How to Enable or Disable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders in Windows


The Encrypting File System (EFS) is the built-in encryption tool in Windows used to encrypt files and folders on NTFS drives to protect them from unwanted access. EFS enables transparent encryption and decryption of files for your user account by using advanced, standard cryptographic algorithms. Any individual or app that doesn't possess the appropriate file encryption key cannot open any encrypted files and folders. Encryption is the strongest protection that Windows provides to help you keep your individual files and folders secure.

Encrypting File System (EFS) is only available in the following editions of Windows:
  • Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise
  • Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, Enterprise
  • Windows 8 Pro and Enterpise
  • Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable to automatically encrypt files that are moved to an EFS encrypted folder for all users in Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable automatically encrypt files that are moved to an EFS encrypted folder.

This setting applies only to files moved (not copied) within the same volume/partition the encrypted folder is on. When files are moved to other volumes, or if you create a new file in an encrypted folder, File Explorer encrypts those files automatically.


 CONTENTS:

  • Option One: Enable or Disable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: Enable or Disable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders using a REG file


EXAMPLE: Move file to EFS encrypted folder
Disable Auto Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders in Windows-move_file_in_efs_folder-1.jpg Disable Auto Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders in Windows-move_file_in_efs_folder-2.jpg






OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders in Local Group Policy Editor



The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 7/8/10 Pro, Windows 7/8/10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two below.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System

Disable Auto Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders in Windows-efs_gpedit-1.jpg

3. In the right pane of System in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Do not automatically encrypt files moved to encrypted folders policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


 5. To Enable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders

A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.


 6. To Disable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders

A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Disable Auto Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders in Windows-efs_gpedit-2.png

7. When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders using a REG file



The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

NoEncryptOnMove DWORD

(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable


1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


 2. To Enable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_automatically_encrypt_files_moved_to_EFS_encrypted_folders.reg

Download


 3. To Disable Automatically Encrypt Files Moved to EFS Encrypted Folders

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_automatically_encrypt_files_moved_to_EFS_encrypted_folders.reg

Download

4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. Restart the explorer process to apply.

8. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


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