Hello,
How to add Encrypt or Decrypt item to right-click context menu in Windows 10/8/7
This tutorial will show to encrypt any file in Windows 10/8/7 with just one click, by adding Encrypt & Decrypt item your right-click context menu. It should be noted that EFS is not available in the Home editions of Windows. It is available in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise & Education, Windows 7 Pro, Ultimate, Enterprise, and Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise editions.
1. Create a system restore point first and then press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to launch Run prompt. Type regedit.exe and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the below path on the left side pane of Registry Editor.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. You’ll need to create a new DWORD for encryption context menu here, in case you are not able to see it on the right side pane. Right-click Advanced and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name it as “EncryptionContextMenu” and hit enter.
5. Double-click and open this newly created value and set its value as 1, as shown in the below image. Click OK.
Now, restart your computer to make the changes effective. Once signed back in, you will notice that your file/folder context menu has a new entry for encrypting the underlying contents.
After you’ve encrypted any file by selecting Encrypt option from context menu, the same file will not be accessible from other user accounts on the same machine.
If you are trying to encrypt an entire folder, you are asked for confirmation on this attribute change operation, as the image given below shows.
Once a file is encrypted, a lock image should appear on the top-right corner of the file icon/image. You can easily decrypt the files as well by choosing the Decrypt option from the context menu, but as obvious, this is only going to work on encrypted files only.
Note - I haven't tried it.
There is 1 comment on the guide page
"I have followed the instructions and the encrypt option appears in the context menu. When I create a new file or folder however it is encrypted by default. Is there an option to make the default decrypted?"
Anyone tried it?
Thank You
How to add Encrypt or Decrypt item to right-click context menu in Windows 10/8/7
This tutorial will show to encrypt any file in Windows 10/8/7 with just one click, by adding Encrypt & Decrypt item your right-click context menu. It should be noted that EFS is not available in the Home editions of Windows. It is available in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise & Education, Windows 7 Pro, Ultimate, Enterprise, and Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise editions.
1. Create a system restore point first and then press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to launch Run prompt. Type regedit.exe and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the below path on the left side pane of Registry Editor.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. You’ll need to create a new DWORD for encryption context menu here, in case you are not able to see it on the right side pane. Right-click Advanced and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name it as “EncryptionContextMenu” and hit enter.
5. Double-click and open this newly created value and set its value as 1, as shown in the below image. Click OK.
Now, restart your computer to make the changes effective. Once signed back in, you will notice that your file/folder context menu has a new entry for encrypting the underlying contents.
After you’ve encrypted any file by selecting Encrypt option from context menu, the same file will not be accessible from other user accounts on the same machine.
If you are trying to encrypt an entire folder, you are asked for confirmation on this attribute change operation, as the image given below shows.
Once a file is encrypted, a lock image should appear on the top-right corner of the file icon/image. You can easily decrypt the files as well by choosing the Decrypt option from the context menu, but as obvious, this is only going to work on encrypted files only.
Note - I haven't tried it.
There is 1 comment on the guide page
"I have followed the instructions and the encrypt option appears in the context menu. When I create a new file or folder however it is encrypted by default. Is there an option to make the default decrypted?"
Anyone tried it?
Thank You
Last edited by a moderator:
