Windows 10: Decrypt Files and Folders with EFS in Windows 10

How to: Decrypt Files and Folders with EFS in Windows 10

How to Decrypt Files and Folders Encrypted with EFS in Windows 10


The Encrypting File System (EFS) is the built-in encryption tool in Windows used to encrypt files and folders on NTFS drives to protect them from unwanted access. EFS enables transparent encryption and decryption of files for your user account by using advanced, standard cryptographic algorithms. Any individual or app that doesn't possess the appropriate file encryption key cannot open any encrypted files and folders. Encryption is the strongest protection that Windows provides to help you keep your individual files and folders secure.

This tutorial will show you how to decrypt your files and folders editions.

*note If you get an unexpected error message like below while trying to decrypt a file or folder, it means that you will need to backed up for the file or folder before you will be able to decrypt it.







CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Decrypt File or Folder in Context Menu
• Option Two: To Decrypt Folder in Advanced Attributes
• Option Three: To Decrypt File in Advanced Attributes
• Option Four: To Decrypt Folder in Command Prompt
• Option Five: To Decrypt File in Command Prompt

OPTION ONE [/i] To Decrypt File or Folder in Context Menu

*note If you decrypt a file using this option, only the file will be decrypted.

If you decrypt a folder using this option, the folder, subfolders and files will be decrypted.
1. Right click or press and hold on a file or folder you want to decrypt, click/tap on File ownership, and click/tap on Personal. (see screenshot below)









OPTION TWO [/i] To Decrypt Folder in Advanced Attributes
1. Right click or press and hold on a folder you want to decrypt, and click/tap on Properties.

2. In the General tab, click/tap on the Advanced button. (see screenshot below)



3. Uncheck the Encrypt contents to secure data box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



5. Select (dot) to either Apply changes to this folder only or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)








OPTION THREE [/i] To Decrypt File in Advanced Attributes
1. Right click or press and hold on a file you want to decrypt, and click/tap on Properties.

2. In the General tab, click/tap on the Advanced button. (see screenshot below)



3. Check the Encrypt contents to secure data box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)








OPTION FOUR [/i] To Decrypt Folder in Command Prompt

*note To see more usage options for the Cipher command, see: Cipher - Microsoft TechNet
1. Open a command prompt.

2. Enter the command you want to use below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)
(Apply changes to this folder only)
*Arrow cipher /d "full path of folder"

OR

(Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files)
*Arrow cipher /d /s:"full path of folder"

*note Substitute full path of folder in the commands above with the actual full path of the folder you want to decrypt.







3. When finished, you can close the command prompt if you like.





OPTION FIVE [/i] To Decrypt File in Command Prompt

*note To see more usage options for the Cipher command, see: Cipher - Microsoft TechNet
1. Open a command prompt.

2. Enter the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow cipher /d "full path of file with extension"

*note Substitute full path of file with extension in the command above with the actual full path of the file you want to decrypt.




3. When finished, you can close the command prompt if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption in Windows
• How to Encrypt Files and Folders with Encrypting File System (EFS) in Windows 10
• How to Back Up Your EFS File Encryption Certificate and Key in Windows 10
• How to Import Your EFS File Encryption Certificate and Key in Windows 10
• How to Find and List All Your EFS Encrypted Files in Windows 10
• How to Change or Remove Lock Icon on Encrypted Files and Folders in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off to Index Encrypted Files in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove EFS "File ownership" Context Menu in Windows 10
• Turn On or Off Show Encrypted or Compressed NTFS files in Color in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders in Windows

:)

 

File Encryption

Did you mean this one? Decrypt Files and Folders with EFS in Windows 10

 

Cannot decrypt folders

I have the same issue and there appears to be a number of other comments about this with no answer as far as i can see. I guess EFS is not widely used but it certainly seems to be a bug in Windows 10. I have used EFS for some time under Windows 7 without
issue. for reference I am using a Dell XPS15, not sure if that's relevant.

I have found a way to decrypt the folder - if you right click the folder there is an item in the context menu "File ownership", this only appears on green encrypted folders. Clicking this and then the "personal" item that appears will decrypt the folder
and all files within - you don't get an option to just decrypt the folder like using the regular method but this is a minor issue. Hope it helps someone!

 

Hello Yasak, *Smile

The "File ownership" context menu would only be available if the file has already been encrypted with EFS.

 

I see.
So is there any way to apply this to W10: Encrypt and Decrypt - Add to Context Menu - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

You may be able to use it in Windows 10 as well if you like, but I haven't tested it yet in W10.

 

Sory but it's not working on Windows 10.
When merge regedit file nothing happen. Doesn't appear Decrypt/Encrypt option?

Edit: Tried (W10)14393.1358 and 15063.413
(Also tried W7 and W8.1 and it's working)

 

I'll add to my list then to see what I can do for it. I'll post back when it's ready if able. *Smile

 

Command:
Code: fsutil behavior set disableencryption 1[/quote] Disabling EFS does not decrypt files, a user might want to decrypt them to be able to access them after reinstall.
Code: cipher /d /s:C:\[/quote] Decrypt Files and Folders with EFS in Windows 10 Security System Tutorials

 

You could try one of those 3rd party EFS data recovery programs from a Google search, but you may not be able to recover the files without the key.

 

I too face the same problem when I formated my c drive and installed new copy of window 10 ,it made me un assessable some of my files which I had encrypted earlier
I tried all of these 4 option but none of them worked.

 

Hello rajlacmanphysio, and welcome to Ten Forums.

When you installed a new copy of Windows 10, you removed the EFS file encryption certificate and key that was used to access the encrypted files.

Unless you have a backup of this specific EFS file encryption certificate and key to import, you won't be able to access those files. *Sad

Import Encrypting File System Certificate and Key in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

Unfortunately I did same mistake, forgot to save key.
Is there any other way to recover my data ,as they are very important for me.
Can I try Linux or dos boot to recover them

 

I recovered window backup of previous version using recuva software, although there I found those files in backup zip folder and able to recover them but when I tried to play them ,it shows error message 0xc00d36c4 ,