Move Certificates

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Many applications look for a certificate in only one certificate store. If a certificate is not in the certificate store that you need, you can move it from one store to another.

Users or local Administrators are the minimum group memberships required to complete this procedure. Review the details in "Additional considerations" in this topic.

To move a certificate

  1. Open the Certificates snap-in for a user, computer, or service.

  2. Under the logical store where the certificate is stored, click Certificates.

  3. In the details pane, click the certificate you are moving. (To select more than one certificate, hold down CTRL and click each certificate.)

  4. On the Action menu, click Cut.

  5. Click the logical certificate store where you want to move the certificate.

    Where?

    • Certificates - Current User/Logical store Name
  6. On the Action menu, click Paste.

Additional considerations

  • User certificates can be managed by the user or by an administrator. Certificates issued to a computer or service can only be managed by an administrator or user who has been given the appropriate permissions.

  • To open the Certificates snap-in, see Add the Certificates Snap-in to an MMC.

  • In Certificates, you can only move an object within certificate stores. For example, you cannot move an object to a folder in Windows Explorer. To move a certificate to or from a folder on the file system or a removable storage device, see Import a Certificate, Export a Certificate, and Export a Certificate with the Private Key.