How to use Cipher command line tool in Windows 11/10 (2024)

Cipher.exe is a built-in command-line tool in the Windows operating system that can be used to encrypt or decrypt data on NTFS drives. This tool also lets you securely delete data by overwriting it.

How to use Cipher command line tool in Windows 11/10 (1)

How to use Cipher command in Windows

Whenever you create text files and encrypt them till such a time that the encryption process is completed, Windows will create a backup of the file, so that in case anything was to go wrong during the encryption process, the data would still be recoverable using this file. Once the encryption process is completed, the backup is deleted. But then again, this delete backup file can be recovered using data recovery software, until it is overwritten by other data.

When you use this built-in tool, it creates a temporary folder named EFSTMPWP on the system partition. It then more temporary files in that folder, and writes random data comprising of 0’s, 1’s, and other random numbers to those files.

Cipher.exe thus allows you not only to encrypt and decrypt data but also to securely delete data. Thus, many use it to delete files permanently too.

Overwrite deleted data using cipher /w

To overwrite deleted data, one can use the /w switch.

Open the WinX menu on your Windows and select Command Prompt. Type the following and hit Enter:

cipher /w:driveletter:\foldername

Here you will have to specify the Drive letter and the Folder name or path.

Cipher can also be used to display or alter the encryption of folders and files. If it is used without parameters, it will display the encryption state of the current folder and any files it contains.

Cipher.exe switches

/? : Displays help at the command prompt.

/e : Encrypts the specified folders. Folders are marked so that files that are added to the folder later are encrypted too.

/d : Decrypts the specified folders. Folders are marked so that files that are added to the folder later are encrypted too.

/w : PathName – Removes data on unused portions of a volume. PathName can indicate any directory on the desired volume.

/s:dir:Performs the selected operation in the specified folder and all subfolders.

/a:Performs the operation for files and directories.

/i:Continues performing the specified operation even after errors occur. By default,cipherstops when it encounters an error.

/f:Forces the encryption or decryption of all specified objects. By default,cipherskips files that have been encrypted or decrypted already.

/q:Reports only the most essential information.

/h:Displays files with hidden or system attributes. By default, these files are not encrypted or decrypted.

/k:Creates a new file encryption key for the user runningcipher. If you use this option,cipherignores all of the other options.

/u:Updates the user’s file encryption key or recovery agent’s key to the current ones in all of the encrypted files on local drives (that is, if the keys have been changed). This option only works with/n.

/n:Prevents keys from being updated. Use this option to find all of the encrypted files on the local drives. This option only works with/u.

For a full list of Cipher command line switches and parameters, visit TechNet.

Due to the very nature of the tool, you are safe using it to securely delete data, as it will never overwrite your active files; it will only overwrite data that has been deleted by you.

Microsoft SysInternals also has a powerful tool that lets you delete files permanently. With the SDelete tool, which you can download for free, you can overwrite the contents of free space on your disk to prevent deleted or encrypted files from being recovered.

Related: What is the EFSTMPWP folder?

How to use Cipher command line tool in Windows 11/10 (2)

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Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.

How to use Cipher command line tool in Windows 11/10 (2024)

FAQs

How does Windows cipher work? ›

cipher works by creating a folder called EFSTMPWP on the root of the target drive; inside this folder, it successively fills three temporary files with zeroes, ones, and random numbers respectively, one after the other, to the size of the empty space left on the drive.

What is the Windows command line encryption tool? ›

A command line utility, CIPHER. EXE, can be used to encrypt and decrypt files from the command line. /E Encrypts the specified directories. Directories will be marked so that files added afterward will be encrypted.

How do I permanently delete files from Windows 10 cipher? ›

Press the Windows Key + S and begin typing PowerShell, then right-click on Windows PowerShell and Run as Administrator. You can securely delete all free space on your hard drive by typing in cipher /w:C:. This command will only securely wipe all free space that has deleted files.

How do I decrypt encrypted files in Windows 11? ›

Encrypt or Decrypt File(s) in Properties
  1. Right click or press and hold on one or more selected file(s), and click/tap on Properties. (
  2. In the General tab, click/tap on the Advanced button. ( ...
  3. Check (encrypt) or uncheck (decrypt - default) Encrypt contents to secure data for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (
Oct 15, 2022

How do I run a cipher in Windows? ›

How to Use Cipher.exe
  1. Quit all programs.
  2. Click Start, click Run, and type cmd, and then press ENTER.
  3. Type cipher. /w:'folder', and then press ENTER, where folder is optional and can be any folder in a local volume that you want to clean. For example, the.

How do I enable ciphers in Windows 10? ›

You can use the SSL Cipher Suite Order Group Policy settings to configure the default TLS cipher suite order.
  1. From the Group Policy Management Console, go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > SSL Configuration Settings.
  2. Double-click SSL Cipher Suite Order, and then click the Enabled option.
Jul 29, 2021

How do I change the cipher in Windows? ›

To configure the SSL Cipher Suite Order Group Policy setting, follow these steps:
  1. At a command prompt, enter gpedit. ...
  2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > SSL Configuration Settings.
  3. Under SSL Configuration Settings, select SSL Cipher Suite Order.

What is the usage of cipher? ›

Ciphers, also called encryption algorithms, are systems for encrypting and decrypting data. A cipher converts the original message, called plaintext, into ciphertext using a key to determine how it is done.

How to decrypt password in cmd? ›

How to Decrypt Files Using the Command Prompt
  1. Launch Command Prompt through the Start menu.
  2. Change the working directory to the required folder.
  3. Decrypt files using the command cipher /d.
  4. Command Prompt will now decrypt your files and will display a confirmation message.
Aug 3, 2021

How to encrypt password using cmd? ›

11.1 Encrypting the Password
  1. Run GGSCI.
  2. Issue the ENCRYPT PASSWORD command. ENCRYPT PASSWORD password algorithm ENCRYPTKEY {key_name | DEFAULT} ...
  3. The encrypted password is output to the screen when you run the ENCRYPT PASSWORD command.

What are the 6 commands in cmd? ›

Basic CMD Commands
  • #2) Mkdir. This command is used when subdirectories are to be created within the directories. ...
  • #3) REN: Rename. ...
  • #4) ASSOC: Fix File Associations. ...
  • #8) SYSTEMINFO: System Information. ...
  • #11) CHKDSK: Check Disk. ...
  • #13) ATTRIB: Change File Attributes. ...
  • #15) Network Statistics NETSTAT. ...
  • #17) PING: Send Test Packets.
Dec 5, 2022

Can hacker recover deleted files? ›

Deleted files are at risk

Cybercriminals and hackers can gain access to personal information stored in your computer even after you think you've deleted the files. This includes everything from financial documents to scanned images. If you think those files are gone because they've been deleted, think again.

How do I remove encryption from all files? ›

Right-click on the encrypted file and select Properties. In the General tab, select Advanced. Now, uncheck the Encrypt contents to secure data radio box and click on OK. You'll see another dialog box asking if you want to Apply changes to this folder or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files.

Can FBI recover deleted files? ›

The answer is yes—by using special tools, they can find data that hasn't been overwritten yet. However, by using encryption methods, you can ensure your data is kept private, even after deletion.

How do you unlock hidden files in Windows 11? ›

View hidden files and folders in Windows
  1. Open File Explorer from the taskbar.
  2. Select View > Options > Change folder and search options.
  3. Select the View tab and, in Advanced settings, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives and OK.

How do I unlock a locked file in Windows 11? ›

Method 1. Open the Lock of the Folder from Folder Properties
  1. Find the locked folder on your PC. Right-click the encrypted folder.
  2. Select "File ownership > Personal". Then, you can open the encrypted file.
Sep 21, 2022

How do I decrypt BitLocker in Windows 11? ›

Type and search [Manage BitLocker] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②. Click [Turn off BitLocker]③ on the drive that you want to decrypt. If the drive is under locked status, you need to click [Unlock drive] and type the password to turn off BitLocker.

How do you solve a cipher with a key? ›

To decrypt, pick a letter in the ciphertext and its corresponding letter in the keyword, use the keyword letter to find the corresponding row, and the letter heading of the column that contains the ciphertext letter is the needed plaintext letter.

How do I find my cipher suites in Windows 10? ›

If you go to a secure website or service using Chrome you can see which cipher suite was negotiated. Any HTTPS site will give you this information. At the top of the developer tools window, you will see a tab called security. Click it.

How do you check ciphers? ›

Find the cipher using Chrome
  1. Launch Chrome.
  2. Enter the URL you wish to check in the browser.
  3. Click on the ellipsis located on the top-right in the browser.
  4. Select More tools > Developer tools > Security.
  5. Look for the line "Connection...". This will describe the version of TLS or SSL used.

What is TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384? ›

TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384. Essentially, this SSL cipher suite now includes only two elements: an encryption algorithm and a hashing algorithm. The key exchange takes place through the Diffie-Hellman algorithm, as RSA is eliminated entirely.

How do I enable TLS 1.2 ciphers? ›

Run a script to enable TLS 1.2 strong cipher suites
  1. Log in to the manager.
  2. Click Administration at the top.
  3. On the left, click Scheduled Tasks.
  4. In the main pane, click New.
  5. The New Scheduled Task Wizard appears.
  6. From the Type drop-down list, select Run Script.
Oct 7, 2022

How do I disable weak ciphers in Windows 10? ›

You can do this using GPO or Local security policy under Computer configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Network -> SSL Configuration Settings -> SSL Cipher Suite Order. Set this policy to enable.

How do I enable TLS 1.2 on Windows 10? ›

Step to enable TLS 1.2 in Microsoft Edge
  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Click on Settings.
  3. Click on System.
  4. Click on Open your computer's proxy settings.
  5. In the search bar, type Internet options and press Enter.
  6. Select the Advanced tab.
  7. Scroll down to Security category and tick the box for Use TLS 1.2.
  8. Click OK.

What is TLS 1.2 cipher suites? ›

What is a TLS 1.2 Cipher Suite? As we covered in the last section, a Cipher Suite is a combination of algorithms used to negotiate security settings during the SSL/TLS handshake. When the ClientHello and ServerHello messages are exchanged the client sends a prioritized list of cipher suites it supports.

How do I do a full scan from cmd? ›

In the search bar, type CMD . Right-click CMD.exe and select Run as Administrator.
...
  1. From the desktop, press the Windows + X shortcut key combination.
  2. In the menu, select Command Prompt (Admin). ...
  3. On the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes.
  4. In the command prompt window, type SFC /scannow and press Enter .
Jan 3, 2022

How do you remove an encrypted password? ›

Removing a password from a document is a simple process, but you have to know the original password.
  1. Open the document and enter its password.
  2. Go to File > Info > Protect Document > Encrypt with Password.
  3. Clear the password in the Password box, and then click OK.

What is Del * * In cmd? ›

Deletes one or more files. This command performs the same actions as the erase command.

Does Windows 11 have device encryption? ›

Yes, you can enable BitLocker on Windows 11 Home, and here's how. To enable BitLocker on “Windows 11 Home,” open Settings > Privacy & Security > Device Encryption, and turn on the “Device Encryption” toggle switch.

Does Windows 11 allow file encryption? ›

Like Windows BitLocker, EFS encryption can be used to encrypt the most critical files on your PC. Using built-in encryption is straightforward, and it is right at your fingertips.

Does Windows 11 have built-in encryption? ›

Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro both support automatic device encryption, with the Home version a more streamlined experience. You just have to sign into the machine with a Microsoft account, which nearly all people do during setup.

Is encryption available in Windows 11? ›

To turn on Windows device encryption

Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Device encryption. If Device encryption doesn't appear, it isn't available. If device encryption is turned off, select Turn on.

How do I turn on or off device encryption in Windows 11? ›

Turn on device encryption
  1. Sign in to Windows with an administrator account (you may have to sign out and back in to switch accounts). ...
  2. Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Device encryption. ...
  3. If device encryption is turned off, select Turn on.

How to check encryption status in cmd? ›

Checking BitLocker Status (Command Line)

Press and hold the Windows button on the keyboard and R, type "cmd" and press Enter. Right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as Administrator." In command prompt, type "manage -bde -status" and press Enter. View the status of BitLocker on the drives in the computer.

How do I open device security in Windows 11? ›

Windows Security provides built-in security options to help protect your device from malicious software attacks. To access the features described below, tap the Windows Start button, type windows security, select it from the results, and then select Device security.

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