A recent HP laptop BIOS bug is leaving high-end Windows 11 PCs stuck in an endless BitLocker recovery loop

Image of the HP ZBook Ultra 14 (G1a) laptop. — (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

If you own an HP laptop — particularly a high-end model, including HP EliteBooks, ProBooks, and ZBook workstations — there’s a strong chance you may encounter a buggy BIOS firmware update delivered through automatic Windows Update.

The flaw can cause your PC to freeze during boot or display the Blue Screen of Death, rendering it unusable until a fix is applied.

Some users have reported that their devices boot directly to the BitLocker recovery screen as early as April 2026. Even after entering the correct recovery key to access the desktop, Windows 11 fails to recognize the change, triggering the same BitLocker recovery loop.

While speaking to The Register earlier this week, HP indicated it's "aware of purported BIOS issues and is looking into the matter." And now, in a new support document — spotted by Windows Latest — HP indicated that:

"Microsoft’s 2023 certificates may fail to properly apply on the computer when this BitLocker issue occurs. To verify the status of this process, check the UEFICA2023Status and UEFICA2023Error registry values. If the UEFICA2023Status registry value remains in an "In Progress" state over time and the UEFICA2023Error registry value shows any number higher than 0, then the update process has failed."

Zbook Ultra G1a first-attemp-boot freeze from r/Hewlett_Packard

While HP works on a permanent fix for the issue, the best course of action is a preventative one — to avoid downloading and installing the faulty BIOS update by disabling automatic updates in Windows Update in your device settings app.

In the interim, the company has also provided a manual workaround to resolve the BitLocker Recovery loop and allow for the successful implementation of the 2023 Microsoft certificates on an individual computer.

If you’ve already installed the update, you can try reverting to a known working version. The process comes with its own hurdles, but some users have reported some success. As The Register highlighted, "users have reported some success using the network BIOS downgrade functionality, but only with an HP USB-C to Ethernet dongle."

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Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.