When I use EFS encryption, why don't I see a EFS encryption Certificate notice. How do I find it and back up?

Question

HP Allinone Win 10 22H2 STANDARD USER

When I use EFS encryption, the lock symbol appears on the files but I don't get the predicted notice about backing up the EFS encryption Certificate and key or a system tray icon for that. certmgr.msc doesn't show an EFS certificate. How do I find it and back up?

Gar Cooper

***moved from Windows / Windows 10 / Security and privacy***

Answer 1

Hi P G Cooper,

Thank you for posting on the Microsoft Community Forum.

If you are using Encrypting File System (EFS) encryption and have encountered lock symbols on files without receiving the expected notification about backing up EFS encryption certificates and keys or seeing the system tray icon, you may need to manually locate and backup the EFS certificates. Here's how you can do it:

1. Access Certificate Manager (certmgr.msc):
   • Open the Run dialog by pressing Windows key + R.
   • Type certmgr.msc and press Enter.
2. Navigate to Personal Certificates:
   • In Certificate Manager, expand the folders on the left panel to navigate to "Personal" > "Certificates".
3. Locate EFS Certificates:
   • Look for certificates related to EFS encryption. These certificates are typically issued to the user account that encrypted the files.
   • EFS certificates are usually identifiable by their intended purpose, which is often listed as "Encrypting File System" or "EFS".
4. Backup EFS Certificates:
   • Right-click on the EFS certificate and select "All Tasks" > "Export".
   • Follow the Certificate Export Wizard to export the certificate to a secure location. Make sure to choose the option to export the private key if prompted.
5. Ensure Proper Key Backup:
   • Ensure that you securely backup both the EFS certificate and its associated private key. These backups are crucial for recovering encrypted files in case of data loss or system reinstallation.
6. Verify Backup:
   • After exporting the certificate, verify that the backup file contains both the certificate and the private key. You can do this by checking the exported file's properties.
7. Update Backup Strategy:
   • Incorporate regular backups of EFS certificates and keys into your data backup strategy to ensure the availability of these critical components in case of emergencies or system failures.

By following these steps, you should be able to locate and backup EFS certificates, ensuring that you have the necessary components to recover encrypted files if needed.

Best regards

Neuvi Jiang