Microsoft has issued a cautionary note regarding its October 2025 security update, which has the potential to unexpectedly trigger a BitLocker recovery prompt on certain systems. This situation predominantly affects devices running Windows 10 version 22H2 and Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2.
BitLocker serves as a robust security feature integrated into Windows, designed to encrypt the contents of a drive. Its primary purpose is to safeguard data against unauthorized access, particularly in scenarios involving theft or tampering. By locking the drive, BitLocker necessitates a recovery key whenever the system detects alterations to hardware, firmware, or boot configurations that might signify a security threat. This mechanism ensures that sensitive information remains protected, even in the event of attempts to bypass the operating system or directly access the drive.
What’s causing the BitLocker Recovery issue?
According to Microsoft, certain devices may inadvertently enter BitLocker recovery mode during the restart or startup process. Notably, with the introduction of Windows 11 version 24H2, BitLocker encryption is now enabled by default for clean installations on supported hardware. Consequently, users who set up a new laptop using a Microsoft account will find that BitLocker protection is automatically activated.
Microsoft elaborated, “Affected devices might boot into the BitLocker recovery screen, requiring users to enter the recovery key once. After the key is entered and the device restarts, it will boot normally without any further BitLocker prompts. This issue primarily appears to affect Intel-based devices that support Connected Standby, a feature that allows the device to remain connected to the network while in a low power state.”
What should impacted users do next?
To address the BitLocker recovery issue, Microsoft has made a fix available for Windows PCs. However, it is important to note that administrators will need to manually deploy this update using the Known Issue Rollback group policy. For enterprise customers affected by this issue, Microsoft recommends reaching out to Microsoft Support for Business for further assistance.
For consumers facing the BitLocker recovery prompt without access to their recovery key, there is a significant risk of losing all data stored on their device. In such instances, users are encouraged to attempt retrieving their recovery key through their Microsoft account.
