How to recover data from a formatted BitLocker-encrypted partition?
Free download BitLocker data recovery software: iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery to recover your formatted BitLocker drive data now.
In our life, mistakely formatting a drive is a typical data loss scenario.
Even so, is there a way to recover data from a formatted BitLocker drive?
The answer yes, but BitLocker formatted drive recovery is different from format recovery on the drive that is not encrypted.
Understanding BitLocker formatted drive recovery
Data recovery from the formatted BitLocker drive depends upon whether the area on the disk which holds BitLocker metadata wasn't severely damaged or overwritten not after formatting.
BitLocker metadata is used to store the encryption keys. If the BitLocker metadata has been severely damaged or overwritten, there is no recovery software which can decrypt data from that BitLocker encrypted drive.
BitLocker data recovery VS common data recovery
Unlike common data recovery, BitLocker data recovery requires intact BitLocker metadata and password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key to decrypt data.
The most data recovery software advertise they can recover data from a formatted BitLocker drive, but actually they don't have the function to decrypt data. So choosing and finding a professional BitLocker data recovery software is your first thing.
BitLocker data recovery software free download
iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery is a professional BitLocker data recovery software which can recover data from a formatted BitLocker drive, recover data from a corrupted BitLocker drive, recover data from a damaged BitLocker drive, recover data from an inaccessible BitLocker drive, recover a deleted or lost BitLocker partition.
How to recover lost files from a formatted BitLocker drive?
There are five cases about how the BitLocker-encrypted drive was formatted:
Case 1: Formatted the BitLocker drive with the format tool built-in Windows 10/8/7
I encrypted my external hard drive with BitLocker and then I accidently formatted it by selecting the wrong drive while formatting in Windows 10. Is there any way I can recover lost data from formatted BitLocker encrypted drive?
The answer is No. When formatting the BitLocker drive, Windows 10/8/7 completely erases the BitLocker metadata so that there is no recovery software which can recover data from formatted drive.
Case 2: Mistakely clicked Format on a corrupted or inaccessible drive
The data was encrypted with BitLocker and the drive got crashed during BitLocker drive encryption, and then I accidently formatted it to access the drive. Is there any way to recover lost data?
Go to solution 2: How to recover lost data after formatting a corrupted BitLocker drive.
Case 3: Formatted a BitLocker drive without password and recovery key
I forgot the password and lost 48-digit recovery key. To access this drive, I had to format it. Is there any way to recover lost data?
The answer is No. BitLocker data recovery requires the password or recovery key to decrypt data.
Case 4: Formatted the BitLocker drive using the 3rd-party software
I had some data on a 1tb BitLocker encrypted NTFS format drive, which was 100% encrypted at the time of the accident. I accidentally formatted the drive by selecting the wrong drive while using software to create a bootable USB stick out of an ISO. The software (PowerISO) attempted to write over the BitLocker encrypted drive with a Fat32 partition, but displayed an error message.
Go to solution 1: How to recover lost data from a formattted BitLocker drive.
Case 5: Formatted the BitLocker drive with the format tool built-in Windows XP
I encrypted my external hard drive with BitLocker and then I accidently formatted it by selecting the wrong drive while formatting in Windows XP. Is there any way I can recover lost data from formatted BitLocker encrypted drive?
Unlike Windows 10/8/7/Vista, Windows XP wouldn't erase the BitLocker metadata when formatting, so there still is a way to recover data after format, go to solution 1: How to recover lost data from a formattted BitLocker drive.
According to the above five data loss cases, we list two solutions so that you can recover formatted BitLocker drive data easily and quickly:
Solution 1: Recover data from a formatted BitLocker drive
If your BitLocker encrypted drive was ok before accidently formatting, follow the below steps to recover your encrypted data:
Tips: Quick format in Windows 10/8/7 has completely erased the BitLocker metadata so that there is no way to decrypt data from the BitLocker-encrypted drive.
Step 1: Download, install and launch iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery Trial version on your Windows computer.
Step 2: Select the formatted BitLocker drive, check deep scan option and click Next to continue.
Step 3: Enter the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key and click Ok.
If the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key is unknown or lost, refer to: How to unlock BitLocker drive without password and recovery key?
Step 4: Scan the lost data from the formatted BitLocker-encrypted drive.
If iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery doesn't accept the password or recovery key and reports incorrect password, it means BitLocker metadata has been corrupted after formatting. In such a case, there is no way to recover your BitLocker-encrypted drive data.
Step 5: After your lost files are found, right click one photo, document, video or audio and select "Preview".
Step 6: You will see the actual preview as below:
If the selected photo, document, video or audio cannot be previewed/played, please contact [email protected].
Step 7: Purchase iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery license key at once.
Step 8: Enter the license key to activate iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery Trial version.
Step 9: Select the found files and click Recover to start the data recovery process.
Solution 2: Recover data after formatting the corrupted BitLocker drive
If your BitLocker encrypted drive was corrupted before formatting or formatting was cancelled in a half way, follow the below steps to recover your encrypted data:
Step 1: Download, install and launch iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery Trial version on your Windows computer.
Step 2: Click "Find More Partitions" at the top.
Step 3: Select the hard drive and click Next to find the previously exiting BitLocker partitions.
Step 4: Once the previously existing BitLocker partition is found, select this partition and click Next to continue.
Step 5: Enter the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key to decrypt data.
Step 6: After your lost files are found, right click one photo, document, video or audio and select "Preview".
Step 7: You will see the actual preview as below:
If the selected photo, document, video or audio cannot be previewed/played, please contact [email protected].
Step 8: Purchase iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery license key at once.
Step 9: Enter the license key to activate iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery Trial version.
Step 10: Select the found files and click Recover to start the data recovery process.