Microsoft's July update may put your PC in BitLocker recovery – here's how to fix this

Another Windows update, another glitch. Rolling out this past Patch Tuesday, Microsoft’s July update has created a hiccup for some Windows users who secure their PCs through BitLocker. Affecting Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server, the bug prevents your PC from booting into Windows, instead resulting in a blue screen that asks for your BitLocker recovery key.

“After installing the July 2024 Windows security update, released July 9, 2024 (KB5040442), you might see a BitLocker recovery screen upon booting your device,” Microsoft said in its update. “This screen does not commonly appear after a Windows update. You are more likely to face this issue if you have the Device Encryption option enabled in Settings under ‘Privacy & Security > Device encryption.’ Resulting from this issue, you might be prompted to enter the recovery key from your Microsoft account to unlock your drive.”

Also: Windows 11 FAQ: ZDNET’s upgrade guide and everything else you need to know

The following versions of Windows are affected by this issue:

• Windows Client: Windows 11 version 23H2, Windows 11 version 22H2, Windows 11 version 21H2, Windows 10 version 22H2, and Windows 10 version 21H2
• Windows Server: Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2008

If you have your BitLocker recovery key handy, just enter it in the appropriate field. You should then be able to boot into Windows with no trouble. If you don’t know the key offhand, fire up another PC or mobile device and browse to your BitLocker recovery keys webpage. Sign in with your personal, work, or school Microsoft account, and the page should show you the recovery keys for all your registered devices.

If that doesn’t work, Microsoft said that it’s working on a resolution to the issue and expects to release a fix in the coming weeks.

BitLocker is a Windows security feature that encrypts your hard drive to protect it against unwanted access and data theft. Microsoft offers a few methods for locking and unlocking the encrypted drive, including a USB drive with the recovery key, a PIN, and a password. Under normal circumstances, the recovery key isn’t required to boot into Windows, which is why this bug is frustrating.

The other annoying aspect is that this glitch comes hot on the heels of the CrowdStrike snafu. In that fiasco, millions of Windows PCs were hit by the dreaded Blue Screen of Death due to a faulty CrowdStrike update. With all these bugs hitting around the same time, it’s certainly been a trying week for Windows users and IT administrators.