted drive whether the computer is with you or at a remote location.

Method 4: Find the BitLocker Recovery Key from a USB Device

If you don't remember the password, you might be able to retrieve it. First, check your Microsoft account – did you save a backup of the key there when you set up BitLocker? If not, do you have a spare USB drive? You might have chosen to save it to the drive.

It may also be lurking on your computer! To find it,

Step 1: To open File Explorer, use the "Windows key + E" shortcut.

Step 2: Type *.bek in the search bar at the top, and press Enter.

Step 3: Let it run. It might find that sneaky recovery key!

Aside from that, you can use reliable BitLocker password cracking tools such as BitCracker, Passware Kit, and Thegrideon Software to bypass or reset your BitLocker password.

Conclusions

Forgetting your BitLocker password can be very frustrating. Your sensitive information is safe, but inaccessible! In this guide, we'll explore a few strategies to help you get back into your drive. If you're looking for a user-friendly solution, especially if you're not comfortable with complex commands, we recommend the “Partition Master” tool. Its user-friendly design, powerful features, and emphasis on security make it an excellent choice for managing encrypted devices, even if you've lost your password.

Frequently Asked Questions about Forgetting BitLocker Password

If you want to learn more information about the “Forgot BitLocker Password” issue, this FAQ section will help you to clear all your doubts.

How do I remove my BitLocker password?

Normally, we remove BitLocker password in either of the following two ways:

• Through Windows: Go to the Windows search and type “Manage BitLocker.” Choose the encrypted drive you want to turn off, then click “Turn Off BitLocker.” You may be asked for the current password or recovery key.
• With a Recovery Key: In some cases, if you have the BitLocker recovery key, you can directly unlock the encrypted drive and remove the BitLocker security.

2. How do I get a BitLocker recovery key?

You can try to retrieve your key by doing the following:

Microsoft account: If you saved the key to your Microsoft account, sign in online and view your profile.

USB drives: Check any USB drives where you might have stored a key.

System administrator: If your computer is on a network, the administrator may have this key.

3. How to partition a BitLocker Encrypted Hard Drive?

To create a BitLocker-encrypted drive, you must first decrypt it. Then, follow these steps to remove the BitLocker password:

Step 1: If the drive is decrypted, press the Windows key, and then start typing Create and format hard disk partitions.

Step 2: Run the tool and create a partition.

Step 3: Right-click the unencrypted drive and select “Compress volume.”

Step 4: Choose a name, size, and file system for the partition (Windows usually uses NTFS).

If you're still having issues, refer to the beginning of this guide for troubleshooting tips. The above responses should point you in the right direction for any other questions you might have about removing a BitLocker password or retrieving a recovery key.