Format Bitlocker encrypted disk without key

Pedro Alves 96

I have a SSD disk bitlocker encrypted, but i don't know the key. I don't want to recover any data, i just want to format it, but it doesn't allow to format. Can anyone help?

Andry Art 6 Reputation points

2021-10-25T15:06:05.037+00:00

Or just pull out the SSD/HDD and format it with external drive/USB adapter. I did it like that with cmd DISKPART or any partition wipe tools.
Jim Foster 6 Reputation points

2022-09-06T17:23:11.233+00:00

Run the Windows 10 installation media from a USB. Download is free. You should be able to remove the partitions and reinstall a fresh basic Win10 on the disk. Then you should be able to format the disk properly.
Best,
Jim
michael gray 0 Reputation points

2026-03-30T18:49:25.5366667+00:00

Thank you Jim Foster it worked perfectly

Answer accepted by question author

Pedro Alves 96

So... Manufacter says that the only solution is to unlock bitlocker and Microsoft says the same... And if i don't have the key, there is no solution!

Danilo Liwag 5 Reputation points

2023-09-06T00:04:22.17+00:00

Hi!

If you are formating an OS Bitlocker encrypted drive, follow the steps below

At the very start of the Installation Process, press Shift + F10, or Shift + Fn + F10 to open Command Prompt

Run this command and hit Enter:

diskpart

Run this command and hit Enter:

list disk
(Make note of the disk number you want to wipe and enter it into the next command - replace X)

Run this command and hit Enter:

select disk X

Note: select the encrypted disk in the list and replace the X

Run this command and hit Enter:

clean

Run this command and hit Enter:

convert gpt

Then close Command Prompt, then restart the PC to begin the installation

Hope this helps.

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Old Techy 0 Reputation points

2023-07-17T02:53:29.7166667+00:00

IF the computer it came from a computer that was set up with your microsoft account, you can get the recovery keys here...

https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey
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M W 1 Reputation point

2021-10-17T14:28:11.973+00:00

As @Anonymous suggested the "CLEAN" command from DISKPART did do the trick on a Bitlocker encrypted drive from Windows 10 Home machine connected via USB to an external hard drive.

Running DISKPART > Select Disk > Select Partition > CLEAN

That's all it took in my case.
Fully updated and patched Windows 10 Version 10.0.19043 Build 19043 Microsoft Windows 10 Home

Thanks @Anonymous for the Tech Tip!
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Anonymous

2021-10-17T14:36:13.447+00:00

Your welcome, please upvote
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Anonymous

2021-04-14T18:23:44.327+00:00

Might try from a different PC
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Pedro Alves 96 Reputation points

2021-04-14T18:21:07.867+00:00

That's the way i am trying now. I had to get another ssd disk to prepare the other computer. So, for now, i have the ssd disk in a case, in order to resolve this question, to make the disk usable again.
I already tried in different computers and different OS, but i can't seem to have a solution for this.
By the way, AOMEI Partition Assistant also doesn't work.
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Format Bitlocker encrypted disk without key

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