Error when trying to save Bitlocker recovery key to Microsoft account

It's not wise to store the recovery key on flash drive, for example. That means anyone that steal my computer and my flash drive can easily decrypt my recovery key. That defeats the purpose of encrypting it in the first place.

So I tried to save my Bitlocker recovery key somewhere, and a nice place to put it is of course my Microsoft account.

Yet, when I try I get a message "Can't save to your Microsoft account":

How can I successfully save my Bitlocker key to my Microsoft account?

My problem is similar to what's discussed here at answer.microsoft.com.

user4951

Posted 2016-10-07T13:45:50.097

Reputation: 3 015

When you link a Microsoft Account to a local machine on a Windows 8 and Windows 10 machine, the authorized user of the MS account has to verify the machine should be added, until you do that it does not have full access to the account. This has been the case since the release of Windows 8. – Ramhound – 2016-10-07T14:05:36.643

FYI: I had to temporarily make my Microsoft account an "Administrator" since trying to backup the recovery key requires administrator access. After typing in my admin account credentials, I assume it was attempting to use that account to connect. Since that one is just a local Admin, not a Microsoft account, I think that was my problem. – Boyd P – 2017-11-29T23:54:12.557

Answers

Go to settings (in Windows 10 it's in lower right corner), and select Account.

So settings -> all settings -> accounts.

Turns out there is a text saying that they need to verify my identity.

I click on that and put my pin.

I can now save my Bitlocker key to my Microsoft account.

It's kind of strange though. I always use my pin when I am logging in. So go figure.

user4951

Posted 2016-10-07T13:45:50.097

Reputation: 3 015

1When you log in, MS live.com (or whatever they call it now) verifies your login credentials and authenticates you to your computer. Note how I did not say that it authenticates you to your MS account. That is separate. That is a good thing. – Xalorous – 2016-10-07T13:49:36.547

After some bios / TPM updates I cleared the TPM and needed to verify the account. This fixed my issue. – PeterI – 2019-05-30T21:58:09.190

On my build of Windows 10 you can find this by going to "Settings", "Accounts" and then under "Sync your settings" the "Passwords" option had the message about needing to verify the account. – James Crowley – 2020-01-20T10:22:51.610

I ended up changing my account to a local account, logging in and changing it back to a Microsoft account. Logged back in an I was then able to back up all my Bitlocker keys to my MS account.

Scott Reiser

Posted 2016-10-07T13:45:50.097

Reputation: 11