The Best Bitlocker Data Recovery Software for Windows 10, 11

Bitlocker drive encryption can be regarded as one of the safest means provided by Microsoft to protect user’s private data from being acquired by others when their devices are stolen or sold. In Windows 11, the hard drives will even be automatically Bitlocker encrypted for safety.

However, due to power failure, loose connection, corrupted or formatted drives, accidental deletion, etc., users still experience data loss and therefore need to seek ways to recover data from encrypted drives.

Bitlocker data recovery software can be the best choice if you know the Windows 11 Bitlocker recovery key or password and we'll introduce you to such one. Also, there are 6 useful methods to decrypt your Bitlocker drive just in case.

What is BitLocker?

Bitlocker is a Windows built-in encryption feature that uses TPM to protect the Windows operating system and data, even if you are not next to the computer or it's stolen or lost. 

Also, it can work well in certain situations, even without TPM. Note it requires you to change the default behaviour of Bitlocker Setup wizard in group policy or configure it using a script. 

Note this feature is only available on Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise editions as well as Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. It will be enabled by default after installing Windows or for personal or company data protection purposes.

Free download best BitLocker data recovery software

AOMEI FastRecovery is a top-notch Bitlocker data recovery software that integrates two advanced scanning technologies and user-friendly interface to handle different data loss scenarios easily and quickly.

Pros & Cons of AOMEI FastRecovery Only available on Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and Windows Servers

• Offer users straightforward GUI, requiring no expertise and knowledge.
• Recover data from healthy, corrupted or formatted drive, or due to accidental deletion, virus infection, system crashes, etc.,
• Support over 1000+ data formats, from documents to images, audios, videos, etc.
• Search, filter, and preview files during scanning.
• Recover specific files or folders instead of all.
• Work well with NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, ReFS file systems, highly compatible in different storage devices.

Learn More >> Free download

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Then, check the steps to recover data from Bitlocker encrypted drives.

Steps to recover data from Bitlocker encrypted drive

Using AOMEI FastRecovery, you can quickly scan deleted and lost data from any device, including HDDs/SSDs/USB drives/SD cards, etc. The process is simple and straightforward, so everyone can easily make it. Follow the guide to get back your files.

Free download AOMEI FastRecovery to get started.  

Step 1. Install and launch the Bitlocker recovery software - AOMEI FastRecovery. Hover the mouse over the Bitlocker encrypted hard drive and click Scan.

Step 2. The Bitlocker recovery tool automatically scans your drive with Quick Scan, locating deleted and missing files quickly. 

Step 3. You can choose to search, filter, and preview files during scanning. Or wait for the final result and select files from its original location by expanding sidebar directories to find them. 

Once found the desired data, you can select and click the Recover button to recover data from encrypted drives. You can choose to recover specific files or folders instead of all. Please select a new location to save the recovered files, which can avoid data overwritting. 

With the files accessed, you could turn off device encryption anytime if you feel inconvenient.

How to decrypt Bitlocker encryted drive 

If you don't know how to decrypt the Bitlocker encrypted drive, you can refer to the following methods based on your situation.

Situation 1: Still remember the password 

If you remember the password of Bitlocker encrypted drive, try to access it and decrypt drive in File Explorer.

Step 1. Right-click the encrypted drive in File Explorer and select Manage Bitlocker.

Step 2. Select the encrypted drive and click Unlock drive.

Step 3. In the new window, type the password and click Unlock.  

Situation 2: Forget the Bitlocker password 

If you forget the Bitlocker password, try the following 3 methods to decrypt drive.

Option 1: Type your usual password

Many users prefer to use familiar passwords in case they forget them. If you forget the password, try using one of your favorite passwords, such as your Microsoft account, Google account, email address, etc. 

Option 2: Use the Recovery key

Microsoft allows you to save the Bitlocker recovery key when you encrypt it, especially useful to unlock encrypted drive without password. 

Step 1. Search for the file started with the Bitlocker Recovery Key on the computer if you save it somewhere. 

Step 2. Double-click the text to open it. 

Step 3. In the Notepad, look for the Recovery Key and copy it for decryption. 

Step 4. Double-click the Bitlocker drive to access the password window. Then, click More Options > Enter Recovery Key.

Step 5. At last, type the Recovery Key and click Unlock to decrypt the drive. 

Option 3: Backup and restore the BitLocker key

You can also choose to back up your recovery key to Microsoft account, USB drive, a file or print it mananually. 

Step 1. Search for Manager Bitlocker and select it, which will navigate you to the Bitlocker Drive Encryption window.

Step 2. Scroll down to the Bitlocker encrypted drive and click Back up your recovery key.

Step 3. Select a way to back up your recovery key, i.e. Save to a USB flash drive, and click Next.

Step 4. Select your USB drive and click Next.

Step 5. At last, decrypt your drive with the recovery key.

Situation 3: Don't have Bitlocker password and recovery key 

If you forget the Bitlocker password and don't find the recovery key, try the bde command to find the Recovery ID and 48-digit password for decryption.

Step 1. Press Win + X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).

Step 2. Type the manage-bde -protectors X: -get command and press Enter. It will show you the  Recovery ID and password for data recovery. Please replace X: with the drive letter of the encrypted drive.

Situation 4: Remember the password and still won't open 

This situation happens after reinstalling Windows or the drive is corrupted. It's suggested to update Windows before unlocking the encrypted drive.

Closing words

This article introduces the best Bitlocker recovery software AOMEI FastRecovery as well as a step-by-step guide to recover data from Bitlocker encrypted drives. With its top-notch algorithms, it can handle data loss on encrypted drive easily and quickly as long as you know the recovery key or password. 

If you are worried about data loss due to forgotten password, it's suggested to encrypt specific files or folders instead of the entire disk. You can try free backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard, which integrates the file encryption feature.

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