GuideOS (Operating Systems)Microsoft Windows 11 Bitlocker Drive Encryption Updated October 28 2025
This Guide shows example commands on how to deal with Bitlocker. The first command below will let you see if it is enabled or not.

Check the status of Bitlocker Encryption on a computer:

Copy to Clipboardmanage-bde -status



Show the recovery key for the C: drive:
Copy to Clipboardmanage-bde -protectors C: -get



Microsoft link to see all recovery keys:
https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=237614
- Example of what it will look like



Lock a bitlocker drive:
Copy to Clipboardmanage-bde -lock d: -ForceDismount



Repair a damaged Bitlocker volume:
Copy to Clipboardrepair-bde /?

Copy to Clipboardrepair-bde d: e:\backup.img /force



Decrypt a Bitlocker volume:
Copy to Clipboardmanage-bde c: -off



Dell Computer asking for Bitlocker without notification - You may be able to change a BIOS setting back which will make the computer stop asking for the bitlocker key
Try enabling UEFI/Secure Boot, PTT in BIOS.
https://www.wintips.org/fix-dell-laptop-needs-the-bitlocker-recovery-key/


Auto unlock a drive using a batch file. This has security implications, ensure you do this safely! These all need to run as admin
1: Create an unlock file in C:\ that will be able to unlock the D: bitlocker protected drive:
Copy to Clipboardmanage-bde -protectors -add d: -rk c:\

2: Find the new file that was created. It will look like 'C:\123AB123-1A23-78BC-941A-J019014322A0.BEK'
Copy to Clipboarddir C:\ /a

3: Unlock the D: Drive.
Copy to Clipboardmanage-bde -unlock d: -rk C:\123AB123-1A23-78BC-941A-J019014322A0.BEK




Batch file to check if Bitlocker is enabled on a computer, and save the recovery keys if it is. Save this as a .bat file and run it.
Copy to Clipboard @echo off :: BatchGotAdmin :------------------------------------- REM --> Check for permissions >nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system" REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin. if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' ( echo Requesting administrative privileges... goto UACPrompt ) else ( goto gotAdmin ) :UACPrompt echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" set params = %*:"="" echo UAC.ShellExecute "cmd.exe", "/c %~s0 %params%", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" exit /B :gotAdmin pushd "%CD%" CD /D "%~dp0" :-------------------------------------- manage-bde -protectors C: -get > C:\bitlocker.txt set findstr=No key protectors found >nul findstr /c:"%findstr%" C:\bitlocker.txt && ( echo Bitlocker is not enabled. Closing this window in 10 seconds. del C:\bitlocker.txt timeout 10 ) || ( color 0c echo Bitlocker is enabled! echo The recovery has been saved to this file, and is shown below. echo C:\bitlocker.txt echo. echo. type C:\bitlocker.txt pause )

Bitlocker Lock and Unlock via batch file
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