How To Remove File Encryption in Windows XP (308993)

SUMMARY

This article describes how to decrypt a file that been encrypted by using Encrypting File System (EFS) in Windows XP.

Encryption is the process of converting data into a format that cannot be read by others. You can use EFS to automatically encrypt your data when it is stored on the hard disk.

NOTE: Only the user who encrypts a file can recover data that has been encrypted, unless the user specifies a recovery agent before they encrypted the files. To make sure that you have the ability to decrypt files in the future, you should always export your certificate and private key and keep them in a safe place. For additional information about how to to this, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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How to Remove Encryption from a File

Only the following people can decrypt an encrypted file.

• The user who encrypted the file
• Any user who was designated as a recovery agent before the file was encrypted
• Any user who has the public key or private key for the recovery agent or the user that originally encrypted the file
• Any user who has been granted access to the file

For additional information about how to grant access to an encrypted file, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Members of the Administrators group cannot decrypt files unless the person who encrypted the files designated them as recovery agents before encrypting the files.

NOTE: You must be the original encrypter of the file or a designated recovery agent for the file to use the following steps. If you are not authorized to remove encryption, you receive the following error message: To remove encryption from a file:

1. Use Windows Explorer to browse to the location of the encrypted file that you want to decrypt.
2. Right-click the encrypted file, and then click Properties.
3. On the General tab, click Advanced.
4. Click to clear the Encrypt contents to secure data check box, click OK, and then click OK again.

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How to Remove Encryption from a Folder

NOTE: You must be the original encrypter of the file or a designated recovery agent for the file to use the following steps. If you are not authorized to remove encryption, you receive the following error message:

1. Use Windows Explorer to browse to the location of the encrypted folder that you want to decrypt.
2. Right-click the folder, and then click Properties.
3. On the General tab, click Advanced.
4. Click to clear the Encrypt contents to secure data check box, click OK, and then click OK again.
5. When you are prompted to confirm the attribute change:
   • If you want to decrypt only the folder, click Apply the changes to this folder only, and then click OK.
   • If you want to decrypt the folder and its contents, click Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files, and then click OK.

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