BitLocker Drive Encryption - Unlock a Locked Data or Removable Drive

How to Unlock a Data or Removable Drive Locked by BitLocker Drive Encryption​

   Information

This will show you how to unlock a internal data drive or a removable drive (ex: USB flash drive or external) that was locked by BitLocker Drive Encryption in Windows 7, and now cannot be accessed.

These drives normally would be locked after you have either logged off or restarted the computer.

   Warning

If you forgot or lost the password for the data or removable drive, then you must have it's BitLocker recovery key to be able to unlock and gain access to the drive again.

You should have a copy of the BitLocker recovery key if you did what was recommended in step 6 or 11 of OPTION ONE in the tutorial below to either Save the recovery key to file, save and print recovery key again, or write down the recovery key somewhere for safe keeping.

BitLocker Drive Encryption - Internal Data Hard Drives - Turn On or Off

OPTION ONE

To Unlock a Data or Removable Drive Using BitLocker Wizard

1. Do either step 2 or 3 below for what option you would like to use.

2. Open the Control Panel (icons view), click on the BitLocker Drive Encryption icon, and click on the Unlock Drive link for the locked drive that you would like to unlock. (see screenshot below)



A) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

B) Close the Control Panel, and go to step 4 or 5.
OR

3. Open the Computer window, right click on the locked drive that you would like to unlock, and click on Unlock Drive.... (see screenshot below)



A) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

B) Go to step 4 or 5.
4. To Type in the Password to Unlock this Drive
A) Type in the password, and click on Unlock. (see screenshot below step 5A)
NOTE: The password will be at least 8 letters and/or numbers long.

B) Go to step 6.
5. To Enter the "BitLocker Recovery Key" to Unlock this Drive
NOTE: This step is for if you lost or forgot the password for this drive.
A) Click on the I forgot my password link. (see screenshot below)

B) Using the provided "recovery key ID" number in the screenshot below, locate the BitLocker recovery key for this drive, and then click on Type the recovery key. (see screenshots below)






C) Type in the long BitLocker recovery key number, and click on Next. (see screenshot below)

D) Click on Finish, and continue on to step 6. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you had forgotten the password, then you can now click on Manage BitLocker, and Change password to unlock drive to create a new one to use.

6. The drive will now be unlocked until you log off or restart the computer next.

OPTION TWO

To Unlock a Data or Removable Drive in a Command Prompt

1. Open a elevated command prompt, then do step 2 or 3 below for what option you would like to use.

2. To Use the Password to Unlock this Drive
A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute E: in the command below with the drive letter of the locked drive that you wanted to unlock instead.
manage-bde -unlock E: -password


B) When prompted in the elevated command prompt, type in the password for the drive and press Enter.
NOTE: You will not see the password as you type it. The password will be at least 8 letters and/or numbers long.

C) Go to step 4.
3. To Use the "BitLocker Recovery Key" to Unlock this Drive
NOTE: This step is for if you lost or forgot the password for this drive.
A) Locate the BitLocker recovery key for this drive. (see screenshots below)




B) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute E: in the command below with the drive letter of the locked drive that you wanted to unlock, and substitute BitLocker Recovery Key in the command below with the actual long number recovery key for the drive.
manage-bde -unlock E: -rp BitLocker Recovery Key


C) Go to step 4.
4. The drive will now be unlocked until you log off or restart the computer next.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Unlock a Windows 7 Computer Locked by BitLocker Drive Encryption
• How to Use BitLocker Repair Tool to Recover a Drive in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Turn Windows 7 BitLocker To Go On or Off for Removable Drives
• How to Turn Windows 7 BitLocker On or Off for Internal Data Hard Drives
• How to Lock an Unlocked BitLocker Drive
• How to Create a Windows 7 BitLocker Drive Encryption Shortcut
• How to Check BitLocker Status of Drive in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[Banker]

I have tried to use the recovery ID in the command and it seems to be running , but it has been on 1% for 10 minutes but I am gonna leave it over night and see.

 

[Brink]

That's good news so far. It can take a long time though.

 

[francki3]

bitlocker recovery key

Please I need your help I was able to get recovery key identification now need recovery key.

 

[Brink]

Hello francki3, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The BitLocker recovery key is something that you would have needed to already have backed up to be able to use to recover with.

If you don't have it, then you will not be able to recover the drive.

 

[haren]

HI,
I hope someone can help me.
I have a thumb drive locked with bitlocker. I had pulled it out without safely ejecting it, and now everytime i plug it in the computer does not recognize it. It just says "removable disk (H" and i cant open it.
I would like to retrieve my files from the thumb drive as soe are quite important.
Tried using elevated command prompt and BitLocker Repair Tool from your tutorial but didnt work.

Please help. Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Haren, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The drive doesn't appear to be encrypted by BitLocker looking at its icon.

As a test, use the command from the tutorial below to check BitLocker status for the drive.

:ar: manage-bde -status H:

BitLocker Status - Check for Drive in Windows

 

[haren]

Hi it says volume does not exist :-(

 

[Brink]

What does Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) show for the drive?

As a test, try connecting it to a different USB port to see if it may be an issue with this one.

Does it do the same on another PC?

 

[haren]

diskmgmt.msc just say "no media", and yes --on all other computers i tried. It was working well just few days ago. This is what i mean by the computer does not recognise it

 

[Brink]

It appears that the USB flash drive may have died on you.

 

[haren]

OH NO!!!!!!....... anyway i can get my files out of it?

 

[Brink]

You could try the free version of Recuva to see if it may be able to.

Recuva - Restore deleted files, even if youve emptied the Recycle bin! - Piriform

However, if the USB drive isn't even recognized by the system, then I doubt it.

 

[haren]

HI,
Tried recuva -- but as u said, it did not work, as the system doesnt recognise the drive. Wondering if i shld format the drive and try recuva after that. Any other suggestions?
Really at a lost here, as everything was fine upto few days ago :-(

 

[Brink]

If you format the drive, it may allow the drive to be used again, but the chances of recovering anything is pretty much gone.

 

[Layback Bear]

Your also going to run into all kinds of problems if you don't get some more free space on your partition 'C'.

Just a friendly reminder.

Jack

 

[haren]

Hi,
thanks for all the help -- i was looking at the Recuva and it does say "Recuva can recover files from damaged or newly formatted drives."
Dont know what else i can do.

Layback Bear -- thanks for the reminder. How do i get more space on my C? dont have much on it except OS and few programs. All other files are on D and F.

 

[Brink]

Haren,

The tutorial below can show you different options to help determine what is using your hard drive space and how to free up space.

Hard Disk Space - Free Up and Recover - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[KrishC]

Awesome. Thanks much guys. This really helped me. I used the "BitLocker Recovery Key" to Unlock the Drive.
I created this account just to say 'thanks a ton'.

With love from India,
Krishna.

 

[tkwetina]

Got the key but does not encrypt

I recently updated my XPS13 2in1 and after that device did not boot anymore with error message : No bootable device found.

Turns out to be a W10 issue as hw is OK. SSD is encrypted with Bitlocker.

Now I put the SSD into a desktop and try to decrypt it - both standard and repair - always get the message wrong key

I then bought m3 data recovery tool and this can access the SSD with my key.

:devil: Any idea what could be the problem ?

Step 2 is now after data is saved to return the SSD into the Dell XPS13 and boot from USB and try do decrypt the SSD from that machine, anyway it will not boot until I reinstall W 10 i assume

Will I be able to reinstall and keeping my data with the Bitlocker encryption ? Can I access Bitlocker when I boot from USB ?

 

[Brink]

Hello tkwetina, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Since you area able to access the SSD with the software, I would recommend copying your files to another drive as a backup.

This way you will be able to do a clean install of W10 on the SSD without worrying about losing your files.