How to retrieve your Bitlocker Key for Windows 10 easily

Windows 10 PCs running the Pro SKU – most notably the Surface line – are often encrypted with Bitlocker by default and out of the box to protect user files.

Now, sometimes users may need access to their Bitlocker key either to unlock their PCs or just for security measures. Here’s how to find your Bitlocker Key and retrieve it should you get locked out of your PC.

Command prompt

1. Launch Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Run the following command : manage-bde -protectors c: -get (if you have any other drive encrypted, feel free to replace the “c: with the name of the drive)
3. You can now screenshot the results and/or note down the bitlocker key either on a pen or paper, or somewhere secure and accessible. Should you want to share it to a Network for backup purposes, follow the next steps – else disregard.
4. Run the following command manage-bde -protectors -add c: -recoverykey c:
5. Then, run the following script witjh the appropriate values swapped out for“net use Driverletter Networkshare /user:domain\username password
md driveletter\bitlockerkeys\%computername%
attrib -h -s c:\*.bek
move c:\*.bek driveletter\bitlockerkeys\%computername%”

6. Once this is done, your device’s key should now be backed up to a network share of your choosing.

Via OneDrive

If you’re simply locked out of your PC, Microsoft’s OneDrive saves the recovery keys of all PCs to OneDrive.com/recoverykey
This should allow you to view the Bitlocker key associated with any PCs which are registered to your Microsoft account. Of note Is that it should be clear that PCs which do not run with Microsoft’s accounts but are used with local accounts only will not be able to be fixed by this method.