Microsoft introduced BitLocker storage encryption to Windows Vista in 2007. It was initially limited to only the Enterprise and Ultimate editions at the time, but since then, BitLocker has become an integral part of the operating system. Starting with Windows 11, BitLocker is turned on by default when you sign in with a Microsoft account in the OOBE. In theory, this is a novel practice — encrypting your storage without manual interception, but it can easily lead to unwanted problems.
That's what happened to an unfortunate user on Reddit, who was locked out of their data that vanished into the binary mazes of encryption, seemingly forever.
