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Information

Encrypting folders and files is a way to protect them from unwanted access. Encrypting File System (EFS) is a feature of Windows that allows you to store information on your hard disk in an encrypted format. Encryption is enabled by default in Vista. If you disable encryption, no user account will be able to encrypt a file or folder.

Note

The EFS Encrypt feature is only available in the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise and Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editons. This option will remain grayed out in the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium and Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic and Home Premium editions.

Warning

Be sure to decrypt all files and folders before you disable encryption. Once encryption is disabled, all user accounts will lose access to encrypted files and folders until it is enabled again.

Method two: Manually in Registry Editor
1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.
3. If prompted by UAC, then click on Continue (Vista) or Yes (Windows 7).
4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

5. In the right pane, right click on NtfsDisableEncryption and click on Modify.

6. To Disable Encryption
a) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 7)
b) Close regedit.

7. To Enable Encryption
a) Type 0 (number zero) and click on OK.
b) Close regedit.

8. Restart the computer to apply the changes.