BitLocker

I have a MS windows Surface Pro tablet. This morning on shutting down it asked me (as is often and normal) to update windows and I clicked update and shutdown. This evening I switched on and the blue screen came up BitLocker - enter the recovery key etc., and it listed a 30 alpha / numeric recovery code starting with A- - -- tapping on the line to enter that code brought up just a numeric keyboard i.e. no letters and I can't see any way of getting up an alpha numeric keyboard. I plugged a keyboard into the USB port and it lit up and i can use that to type in numbers but no letters appear. The blue screen does offer other options e.g re install windows NONE of which work.
Anyone got any ideas on how I solve this ?

Bitlocker recovery keys are numbers only

Welcome.

A couple of things:
Firstly, there was a bug that apparently caused this for some and a recent Cumulative Update was supposed to repair it. I can’t remember which update. I can’t remember where I seen it. If I find it I’ll post it.

As for the key:

Did you save a copy of your BitLocker key anywhere? When you set it up, it gives you the option to back up your key. You can save it to a file on a USB drive, your Microsoft account, or print it. I keep at least two different backups of mine.

Forty_Two said:

... and it listed a 30 alpha / numeric recovery code starting with A- - --

Click to expand...

That's the recovery key ID, to help you find and confirm the correct recovery key.

The actual recovery key is 48 digits.

Thanks for the ehlpful posts
If the below is the recovery key ID - what do I dop to get the recovery cod number? - - - -- ah - - - I see that there's a YouTube link above - will look at that

Forty_Two said:

what do I dop to get the recovery cod number?

Click to expand...

As dear Antspants mentioned, from here:

• Option One: If you saved your BitLocker Recovery Key to your Microsoft account
• Option Two: If you saved your BitLocker Recovery Key to a File
• Option Three: If you saved your BitLocker Recovery Key to USB flash drive
• Option Four: If you Printed your BitLocker Recovery Key
• Option Five: If you saved your BitLocker Recovery Key to Microsoft Entra ID account
• Option Six: If BitLocker Recovery Key Held by your System Administrator

Sorted - I followed the instructions on YouTube, logged into the MS account, got the recoveru code and all done.

God, knows how and why this all came to be, I didn't know I had BitLocker enabled - don't need it, dont; want it.

Thanks for all the helpful posts

Forty_Two said:

why this all came to be

Click to expand...

It's a bug

Forty_Two said:

don't need it

Click to expand...

You can disable it
Just search "encryption" in your start menu.