How to Recover Data from Formatted BitLocker Drive Easily

BitLocker is an advanced data protection feature in Windows that blocks unauthorized data access and illegal data exposure by encrypting the entire volume. It uses the industrial-grade AES encryption algorithm to encrypt the drive at the sector level.

So, we can see how strongly BitLocker safeguards the files, and conversely, how hard it will be to recover data from a BitLocker-encrypted drive. Let alone recovering data from a formatted BitLocker drive.

If you've mistakenly formatted your BitLocker-encrypted hard drive and are struggling with restoring files from it, this post is right for you. It will tell you whether you can recover data from a formatted BitLocker encrypted drive on your Windows 11/10/8/7 and how to recover data from a formatted BitLocker-encrypted drive.

About recovering data from a formatted BitLocker-encrypted drive:

Can you recover data from a formatted BitLocker-encrypted drive?

This is not a straightforward yes or no question. Whether you can recover data from a formatted BitLocker-encrypted drive depends on your specific situation.

Different from recovering files from a non-encrypted disk, rescuing data from a BitLocker-encrypted drive requires decrypting data first. While to do that, both the password (or the 48-digit BitLocker recovery key) and the intact BitLocker metadata of the drive are required.

It is necessary to explain that the BitLocker metadata of the drive is used to store the encryption identifier. When the BitLocker metadata is erased or damaged, it can't be authenticated whether it is a BitLocker-encrypted drive or not. Then, the encrypted data can't be decrypted.

The fact is, if you format your BitLocker drive in Disk Management or File Explorer in Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista, the drive's BitLocker metadata is also been erased. Under this circumstance, it is impossible to recover data from the formatted BitLocker drive.

But if you format the BitLocker-encrypted drive in Windows XP or with a third-party formatting tool, the BitLocker metadata of the drive won't be erased. You can use professional BitLocker data recovery software to get back the lost data from the formatted BitLocker drive as long as the data on the drive hasn't been overwritten.

So, the answer is YES to the question only if you have the encryption password or BitLocker recovery key, ensure that the BitLocker metadata of the drive is intact, and haven't written to the drive after formatting.

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How to recover data from a formatted BitLocker-encrypted drive?

As explained above, if you use a third-party formatting program to format your BitLocker-encrypted drive or format it in Windows XP, you have the chance to recover data from the formatted BitLocker drive only if the data hasn't been overwritten. While the only chance is to use the BitLocker data recovery tool.

Although diverse developers claim that their data recovery programs can get files off a formatted BitLocker disk, not all of them can actually do so.

iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows is a professional BitLocker data recovery software. It supports recovering lost files from a BitLocker-encrypted drive that's formatted by a third-party formatting tool in Windows 11/10/8/7. Also, it allows restoring data from a BitLocker drive formatted in Windows XP.

Here's how to use iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows to recover data from a formatted BitLocker-encrypted drive:

Step 1: Free download, install, and open iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows.

Step 2: Select the BitLocker Recovery module.

Step 3: Choose the formatted BitLocker-encrypted drive or partition and click Next.

You're suggested to check the box next to Deep scan to find more files. And of course, a deep scan will take a longer time.

Step 4: Enter your password or the 48-digit recovery key and click OK to start scanning.

If your password or BitLocker recovery key is correct, iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows will automatically start scanning the lost data on the partition or drive. Otherwise, it will alert you to type the correct BitLocker key or password. If you forget both the BitLocker key and password, no data recovery software in the world can help you recover lost files and folders from the BitLocker-encrypted drive.

Step 5: Preview the scanning results, and then select the recoverable data and click Recover to save them to a different destination.

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FAQs about recovering data from formatted BitLocker drive