Right-Click Encrypt for Windows 7

Encrypting and decrypting folders in Windows 7 is pretty straightforward. Still, we can make a bit more streamlined with some registry hacking magic.

Encrypting folders and files is a way to protect them from unwanted access. Encrypting File System (EFS) is a feature of Windows that allows you to store information on your hard disk in an encrypted format. Encryption is the strongest protection that Windows provides to help you keep your information secure. To encrypt or decrypt a folder with Windows Explorer, you’d have to go through the advanced section of the properties of the folder. If you follow the short list of instructions below, you can simply right-click a folder, and encrypt or decrypt the file or folder. Nifty, eh?

1. Click the Start orb.
2. Type regedit in the search field, and then press enter.
3. If you are prompted by UAC, click Continue.
4. Once you are in the registry editor, navigate to the following key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
5. In the right pane, right click on a empty space and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Type EncryptionContextMenu and press Enter.
7. Right click EncryptionContextMenu and click on Modify.
8. To Add Encrypt and Decrypt –
   • Type 1 in the field, and then click on OK.
9. To Remove Encrypt and Decrypt –
   • Type 0 in the field, and then click on OK.
10. Close regedit.

This also works with Vista