Easy Ways to Recover Deleted Files from Bitlocker Encrypted Drive

File Restore After BitLocker Encryption Failure

Overview: This article will show you how to recover deleted or missing files from BitLocker-encrypted disks on Windows 11/10/8/7. The BLR data recovery application for Windows can easily recover deleted files from a BitLocker disk or restore lost data from a corrupted or formatted BitLocker-encrypted device.

BitLocker is a full-volume encryption program that prevents unauthorized users from accessing or altering hard drive data. However, it makes recovering files from the drive more challenging.

If you unknowingly erased files from your Windows computer's BitLocker-encrypted storage, you can restore them by searching the Recycle Bin. If so, read on to learn how to recover lost or permanently deleted files from a BitLocker encrypted drive in Windows 11/10/8/7.

How to restore deleted or lost files from a BitLocker drive:

It depends on your circumstances. If you accidentally removed data from your BitLocker-encrypted drive, you can search for it in the Recycle Bin.

If you used the Shift + delete keys or empty the Recycle Bin to permanently remove files from your computer, or if the deleted data remained in the Recycle Bin for more than 30 days, you can use the data recovery program to retrieve those lost files if they have not been overwritten.

However, if you permanently deleted files from a modern laptop with a solid-state drive (SSD), even data recovery software would be unable to recover the data from the PC once the SSD's TRIM function was enabled. 

In addition, because BitLocker encryption is unique, the data recovery application can only be utilized by an administrator with the encryption password or recovery key to scan and access deleted items on the encrypted drive.

So, depending on the circumstances, you may be able to recover deleted or lost files from a BitLocker device.

Is it possible to recover data from a BitLocker encrypted device without a key?

If you have the BitLocker encryption password, the answer is Yes. To access a BitLocker-encrypted drive, you must enter either the encryption password or the recovery key. Even a data recovery program will not be able to recover data from a BitLocker encrypted drive on Windows 10 unless you have the password and BitLocker recovery key.

In truth, when you enable BitLocker encryption on the drive, it generates a recovery key and mandates you to save it. And the most common locations to retain the BitLocker recovery key are:

• Within your Microsoft Account.

• On an external hard drive.

• On your computer, in a document. If you printed the BitLocker recovery key, type "Microsoft Print to PDF" into the search bar.

• Enter the BitLocker encryption identity into the BitLocker Recovery Key 444C8E16-45E7-4F23-96CE-3B3FA04D2189.txt file.

• On the printed piece of paper.

• AD stands for Active Directory.

• In your Microsoft Azure account.

How can I restore lost or deleted files from a BitLocker drive?

To recover deleted or lost files from a BitLocker-protected device, run the BitLocker data recovery tool or search the Recycle Bin.

The recycle bin allows you to retrieve lost or deleted files from the BitLocker drive.

It is quite easy to restore deleted or lost files from the BitLocker drive if you accidentally click "Delete" or drag and drop your files into the Recycle Bin without emptying it.

• Double-clicking will bring up the Recycle Bin on your desktop.

• Search the Recycle Bin for the files you're looking for.

• Right-click the target files and select "Restore".

The lost data is then restored to the original BitLocker device location.

Use a data recovery solution to recover deleted or lost files from your BitLocker storage.

If you empty the Recycle Bin, use Shift + Delete to wipe the data, or move the contents to the Trash after 30 days, the files on the BitLocker drive will be permanently deleted from your computer.

In this case, your only option is to utilize a BitLocker data recovery solution, such as the Bitlocker recovery application for Windows, to recover erased or lost files from the BitLocker protected drive. 

Notably, regardless of the data recovery software you use, you cannot recover data from a BitLocker encrypted device under the following circumstances:

Case 1: The destroyed data is replaced on a BitLocker-protected device. This is happening only on the operating system drive, or C drive. If you continue to use your computer after deleting the files, they will most likely be overwritten. As a result, stop using your computer or external hard drive as soon as you realize you've erased files permanently.

Case 2: The erased data is saved on the laptop's SSD, which has the TRIM feature activated. The SSD's TRIM function will automatically erase the contents of permanently erased files when they are removed. TRIM is enabled by default on laptops with SSDs that run Windows 7 or later.

Case 3: You forgot your BitLocker password and recovery key. Only after unlocking the BitLocker disk with the recovery key or password can the data recovery program scan and restore the drive's lost and deleted files.

How to use the BLR data recovery application for Windows to recover deleted or lost files from a BitLocker-encrypted drive: 

It's important to understand that the BLR data recovery program for Windows can recover lost files from broken, unreadable, or formatted BitLocker protected devices. This BitLocker data recovery tool can also recover data from deleted disks on a BitLocker-enabled PC.

Step 1:  Download the BLR Bitlocker data recovery application for Windows from the official site and install it on your machine. 

If you want to access files on the BitLocker-protected C: drive, restart your computer and boot from a bootable USB device. Then, using this external USB disk, download and install the BLR data recovery software for Windows.

Step 2: When the BLR data recovery utility Data Recovery for Windows starts, pick the "BitLocker Recovery" module.

Step 3: After selecting the BitLocker encrypted drive to use for your lost data search, click the "Next" option. 

Step 4: In the pop-up box, enter your BitLocker password or the 48-digit recovery key and click "OK" to scan the wiped data. 

Step 5: Once the scanning is complete, analyze the files that were detected to see if they may be recovered. A corrupted file cannot be restored using a data recovery tool.

Step 6: Choose whatever files you want to recover and click "Recover" to save them elsewhere.

Also Read : An Overview of BitLocker Technology Applications