How to recover data from BitLocker encrypted drive?

Updated by Tim to BitLocker Recovery Tips on December 29th, 2020

I encrypted 3TB external hard disk with BitLocker in Windows 10 last week, today I connect 3TB hard disk to another PC to unlock drive but BitLocker doesn't accept correct recovery key and password. How should I recover BitLocker encrypted drive and access data?

This post will show you how to recover lost files from BitLocker encrypted drive according to different data loss environments:

Scenario 1: Recover data from corrupted or failed BitLocker encrypted drive
Scenario 2: Recover data from formatted BitLocker encrypted drive
Scenario 3: Recover data from deleted or lost BitLocker encrypted partition
Scenario 4: Recover data after formatting the corrupted BitLocker encrypted drive

How to recover files lost from BitLocker encrypted drive?

There are four solutions to recover lost data from BitLocker encrypted drive according to different data loss environments.

BitLocker data recovery requires the password or BitLocker recovery key. If the password or BitLocker recovery key is lost, read our article: how to unlock BitLocker encrypted drive without the password and recover key.

BitLocker data recovery software

As a professional BitLocker encrypted data recovery software, M3 BitLocker Recovery can help to recover lost data from BitLocker encrypted drive.

No matter the BitLocker encrypted drive is damaged, corrupted, failed, inaccessible, crashed or BitLocker drive encryption is stuck, failed, paused, froze, M3 BitLocker Recovery can do a good BitLocker data recovery job as long as you can provide the correct password or BitLocker recovery key.

FAQ: M3 BitLocker Recovery can recover data from BitLocker encrypted drive without recovery key or password?

The answer is No.

Scenario 1: Recover data from corrupted or failed BitLocker encrypted drive

Step 1: Download, install BitLocker data recovery software: M3 BitLocker Recovery on your Windows computer.

Step 2: Launch M3 BitLocker Recovery, select the corrupted or failed BitLocker encrypted drive and click Next to scan.

Professional BitLocker data recovery software

Step 3: Enter the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key to decrypt data from BitLocker encrypted drive.

Decrypt data from BitLocker encrypted drive

Step 4: Scan the data from BitLocker encrypted drive.

Scan data from BitLocker encrypted drive

Step 5: After the data is found from BitLocker encrypted drive, select them and click "Recover" to start recovery.

Recover data from BitLocker encrypted drive

If some recovered files cannot be opened, check "Revert decryption" option under Help menu and recover them again.

Scenario 2: Recover data from the formatted BitLocker encrypted drive

If the BitLocker encrypted drive was accidently formatted by the format tool built-in Windows 10, 8 or 7, Windows OS has completely erased the BitLocker metadata (write zero) so that there is no way to recover lost data from formattted BitLocker encrypted drive.

Step 1: Download, install and launch M3 BitLocker Recovery software on your Windows computer.

Step 2: Select the formatted BitLocker encrypted drive, check deep scan option and click Next to continue.

Step 3: Enter the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key to decrypt data from BitLocker encrypted drive.

Step 4: Scan the lost data from BitLocker encrypted drive.

Step 5: After the lost data is found, select them and click "Recover" to save.

Scenario 3: Recover data from the deleted or lost BitLocker encrypted partition

Step 1: Download and install M3 BitLocker Recovery software on your Windows computer.

Step 2: Launch M3 BitLocker Recovery software and click "Find More Partitions" at the top.

Step 3: Choose the hard drive and click Next to scan the lost BitLocker encrypted partition.

Scan deleted/lost BitLocker encrypted partition

Step 4: Once the lost BitLocker encrypted partition is found, select it and then click Next to continue.

Recover deleted/lost BitLocker encrypted partition

Step 5: Enter the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key to decrypt data from the lost BitLocker encrypted partition.

Decrypt data from deleted/lost BitLocker encrypted partition

Step 6: After your files are located, select them and click "Recover" to recover data from lost BitLocker encrypted partition.

Scenario 4: Recover data after formatting the corrupted BitLocker encrypted drive

Step 1: Download and install M3 BitLocker Recovery software on your Windows computer.

Step 2: Launch M3 BitLocker Recovery software and click "Find More Partitions" at the top.

Step 3: Choose the hard drive and then click Next to scan the previously existing BitLocker encrypted partition.

Step 4: Once the previously existing BitLocker encrypted partition is located, select it and then click Next to continue.

Step 5: Enter the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key to decrypt data from BitLocker encrypted partition.

Step 6: After your lost files are found, select them and click "Recover" to start BitLocker data recovery process.