After a BIOS update my laptop boots into a blue screen that asks for a BitLocker recovery key. I never set up anything. Where do I find the key?
Windows asks for a BitLocker recovery key. Where can I find it?
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Data Recovery
DC
Dana Cruz November 4, 2026
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The key was probably saved when device encryption turned on. Check these places.
1. Your Microsoft account. On another device go to account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey and sign in with the account you used on the laptop. Match the key ID shown on the blue screen with the one on the page.
2. Work or school accounts: your organization may store it. Ask your IT admin, or look under Devices at myaccount.microsoft.com.
3. A printout or a file you saved to a USB drive when asked.
4. For a Windows device that you never signed in to with an account, there may be no stored key.
Without the key the data can not be read, and it can not be recovered from a locked drive. Do not reinstall Windows before you find the key if the data matters.
The key was in my Microsoft account. Entered it and Windows started. Thank you.