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A bug in recent Windows security updates has caused some systems to unexpectedly boot into BitLocker recovery mode after installation and reboot. Microsoft confirmed that the issue primarily affects Intel devices with Connected Standby (Modern Standby) support, impacting platforms such as Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, and Windows 10 22H2. Users encountering this problem are required to enter their BitLocker recovery key to regain access, after which the system resumes normal operation without further prompts.
Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and advised IT administrators to use a group policy delivered via Known Issue Rollback (KIR) as a mitigation, with further support available through Microsoft Support for business customers. This incident follows similar BitLocker recovery issues triggered by Windows updates in May 2025, August 2024, and August 2022, highlighting a recurring challenge with update compatibility and BitLocker functionality on certain hardware configurations.
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Microsoft added a known issue on April 14, 2026 stating that Windows 11 cumulative updates KB5083769 and KB5082052 may cause unexpected BitLocker recovery prompts at boot on systems with certain BitLocker Group Policy settings. The company did not withdraw the updates and advised administrators to review policies, verify recovery key access, and monitor Release Health for further guidance.
Microsoft confirmed that the October 2025 Windows updates could cause affected Windows devices to enter BitLocker recovery after restart. The company said users could recover by entering their BitLocker key and provided mitigation guidance while the issue was investigated.
After installing Microsoft's October 2025 Windows security updates and rebooting, some users were forced into BitLocker recovery mode. Reports indicate the issue primarily affected certain Intel-based systems, especially devices with Modern Standby support.
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Microsoft’s Windows 11 cumulative update `KB5094126` is causing serious post-installation failures on some systems after its release with roughly 200 security fixes, including 33 critical flaws and five zero-days. Users reported freezes shortly after boot, black screens, boot loops, BSODs, and repeated BitLocker recovery prompts, including on devices where BitLocker was believed to be disabled. Reports indicate the problems are hitting some HP models particularly hard, with Secure Boot certificate changes and interactions with BIOS/UEFI settings and undersized or crowded EFI partitions emerging as likely factors. The update is also disrupting enterprise and productivity workflows by breaking File Explorer integration for OneDrive and, in some cases, Dropbox and iCloud Drive, while some affected machines reportedly lose LAN access even though internet connectivity remains available. Administrators and users have resorted to Windows Recovery Environment to remove the patch, and some systems reportedly required full Windows reinstalls after recovery complications. A widely shared workaround has been to temporarily disable Secure Boot, complete boot and update recovery, then re-enable Secure Boot after updating BIOS/UEFI firmware, though Microsoft had not formally acknowledged the full scope of the issues in the update documentation at the time of reporting.
Jun 29, 2026
Microsoft released the June cumulative update `KB5093998` for Windows 11 23H2 with security fixes, broader Secure Boot certificate rollout support, and a new Group Policy/MDM option to limit Secure Boot service data sent to Microsoft. The update also fixes a known issue that could force some devices into **BitLocker Recovery** after boot file updates, while CERT/CC and Microsoft separately published advisories on a Secure Boot bypass affecting Microsoft-signed UEFI shim bootloaders, tracked as `CVE-2026-44815`. At the same time, Microsoft warned that some PCs upgraded from Windows 10 21H2/22H2 or Windows 11 23H2 to Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 may fail to install the June 2026 cumulative updates, showing errors `0x80073712` or `0x800f0993` because of package and component store issues. Microsoft said an automatic fix is rolling out for unmanaged enterprise and Home devices after restart, while already affected systems may require removing a problematic package with DISM or performing an in-place upgrade; separate reporting also said recent HP BIOS updates and Dell SupportAssist software caused BitLocker loops and BSODs that were initially blamed on Windows but traced to OEM firmware and utilities.
Jun 29, 2026
Microsoft said some **Windows Server 2025** devices may enter **BitLocker recovery** after installing the April 2026 `KB5082063` security update, affecting systems with a specific and discouraged BitLocker Group Policy tied to TPM platform validation, PCR7, and Secure Boot conditions during transition to the **2023-signed Windows Boot Manager**. The company said the recovery key prompt should typically appear only on the first restart, is preparing a fix, and advised administrators to remove the problematic policy before deployment or use **Known Issue Rollback**; the issue is mainly expected in enterprise-managed environments rather than personal devices. Separately, researchers disclosed **BitUnlocker**, a downgrade attack that can expose data on BitLocker-protected **Windows 11** systems in under five minutes with physical access by exploiting `CVE-2025-48804` in the Windows Recovery Environment. The attack works because Secure Boot may still trust older **Microsoft Windows PCA 2011**-signed boot managers, allowing a pre-patch `bootmgfw.efi` and modified WinRE chain to launch `cmd.exe` with the encrypted volume already mounted; systems using **TPM-only** BitLocker remain at risk unless organizations migrate trust to **Windows UEFI CA 2023** via `KB5025885` or require **TPM+PIN** pre-boot authentication.
Jun 29, 2026