Windows 10: Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption in Windows

How to: Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption in Windows

How to Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption in Windows


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 enable or disable NTFS file encryption for all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable NTFS file encryption.

*note If you disable NTFS file encryption, any currently encrypted files will still remain encrypted.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption in Local Group Policy Editor
• Option Two: Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption using a REG file

EXAMPLE: NTFS file encryption disabled









OPTION ONE [/i] Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption in Local Group Policy Editor

*note The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 7/8/10 Pro, Windows 7/8/10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two below.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Filesystem\NTFS




3. In the right pane of NTFS in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Do not allow encryption on all NTFS volumes policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


5. To Enable NTFS File Encryption
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

*note Not Configured is the default setting.

6. To Disable NTFS File Encryption
A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)




7. When finished, close the Local Group Policy Editor.

8. Restart the computer to apply.





OPTION TWO [/i] Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption using a REG file

*note The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies

NtfsDisableEncryption DWORD

(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable


1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Enable NTFS File Encryption
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_NTFS_file_encryption.reg

Download

3. To Disable NTFS File Encryption
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_NTFS_file_encryption.reg

Download
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. Restart the computer to apply.

8. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Encrypt Files and Folders with Encrypting File System (EFS) in Windows 10
• How to Decrypt Files and Folders Encrypted with EFS 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
• 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

:)

 

Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption in Windows


If you would like something simple, the free program "7-Zip" includes a password protected folder encryption option. You could keep your .txt file in this encrypted folder.

*Arrow 7-Zip

 

Windows XP file encryption

LOL thanks, I think its standard windows XP file encryption

 

NTFS & File Encryption Feature

I was recently trying to password encrypt an image file. When accessing the Advanced Attributes window, the feature used to encrypt contents to secure data selection is disabled. The ability to select a box to place a fill is unavailable.

I was searching for information on File Encryption for Windows 10, because I would like to further secure the file.

Important Considerations:

The NTFS partition is in default volume, without any modification of partition size.

The NTFS device type is SATA.

The Registry Key for NSF is enabled.

The Local System keys for availability of this feature are enabled.

I have reopened the Advanced Attributes window after each change without successfully enabling the feature.

Note: The registry key change to the Local System for NSF configuration directly affects the User NSF configuration. The two keys are identical.

I considered MMS for Local Group Policy Editing in an attempt to enable the encryption feature, but realized the MMC does not contain the Local Group Policy Editor as a snap-in, making the possibility of troubleshooting the Enable NTSF pagefile encryption
configuration for a test of it's validity. (Test: Reopening the Advanced Attributes window for a visual of the change's effect.)

I will continue searching information that may lead to a positive resolve. I would appreciate any information you may lend.

Microsoft's community has yet to create discussion on this issue. Not much information is available. Please feel free to post your responses and experiences with NTSF file encryption issues with Windows 10, and resolves.

Resolve: Ignore the unavailable legacy operating systems visual in the Advanced Attribute window to encrypt content. (That visual is useless in Windows 10.) BitLocker is the new encryption related feature. Key Term: BitLocker

 

Software encryption

read this:
The Encrypting File System (EFS) is a file system driver with filesystem-level encryption available in Microsoft Windows (2000 and later) operating systems, except Windows XP Home Edition, Windows Vista Basic, and Windows Vista Home Premium. The technology transparently allows files to be encrypted on NTFS file systems to protect confidential data from attackers with physical access to the computer.

User authentication and access control lists can protect files from unauthorized access while the operating system is running, but are easily circumvented if an attacker gains physical access to the computer. One solution is to store the files encrypted on the disks of the computer. EFS does this using public key cryptography, and aims to ensure that decrypting the files is in theory impossible without the correct key. However, EFS is in practice susceptible to brute-force attacks against the user account passwords. In other words, encryption of files is only as strong as the password to unlock the decryption key.

read more ...wikipedia Encrypting File System - Wikipedia

 

Enable or Disable NTFS File Encryption in Windows


Hello John,

I'm afraid that Encrypting File System (EFS) is only availble in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

*Arrow Encrypt Files and Folders with EFS in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

Luckily, there are plenty of free 3rd party file encryption programs out there to choose from.