Home > Questions

What is the BitLocker recovery key for Windows 10 Home?

Help!! My PC should be encrypted but I'm not sure if I use BitLocker. And I can't remember the password. So how can I decrypt it? Where is the recovery key?

Best Answered by

iBoysoft author Eudora Liu

Eudora Liu

Answered on Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Well, what you need to know first is that there is no BitLocker on Windows 10 Home, so your PC may be encrypted by Device Encryption.

So how to know whether you use Device Encryption? You can use the following ways to ensure.

  1. Click the search icon in the taskbar.
  2. Type in system information.
  3. Click "Run as administrator".
  4. Choose System Summary at the left upper corner.
  5. Check the device encryption support.

If the value says Meets prerequisites, then device encryption is available on your device. And Windows 10 Home doesn't support BitLocker, so it won't appear in it.

If you remember your password (usually, the password is your power-on password) you can follow the below steps to decrypt it.

  1. Log into Windows with an administrator account.
  2. Select the Start button.
  3. Select Settings > Update & Security > Device Encryption

But if you are sure you use BitLocker to encrypt your drive in some ways, the recovery key with 48 characters is stored in your Microsoft account.

For BitLocker on Windows 10 home, you can read: 

How to enable BitLocker on Windows 11/10 Home?

How to Bypass BitLocker Recovery Screen Asking Recovery Key?

People Also Ask

Read More Questions

Read More Advice From iBoysoft's Computer Experts

BitLocker drive encryption

How to Use BitLocker Drive Encryption on Windows 11/10

A complete overview of how to use BitLocker on Windows 11/10 to encrypt your data. Plus BitLocker recovery mode and BitLocker recovery key.

Wiki Tips

BitLocker recovery key

How to Find BitLocker Recovery Key & Do BitLocker Recovery?

Learn what is BitLocker recovery, how to do BitLocker recovery, what is BitLocker recovery key and where/how to find BitLocker recovery key.

Bitlocker Tips

password protect hard drives

Password protect external HDD for both Mac & Windows

Here's step-by-step tutorial about how to encrypt, password protect external hard drive for both Mac and Windows PC usage.

Bitlocker Tips