Microsoft Patches BitLocker Recovery Issue Affecting Windows 11 and 10 PCs

Key Takeaways:

• Microsoft has fixed a bug that caused Windows PCs to boot into BitLocker recovery mode.
• The BitLocker recovery issue particularly impacted Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server machines.
• Users are advised to install the latest update to resolve the problem on Windows systems.

Microsoft has fixed an issue that was causing Windows PCs to boot into BitLocker recovery mode. The company recommends all affected customers to install the latest update on their Windows machines to fix the problem.

What is BitLocker?

BitLocker is a full disk encryption feature included with certain Windows versions. It’s designed to protect data by encrypting the entire drive using strong encryption algorithms such as AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). This security feature helps to prevent any unauthorized users from accessing any sensitive information stored on the Windows device.

BitLocker recovery is the process of restoring access to a computer or drive encrypted with BitLocker. To recover an encrypted drive, users need a BitLocker Recovery Key or other recovery information, especially in cases like hardware changes, a lost or damaged TPM, or data corruption. Windows automatically saves a copy of the recovery key in the user’s Microsoft account.

What is the problem?

Last month, Microsoft confirmed on the Windows release health dashboard that users might see a BitLocker recovery screen following the installation of the July 2024 Patch Tuesday updates. This problem particularly affected customers with the Device Encryption feature enabled on machines running Windows 10 and Windows 11 and multiple versions of Windows Server.

On Reddit, several IT admins reported that this issue affects multiple Windows machines within their organizations. The reports suggest that it particularly impacts all HP and Lenovo laptops managed on corporate networks.

Fortunately, Microsoft resolved the issue for Windows devices with a patch released on August 13. “We recommend you install the latest update for your device as it contains important improvements and issue resolutions, including this one,” Microsoft explained.

Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed a security vulnerability that allowed hackers to bypass BitLocker encryption through the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). The company released an update to fix the issue on Windows 10 versions 21H2 and 22H2, but some users faced difficulties with the patch failing to install.