Home > Questions

How to decrypt Bitlocker-encrypted hard disk partition?

Hello, my friend, I have a Dell device with Windows 11 Home. I just created extra two partitions on my hard disk. Then I want to install an SSD hard disk drive. Suddenly I found that one of my newly built drive partitions is now BitLocker encrypted and all of the data is inaccessible. I found my BitLocker recovery key on my Microsoft account, but I don't know how to encrypt the data in Windows 11. When using some unknown third-party data recovery software, I got files without the right file names. How to recover the BitLocker-encrypted data?

Best Answered by

iBoysoft author Yuri Zhang

Yuri Zhang

Answered on Monday, April 29, 2024

Firstly you have to know that the Windows Home version does not support standard BitLocker decryption and encryption. You can upgrade the system including pro, enterprise, and education editions so that you gain BitLocker's full function. It's okay and optional if you deny upgrades, then try the following solutions.

Solution 1: To unlock or decrypt a BitLocker encrypted drive after getting the complete function of BitLocker: 

Step 1: Launch Bitlocker, and right-click the hard disk drive you want to decrypt.

Step 2: Enter the password/ recovery key found on the Microsoft account, and click Next to finish decryption.

Solution 2: You try to use the Command Prompt to unlock your drive.

Step 1: Click on Start, search for Command Prompt, right-click on that, and click on Run as Administrator.

Step 2: Type this command to unlock the drive and hit Enter: manage-bde -unlock D: -RecoveryPassword YOUR-BITLOCKER-RECOVERY-KEY 

Step 3: Run this command to disable/decrypt the BitLocker: manage-bde -off D:

If the methods above don't work, you must recover data from the BitLocker-encrypted drive and reformat it.

After the decryption, the reason why you got the wrong file names is that the BitLocker encrypted partitions might be corrupted, deleted, or lost. At this moment, you need to restore data with iBoysoft Data Recovery, a professional data recovery software that can help you sort out the question.

Best BitLocker Recovery Software - iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows

  • Recover inaccessible photos, documents, audio files, videos, emails, etc from Bitlocker-encrypted drives.
  • Support all brands of external HDDs, SSDs, flash drives, SD cards, etc.
  • Support Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP Windows Server

 Read-only & risk-free

 

 After installing iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows. Please select the BitLocker Data Recovery module. Choose the problematical BitLocker-encrypted drive or partition, click Next, and enter the password or recovery key to scan lost partitions. Finally, view the scanning results, then select the needed data, and click Fix Drive to restore the lost partition. You can retrieve and access your data until BitLocker decryption and disk partition recovery are done. 

 

People Also Ask

Read More Questions

Read More Advice From iBoysoft's Computer Experts

broken sd card recovery

[2024]How to Fix & Recover Data From A Broken SD Card

You will know whether you can recover data from a physically broken SD card, how to do broken SD card recovery if it is logically damaged, plus how to fix broken SD card to make it usable.

SD Card Recovery

you need to format the disk before use it

Quick Fix: You Need to Format The Disk Before You Can Use It

Fix error 'You need to format the disk in drive before you can use it' on external drives. Recover data from the RAW disk on Window 10/8/7/Vista/XP.

Recover Raw Drive

the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

The File or Directory Is Corrupted And Unreadable? Try These Fixes!

When the external hard drive becomes inaccessible on Windows 10/11, it may say 'The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.' This post provides effective methods to fix the error.

Data Recovery Tips