Microsoft has recently acknowledged a significant issue impacting several Windows operating systems, following the rollout of security patches in October 2025. Users of specific Intel-based devices may find themselves facing unexpected BitLocker recovery screens during system restarts, necessitating manual intervention to restore normal operation.
The technology leader has confirmed that this problem affects Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, as well as Windows 10 version 22H2. The issue surfaced after users installed Windows Updates released on or after October 14, 2025. Upon restarting or booting up their devices, some users are prompted to enter their BitLocker recovery key unexpectedly.
While entering the recovery key resolves the situation and allows the device to restart normally, the interruption can be quite inconvenient for both enterprise and personal users. Microsoft’s status page indicates that the company is actively investigating the root cause of this issue.
Connected Standby Feature Appears to Be Primary Factor
Technical analyses suggest that the problem disproportionately affects Intel-based devices equipped with Connected Standby technology. This power management feature enables devices to maintain network connectivity while operating in a low-power state, facilitating background updates and notifications.
The correlation between Connected Standby support and the BitLocker recovery prompts indicates that the issue arises from interactions between the new security patches and this specific hardware capability. Notably, the bug does not persist after the initial recovery key entry, suggesting that the problem occurs during a specific phase of the startup process rather than indicating a continuous encryption issue.
Once users successfully authenticate with their recovery key and the system completes its restart cycle, subsequent boots proceed without any additional BitLocker prompts. This temporary nature of the issue provides some reassurance that data remains secure and that the encryption functionality is intact.
In response to the situation, Microsoft has promptly activated a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) for the affected devices. This feature allows the company to remotely deploy patches that specifically address the problematic updates without requiring users to manually uninstall previous patches.
For business organizations managing multiple devices, Microsoft Support can assist in deploying the KIR across enterprise environments, systematically mitigating the impact. The company advises business users experiencing this issue to reach out to Microsoft Support for Business to apply the rollback.
Individual Windows users are encouraged to monitor Microsoft’s Windows Release Health dashboard for updates regarding resolution timelines. It is worth noting that server editions of Windows appear unaffected by this particular issue, limiting the scope primarily to client operating systems running on consumer and business workstations.
Microsoft users should remain vigilant for unexpected BitLocker recovery prompts following system restarts, especially those utilizing Intel processors with Connected Standby support. Keeping recovery keys accessible and familiarizing themselves with the recovery process will help users navigate the issue should it arise.
The company continues to investigate the underlying cause and promises to provide additional information as the situation develops, with a resolution expected through the Known Issue Rollback deployment process.
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