Symptom

The PC may display a BitLocker recovery screen after it has been returned from a service center where hardware components have been replaced. This may also happen after BIOS settings have been changed.

Applicable Brands

• ThinkPad
• ideapad
• ideacentre

Operating Systems

Windows 10

Solution

Starting with Windows 10 version 1703, Windows will enable automatic Device Encryption on most notebook computers. This happens with the Lenovo factory preload, as well as a clean installation of Windows 10 from retail media.

When logging into a PC with a Microsoft account, the BitLocker recovery key is automatically backed up online and stored in Microsoft's cloud. The recovery key may be obtained at the following website, after logging on with the same Microsoft account that you use to log on to your PC: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=237614

After obtaining the recovery key from this website, enter it into the BitLocker recovery screen as prompted.

Additional Information

For more information, refer to Microsoft's documentation about BitLocker Device Encryption here: https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/security/information-protection/bitlocker/bitlocker-device-encryption-overview-windows-10

If a user does NOT select a network during Windows 10 setup, the user will have the option of creating a local Administrator account and password. Once that has been accomplished, a network connection can be established. If bitlocker is required, then use of the Bitlocker Drive Encryption icon in control panel can be employed.

Three methods are available for saving the Bitlocker Recovery Key:

1. Microsoft account as outlined above
2. Storage of key on Removeable media
3. Printing the key

The latter two options are valid for single user systems that are not joined to a domain account within a company.

The service center does not have access to the Bitlocker Recovery Key.

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