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BitLocker To Go is Windows’ built-in encryption option for removable drives such as USB thumb drives. On Windows 10 or Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, open Manage BitLocker, select the removable drive, choose Turn on BitLocker, set an unlock method, and back up the resulting 48-digit recovery key before you depend on the drive.
What BitLocker To Go does
BitLocker To Go is the removable-drive portion of BitLocker Drive Encryption. In the BitLocker control panel, USB thumb drives appear under Removable data drives – BitLocker To Go. The encryption protects the drive if it is lost, but access still depends on the password or other unlock credential you configure.
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The full Manage BitLocker applet requires an administrator sign-in and is available in Windows 10 and Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Windows Home does not expose this management applet.
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- Insert the removable drive you want to encrypt.
- Sign in to Windows with an administrator account.
- Confirm that the PC runs Windows 10 or Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education.
- Decide where you will store a recovery-key backup that is separate from the computer and the encrypted drive.
Turn on BitLocker To Go
- Open Start, type BitLocker, and select Manage BitLocker.
- Under Removable data drives – BitLocker To Go, find the inserted USB drive.
- Select Turn on BitLocker next to that drive.
- Follow the wizard and choose an unlock option. A password is the usual choice for a removable drive.
- When prompted, select Back up your recovery key and save it before completing setup.
- Allow encryption to finish. Microsoft says you can continue using the computer while the process progresses.
Back up the recovery key correctly
A BitLocker recovery key is a unique 48-digit numerical password. It is different from the everyday password used to unlock the drive and may be required after Windows detects a change it cannot distinguish from an attack.
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Depending on the account and edition, the backup wizard can offer these destinations:
- your Microsoft account;
- a work or school account;
- another USB flash drive;
- a file saved somewhere other than the BitLocker-encrypted drive; or
- a printed copy.
The key file is only a few kilobytes and cannot be saved to the drive that BitLocker is encrypting. Keep a USB backup or printout away from the computer. Anyone who obtains both the encrypted drive and its recovery information could bypass the protection.
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Unlock the drive later
Insert the encrypted drive into a Windows PC and provide the unlock credential configured during setup. If normal unlocking fails and Windows displays a recovery prompt, do not guess at keys. Record the first eight digits of the displayed recovery-key ID; that identifier tells you which saved 48-digit key matches the prompt.
Find the matching recovery key
- From another device, open https://aka.ms/myrecoverykey and sign in to the Microsoft account that was used when the key was backed up.
- For an organization-managed PC, open https://aka.ms/aadrecoverykey, or contact the organization’s IT department.
- Check the printed copy or the USB/file backup.
- Compare the first eight digits of the recovery-key ID on screen with each saved key, then enter the complete 48-digit number for the matching entry.
Microsoft Support says it cannot retrieve, provide, or recreate a lost BitLocker recovery key.
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Why Windows might ask for recovery
BitLocker can require recovery when it detects a possible unauthorized-access attempt or when hardware, firmware, or software changes look different enough that Windows cannot distinguish them from an attack. A recovery request does not by itself prove that the drive was stolen; it means the normal trust check was not satisfied.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the recovery key is missing
Organization-managed computer
Contact your work or school IT department. Administrators may have stored the key in the organization’s account system.
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Check the Microsoft account page, any saved file, the separate USB backup, and printed records. If the key cannot be found and the change that triggered recovery cannot be reversed, Microsoft directs users to Windows recovery options. Resetting the device removes all files, so treat that as a last resort rather than a way to recover the encrypted data.
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Operational checklist
- Use an administrator account on a supported Windows edition.
- Start at Manage BitLocker and select the drive under Removable data drives – BitLocker To Go.
- Choose an unlock credential you can use when the drive is moved.
- Back up the 48-digit recovery key before relying on the drive.
- Store the backup separately from the computer and encrypted drive.
- When recovery appears, match the first eight digits of the key ID before entering a key.
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