How to run Encrypt/Decrypt from the W. Vista Shortcut Menu

written by: Scott Nugati; article published: year 2007, month 02;

In: Root » Computers and technology » Windows

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One of the perks of using Vista (Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate) is that you can encrypt files and folders, protecting them from people who try to open them from across the network or using a different account.

If you use this feature quite a bit, however, you'll quickly grow tired of opening the Properties box every time you want to encrypt something. Wouldn't it be much more convenient if the Encrypt and Decrypt commands were right there in the shortcut menu that appears when you right-click an icon?

Of course it would. To make it so, do this:

  • Run regedit.exe

  • Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Software -> Microsoft -> Windows -> CurrentVersion -> Explorer -> Advanced.

    Now, for this trick, you're going to need a key that doesn't actually exist yet. Fortunately, it's very easy to create a new key. In this case, just right-click the Advanced "folder," and then, from the shortcut menu, choose New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. You'll see "New Value #1" appear in the right side of the window, ready to be renamed; type EncryptionContextMenu, and then press Enter.

    Tip: The birth of a new Registry entry is a good opportunity to name it, but you can rename any value or key at any time, just the way you'd rename a file icon. That is, you can open the renaming rectangle by right-clicking or by pressing F2.

  • Double-click this value on the right side: EncryptionContextMenu.

  • Make this change: in the "Value data" box, type 1.

  • Wrap up: click OK and quit regedit. When you right-click any file or folder icon, you'll see the new Encrypt command in the shortcut menu. (Or, if it's already encrypted, you'll see a Decrypt command.)

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