How to Format BitLocker Encrypted Drive without Password/Key

In most cases, it is very easy for us to format or wipe a hard drive. However, if the hard drive is encrypted with Windows BitLocker, the system will prompt you for a password or recovery key before allowing you to format or access the files or folders on the drive. If you have forgotten the password and recovery key, can you format BitLocker encrypted drive? The answer is yes! In this post, we will show you three effective ways to format BitLocker encrypted drive without password or recovery key.

Way 1: Format BitLocker encrypted drive by Command Prompt

Step 1: Open Command Prompt window. Press Windows key + X shortcut to open the Quick Access Menu. Then click Command Prompt (Admin) option.

Step 2: Format BitLocker encrypted drive. Run the following commands in order and press Enter after typing each command.

diskpart
list disk
select disk x
clean

Tips: x is the disk number that you noted for the encrypted drive from the section above.

Wait for a while until all the steps are done. Finally, the BitLocker encrypted drive is formatted and all the data including BitLocker encryption is cleaned up.

Step 3: Allocate new volume. After formatting BitLocker encrypted drive, you need to allocate new volume on Disk Management.

Way 2: Format BitLocker encrypted drive by Disk Management

Step 1: Press Windows key + X shortcut and click Disk Management option.

Step 2: Right-click the drive encrypted with Windows BitLocker and select Format option.

Step 3: On the popup window, choose the file system and unit size (Tips: If you are unclear which to choose, it will be better to leave the default settings unmodified). Then click OK.

Step 4: A window pops up to prompt you to back up data before formatting, click OK to continue. Finally, you have succeeded formatting BitLocker encrypted drive without password or recovery key.

Way 3: Format BitLocker encrypted drive by File Explorer

Step 1: Press Windows key + E shortcut to open File Explorer window.

Step 2: Click This PC (Computer - Windows 7) on the left panel.

Step 3: Right - click the drive encrypted with BitLocker and select Format option.

Step 4: On the popup window, choose the file system and unit size (Tips: If you are unclear which to choose, click Restore device defaults button to set it unmodified) and click Start button.

Step 5: On the popup window, click OK to continue. In the end, the BitLocker encrypted drive has been formatted. That's all.

Notes: The methods above are about how to format BitLocker encrypted drive without password or recovery key. Meanwhile all the data in the drive as well as BitLocker will be removed. So it worth reminding that you should consider carefully before performing the operations above.