How Do I Decrypt a File on a Windows NTFS File System?

Since Windows NT, Microsoft has used the NTFS file system on its machines. The NTFS file system offers the benefit of security and encryption without any external software. One option with the NTFS file system is the ability to encrypt and decrypt files on the hard drive. This adds an extra layer of protection for your personal files. If you've encrypted a file on your Windows machine, you can take similar steps to decrypt it.

Instructions

1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the location of the encrypted file. Right-click it and select "Properties."

2. Click the "General" tab. In this tab, click the button labeled "Advanced."

3. Scroll down to the section with a check mark labeled "Encrypt contents to secure data." Remove the check mark and press the "Ok" button. This decrypts the file contents on the NTFS file system.

Tips & Warnings

• You can re-encrypt a file by checking the box labeled "Encrypt contents to secure data" again and pressing the "Ok" button.

• Decrypting a file makes it available to anyone who shares your PC. Re-encrypt the file to return to your previous security settings to protect it from other users.

References

• Microsoft: Encrypt or Decrypt a File