Context Menu - Add Encrypt and Decrypt

Brink · Oct 18, 2007

How to Add Encrypt and Decrypt to the Context Menu in Vista

Information

This will add Encrypt and Decrypt to the context menu (right click). It will allow you to encrypt or decrypt a file or folder by simply right clicking the item and selecting Encrypt or Decrypt. You will no longer have to go through the Advanced Properties of the file or folder to do it. The Encrypt feature is only available in the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise versions.

Note

If the file or folder is not already encrypted, you will see Encrypt when you right click on the file or folder. If the file or folder is already encrypted, then you will see Decrypt when you right click on the file or folder.

Warning

If you add encrypted files to a compressed (zipped) folder, the files will be unencrypted (decrypted) when extracted, which might result in unintentional disclosure of personal or sensitive information. For that reason, you should avoid compressing encrypted files. If you create a shortcut from the encrypted file, it will not be encrypted until you do it.

EXAMPLE: Context Menu after Adding Encrypt and Decrypt
NOTE: Only one will appear in the context menu at a time depending on if the file or folder is encrypted or not.

OPTION ONE

Using a REG File Download

1. To Add Encrypt and Decrypt

A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.

Add_Encrypt-Decrypt.reg

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Remove Encrypt and Decrypt

A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.

Remove_Encrypt-Decrypt.reg

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

6. You can now delete the .reg file (on Desktop) if you want to.

OPTION TWO

Manually in Registry Editor

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

5. In the right pane, right click on a empty space and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value.

6. Type EncryptionContextMenu and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

7. Right click EncryptionContextMenu and click on Modify.

8. To Add Encrypt and Decrypt

A) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 10.

9. To Remove Encrypt and Decrypt

A) Type 0 (number zero) and click on OK.

10. Close regedit.

That's it,
Shawn

Context Menu - Add Encrypt and Decrypt

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