Instead, they see a warning message depending on the application trying to access the file and its data.

Unauthorized users cannot open the files. EFS also ensures that only authorized users or intended recipients can decrypt the file, which they can with just a click of the button.Īdditional users such as administrators can also access these encrypted files, but to do this, they need the right permissions. The ultimate aim of EFS is to encrypt files on hard drives from unauthorized intruders who get access to authorized users' physical software. NTFS itself is a built-in system used to store and retrieve files. It can be difficult and very expensive to obtain decryption software, especially good decryption software that decrypts the most complex encryption types.On Windows systems, NFTS supports EFS.

When opening the encrypted file or folder, you need to enter that password or encryption key.Įncrypted files and folders can also be decrypted without the use of a password or encryption key, but it requires the use of high-end, sophisticated decryption software. If a file or folder is encrypted using a third-party software program, a password is used as the encryption key, which decrypts the file. So, the password needs to be obtained from the person that performed the encryption. The password is set when the file or folder is encrypted. To open the file or folder encrypted through Windows, a password is needed to decrypt the file. In Microsoft Windows, a file or folder can be encrypted, or password protected, using encryption features built into Windows. Below are general guidelines on how to open an encrypted file. When a file or folder is encrypted, opening it requires the file or folder to be decrypted. For general help with opening a file, see: How to open, view, and edit the contents of a file on a computer.įiles and folders are encrypted to protect the data contained in the file or all the files in the folder. This page is for help with opening files that were encrypted using an encryption program.

Encrypted folder windows 10