After upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 via Windows Update, BitLocker was automatically enabled without saving the recovery key.

After upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11, if BitLocker was enabled without saving the recovery key, it can lead to potential data access issues if the drive becomes inaccessible. Unfortunately, if the recovery key was not saved during the upgrade, recovering the data may be challenging.

To address this issue, you can try the following steps:

1. Check for Recovery Key: If you have a Microsoft account, check if the recovery key was saved there. You can log into your account and look for BitLocker recovery keys associated with your devices.
2. Use Recovery Options: If the drive is locked and you cannot access your data, you may need to use recovery options provided by Windows. This typically involves using recovery media or tools to attempt to unlock the drive.
3. Future Prevention: For future upgrades, ensure that you back up the recovery key before enabling BitLocker. You can save it to a USB drive, print it, or store it in your Microsoft account.

Regarding optimization or fixes for this issue, Microsoft frequently releases updates to address bugs and improve user experience. Keeping your system updated can help mitigate such issues in the future.

References:

• BitLocker recovery: known issues
• BitLocker configuration: known issues