How to Decode Computer Files That Look Encoded

In Microsoft Windows operating systems such as Windows Vista (and other Microsoft operating systems as well, e.g. Windows 7, XP and 2000), users have the ability to encode computer files with the built-in file-encryption attribute tool. By simply opening the "Properties" for any given file or folder (the "Properties" window is a dialog box showing basic information about your file), users can change the attributes to (or from) "Encrypted" status. However, there are some prerequisites for decoding computer files (see the "Things You'll Need" section).

Things You'll Need

• Access to computer user account originally used to encode file

Instructions

1. Right-click on the desired file or folder and select "Properties" from the context menu. This will open the file properties dialog box with options for modifying the file attributes.

2. Click to open the "General" tab (if necessary), then click on the "Advanced" button (located in the "Attributes" section).

3. Click to uncheck the checkbox next to "Encrypt contents to secure data." If the box is already unchecked, the file is not encrypted. Click "OK."

4. Click "Apply" then "OK" to save your attribute modifications. You have now successfully decoded your encoded computer file.

References

• Microsoft Support: Remove file or folder encryption