- You normally shouldn’t get prompted for your BitLocker recovery key unless you change your hardware. If this does happen, it could be a BIOS or software issue.
- Since BitLocker is hardware-based, one of the only surefire solutions to this issue might be to update the system and BIOS.
- Some BIOS changes can register as drive or hardware changes and might prompt BitLocker to keep asking for a recovery key.
BitLocker is an excellent security feature to protect your files, but it can be a bit odd if you get an issue where BitLocker keeps asking for recovery key out of nowhere. This is usually due to changed settings either in the hardware or the firmware of your PC, and might require a few different troubleshooting methods to properly diagnose. Here are some of the most common fixes that should help.
Fix 1: BitLocker Keeps Asking for Recovery Key – Check BIOS Settings
One of the main reasons BitLocker might start asking you for a recovery key is if it detects any of the following:
- Changed boot order
- Secure Boot is disabled
- TPM Status (Trusted Platform Module) – By default, Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0
- Plugging or unplugging external drives (particularly hard disks)
You can do all these changes in your BIOS settings (however, the actual names and locations will vary depending on your motherboard).
Step 1. Enter your BIOS. You can do this by restarting the PC and pressing the button that will be displayed as a prompt for “Boot,” “UEFI,” or “BIOS” changes.
Step 1b. Alternatively, go to “Advanced startup settings” in the search or the Settings. Then, click on “Troubleshoot” then to “Advanced options” and select “UEFI firmware settings” and confirm the restart.
Step 2. In the BIOS, navigate to the “Boot” section. Move the drive that houses your operating system to the first spot. You can also put the Windows Boot Manager first (as that will do roughly the same thing).
Step 3. Enable the option “Secure Boot.” This may also be under “Boot Controls.” For some motherboards, you’ll need to disable “CSM support” for the feature to show up.
Step 4. Enable TPM (this can be useful If you’re trying to upgrade to Windows 11). This particular option may be labeled a lot of things, including: Security Device, Security Device Support, TPM State, AMD fTPM switch, AMD PSP fTPM, Intel PTT, or Intel Platform Trust Technology.
Step 5. If you recently changed the boot mode from UEFI to Legacy, revert the change.
Fix 2: Stop BitLocker and Restart It Manually
BitLocker has a process that starts up automatically when you turn on the PC. You can restart it and remove the password prompt via the Command Prompt.
Step 1. Right-click on the start menu and select “Terminal (Admin).”
Step 2. Enter the following commands one by one:
manage-bde -protectors -disable C:
shutdown /r /t 0
manage-bde -protectors -enable C:
The Command Prompt should provide feedback on whether the BitLocker utility was successfully reinitiated.
Fix 3: BIOS
In some cases, BitLocker might detect an older version of BIOS and continuously try to verify it with a BitLocker recovery key. Updating BIOS should solve the issue.
Step 1. Enter BIOS (see Fix 1).
Step 2. Go to “Update BIOS” if the page exists (some UEFI settings have their own update processes).
Alternatively, you will need to check which motherboard you have, then find BIOS updates online for it.
You can check your motherboard’s make and model in System Information under “BaseBoard.”
