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Disable BitLocker trust of Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)

Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on September 15, 2026 Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1

Windows 11 25H2

KB5124008

Shipped in a Windows update: not in the official ADMX package (Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 Oct 2025 Update), present no later than KB5124008 (build 26200.9445).

Path in the GPO console

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\BitLocker Drive Encryption\Operating System Drives

Registry

HKLM Software\Policies\Microsoft\FVE
Value name:
DisableWinRETrust REG_DWORD
Enabled:
1
Disabled:
0

Description

This policy setting controls whether BitLocker trusts Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). When BitLocker trusts WinRE, WinRE can access the BitLocker-protected operating system volume without requiring the BitLocker recovery key. This supports recovery operations that need access to the operating system volume. Important: Enabling this policy changes recovery behavior. If you enable this policy setting, BitLocker doesn't trust WinRE. The BitLocker recovery key is required for any WinRE operation that needs to access the BitLocker-protected operating system volume. Recovery operations that rely on WinRE access to the operating system volume might require user or administrator intervention and might not complete automatically, including Startup Repair, Quick Machine Recovery, Push-button Recovery, and MDM-initiated remote reset or wipe using the RemoteWipe CSP. If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, BitLocker trusts a validated WinRE image so that WinRE can access the BitLocker-protected operating system volume without the recovery key. This policy setting is enforced only when BitLocker or device encryption is enabled.

Export Builder

BETA

Configure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.

These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ

.reg file

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Disable BitLocker trust of Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\FVE]
"DisableWinRETrust"=dword:00000001
More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)

PowerShell

# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable BitLocker trust of Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1

$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\FVE'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWinRETrust' -Value 1 -Type DWord

Building a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.

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