Are you stuck with a lost BitLocker password? Do you want to know how to open BitLocker without password and recovery key? If yes, you are going to find the answer in this article.
BitLocker gives an extra layer of protection to your drives and data. It is an extended security feature built into the Windows systems so nobody can intrude on your personal and crucial files. However, sometimes, you get stuck with a forgotten BitLocker password and lose access to your data.
In this article, you will learn about the quick and easy fixes to unlock BitLocker drive without recovery key and password free!
Part 1: Overview About BitLocker Recovery Key Ho
Part 2: How To Unlock BitLocker Without Password And Recovery Key?
- 1. Try To Find Out Where Your BitLocker Key May Be Stored [Free And No Data Loss]
- 2. Remove BitLocker With Formatting The Drive [Free But Data Loss]
- 3. Unlock BitLocker With Formatting The Drive When Cannot Access The Computer [Free But Data Loss]
- 4. Reinstall The Windows System To Get Rid Of The BitLocker [Free But Data Loss]
- 5. Unlock BitLocker Using BitLocker Unlock Tool [Easy And Quick]Hot
Part 1: Overview About BitLocker Recovery Key Ho
If you enabled the BitLocker encryption on any drive, you can't access it without the password or the recovery key. If you ever forget both of these, there is no way you can access your drive without removing the encryption.
Before setting the BitLocker encryption on your data, please mind the following:
- Without an authentic password and recovery key, you cannot recover data from a BitLocker drive.
- Any third-party recovery key generator cannot generate a BitLocker recovery key. Each BitLocker has a distinctive 48-bit recovery key generated automatically when the encryption is enabled.
- A BitLocker encrypted drive cannot be recovered even after formatting it. You will still need a password to decrypt the encrypted data.
For the above reasons, we always recommend writing down your BitLocker password and recovery key and storing them in a safe place.
Part 2: How To Unlock BitLocker Without Password And Recovery Key?
Now that you know the limitations of BitLocker encryption, let's see how to crack BitLocker password without recovery key:
1. Try To Find Out Where Your BitLocker Key May Be Stored [Free And No Data Loss]
When you enable the BitLocker encryption, you are asked to choose a location to back up the recovery key. You can save it in a USB drive or file or print it out. You can store it in your Microsoft account, too, if you are using Windows 8.1 or later. Here is how you can find it in different locations:
- Microsoft Account:Log into your Microsoft account using another PC and look for the BitLocker Recovery Key.
- On a printout:If you remember printing the recovery key, look for it in your essential documents.
- USB Drive: Access the USB drive where you stored your recovery key as a text file using another PC.
- Work or school account: If you ever logged into your system using a work or school account, there is a chance that your recovery key is stored in that account. If you have access to it, look for the recovery key or reach out to the organization's IT support.
- Held by your system administrator: If a domain administers your system, contact your system administrator for the recovery key.
2. Remove BitLocker With Formatting The Drive [Free But Data Loss]
If you cannot find your recovery key and wonder how to unlock BitLocker without password and recovery key, do not worry. If you can access your system, you can easily remove BitLocker encryption from your drive by formatting it.
Please note that this method will remove all the data stored in your encrypted drive, and you cannot recover it without a BitLocker key.
Hit the Windows + X keys simultaneously and choose Disk Management in the popup menu.
Right-click on the encrypted disk partition.
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Click Format.
Choose the file system and the volume.
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Click OK to start formatting.
3. Unlock BitLocker With Formatting The Drive When Cannot Access The Computer [Free But Data Loss]
You cannot access your computer if you enable the BitLocker encryption on the entire system and lose the password and recovery key. To deal with such a situation, you must know how to unlock BitLocker without password and recovery key using CMD, which can be done as follows:
Plug the Windows Installation Media into the computer and boot from it.
Note:
If you do not have the installation drive, please create one by visiting Microsoft's official website.
When the Windows setup screen appears, hit Shift + F10 keys. Command Prompt window will pop up.
Now, type in the following commands and hit Enter post each command:
- diskpart
- list volume
- exit
- dir A: (replace A with the system partition drive)
- format A:/fs: ntfs (Ensure to replace A with your system partition drive letter)
When you see a warning about the data loss, type 'y' and hit Enter to proceed.
Now, wait for the process to complete, then exit the command prompt and restart your computer.
4. Reinstall The Windows System To Get Rid Of The BitLocker [Free But Data Loss]
If no other fixes work and you are still stuck with a BitLocker encrypted system, as the last free resort, you can clean install Windows. This will remove all the data and settings from your computer. You will lose all data, and it will be unrecoverable.
Here is how you can clean install Windows with a Windows installation USB:
Plug in the Windows installation USB and boot your computer through it.
Choose the language, time and keyboard layout. Hit Next.
Click Install Now button.
Click I do not have a product key link.
Now, choose the Windows version and hit Next.
After accepting the license terms, hit Next and select Custom Installation.
Select each disk partition and hit Delete link.
Select the unallocated drive after deleting all the partitions and click Next.
Now, follow along the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
After completing all the steps, your system will restart with a fresh Windows.
5. Unlock BitLocker Using BitLocker Unlock Tool [Easy And Quick]Hot
PassFab 4Winkey is a comprehensive password recovery tool that enables you to access your locked Windows system by bypassing the password. This incredible tool can also rescue you from a BitLocker encrypted drive.
If you ever forget the BitLocker password and look for how to crack BitLocker password without recovery key, this is the best yet most convenient option you have.
Tips:
PassFab 4WinKey works when you used to save the 48-digital Bitlocker Recovery Key in your PC as text files.
Here is how you can use PassFab 4Winkey to unlock BitLocker without any data loss:
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Install PassFab 4WinKey in any other system and plug in a USB.
Click Start password reset button.
Select your USB and hit Start burning.
Wait for the bootable USB to be created and switch to the locked PC afterwards.
Boot the locked system with bootable USB.
When PassFab's interface launches, you will see your locked drives. Click To close button.
Choose Automatic under the unlock modes.
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Again hit To close button to disable BitLocker on the disk. When the popup appears, hit Close BitLocker.
Wait for PassFab 4WinKey to close BitLocker permanently, then restart your PC.
When your system restarts, you will no longer be asked to enter the BitLocker password to log in. You have successfully bypassed the BitLocker encryption without reinstalling the Windows or losing data.
Final Words
Although BitLocker adds an extra layer of security to your drives and data, it can get you in big trouble if you forget its decryption key. All the data encrypted with BitLocker is lost if you lose the password. However, there are some ways that you can try to unlock BitLocker drive without recovery key and password free.
This article discusses how to unlock BitLocker without password and recovery key by formatting the drive or reinstalling the Windows. We also mentioned the best tool, i.e. PassFab 4Winkey, to remove BitLocker encryption from your drive without any data loss.