Would you like to learn how to configure a group policy to store the Bitlocker recovery key in Active Directory? In this tutorial, we will show you how to backup the Bitlocker recovery key inside the Active Directory using a GPO.

• Windows 2012 R2
• Windows 2016
• Windows 2019
• Windows 10
• Windows 7

Equipment list

The following section presents the list of equipment used to create this tutorial.

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Tutorial GPO - Store the Bitlocker recovery key in Active Directory

On the domain controller, start an elevated Powershell command-line.

Windows 10 - powershell elevated

Verify if the Active Directory schema has the required attributes.

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Here is the command output.

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Install the feature named RSAT-Feature-Tools-BitLocker-BdeAducExt.

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On the domain controller, open the group policy management tool.

Windows 2012 - Group Policy Management

Create a new group policy.

Windows 2012 - Group Policy Objects

Enter a name for the new group policy.

Windows - Add GPO

In our example, the new GPO was named: MY-GPO.

On the Group Policy Management screen, expand the folder named Group Policy Objects.

Right-click your new Group Policy Object and select the Edit option.

Windows - Edit GPO

On the group policy editor screen, expand the Computer configuration folder and locate the following item.

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Access the folder named Bitlocker Drive Encryption.

GPO - Bitlocker configuration

Enable the item named: Store BitLocker Recovery information in Active Directory Domain Services.

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Click on the OK button.

GPO - Bitlocker Recovery Key Active Directory

On the group policy editor screen, expand the Computer configuration folder and locate the following item.

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Access the folder named Operating System Drives.

GPO - Bitlocker - Operating System Drives

Enable the item named: Choose how BitLocker-protected Operating System drives can be recovered.

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Click on the OK button.

GPO - Bitlocker recovery Operating System drives

On the group policy editor screen, expand the Computer configuration folder and locate the following item.

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Access the folder named Fixed Data Drives.

GPO - Bitlocker - Fixed Drives

Enable the item named: Choose how BitLocker-protected fixed drives can be recovered.

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Click on the OK button.

GPO - Bitlocker recovery Fixed drives

On the group policy editor screen, expand the Computer configuration folder and locate the following item.

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Access the folder named Removable Data Drives.

GPO - Bitlocker - Removable Drives

Enable the item named: Choose how BitLocker-protected Removable drives can be recovered.

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Click on the OK button.

GPO - Bitlocker recovery Removable drives

To save the group policy configuration, you need to close the Group Policy editor.

Congratulations! You have finished the GPO creation.

Tutorial - Applying the GPO to store the Bitlocker recovery key in Active Directory

On the Group policy management screen, you need to right-click the Organizational Unit desired and select the option to link an existent GPO.

Windows-2012-Applocker application

In our example, we are going to link the group policy named MY-GPO to the root of the domain.

GPO- tutorial linking

After applying the GPO you need to wait for 10 or 20 minutes.

During this time the GPO will be replicated to other domain controllers.

After encrypting a computer, verify if the Bitlocker recovery keys were stored in Active Directory.

Bitlocker - Recovery password in Active directory

In our example, we configured the Bitlocker recovery key to be stored in Active Directory.