An encrypted Windows PC may ask for a recovery key after certain changes. Find out where yours is stored before there is an emergency.
Identify who manages the PC
For a personal device, a recovery key may be saved to the Microsoft account used during setup. On a work or school device, the organisation’s IT administrator may hold it.
Match the correct key
From another device, follow Microsoft’s official recovery-key instructions. If the locked PC displays a key ID, use that ID to find the matching recovery key. Your sign-in PIN is not the recovery key.
Store recovery information safely
Keep recovery information somewhere you can access without the locked PC. Do not post a key in a support forum or share it with an unexpected caller. If there is no matching key, recovering data may not be possible.
Further reading: Microsoft Support: find your BitLocker recovery key.