Windows 11 Home - File Encryption to set password

Piero · Jan 5, 2023

Another limitation of my Windows 11 OS recently installed (Version 22H2 (OS build 22621.963). I tried to set a password to one of my personal file but the "encrypt contents to secure data" choice of Advance Attributes remains greyed out (non selectable). I tried to resolve the issue in the Registry (Regedit command), and by means of the Windows cmd "fsutil behavior set disableencryption 0" as a suggestion I got from the internet but all....didn't work. The same exact problem happens to my latest build of Windows 10. I confirm that in the past, I was able to set a password to files in Windows 10 and my older Windows 7.
Any suggestions?

Piero Bassi

neemobeer · Jan 5, 2023

Does this command actually return 0?

Code:

fsutil behavior query disableEncryption

EFS is also only available in Pro and Ent I believe and does not use a password but rather a symmetric key that the user does not control.

Piero · Jan 6, 2023

neemobeer, I have always used password protected files since, I think I was using Windows 7, but FOR SURE in my previous Windows 10. Why it does not work any longer....I have no idea. I noted a regression in term of functionality starting with Windows XPS. However, I hope to find out how to solve this problem. I don't believe for a moment that Microsoft suddenly excluded Windows Home for setting....file passwords.

neemobeer · Jan 6, 2023

There are a lot of free utilities you that can use passwords, but not native to Windows. Certain types of files offer setting passwords but not all.

Piero · Jan 10, 2023

The problem seems to be related to the File or Folder Properties->Advance Attributes-Compress or Encrypt Attributes-> the Encrypt Contents to Secure Data as being GREYD-OUT therefore not selectable. This is definitely a problem that didn't show up in my previous, older version of Windows 10 and I believe was working fine in Windows 7 as well. If none of you have an idea of what is wrong with Windows 11 and the latest Window 10 builds, recently downloaded from Microsoft, I'll try to get in touch with Microsoft Technical Support. Again, I cannot believe Microsoft has removed a software feature of such importance and that is clearly documented on the Advance Attributes of a File/Folder.

Piero