What Is an ENCRYPTED File?

A file with the .ENCRYPTEDfile extensionmight be called a TopStudio encrypted file.

However, any program thatencryptsa file may use this file extension, too, such as EasyCrypto.

Gold lock and key

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What the file extension normally indicates is that the file has been encrypted.

Files that are encrypted for privacy reasons don’t necessarily use this exact file extension.

See the bottom of this page for more on that.

How to Open an ENCRYPTED File

EasyCryptois one program that creates encrypted files.

When it does so, it adds the .ENCRYPTED extension at the end of the file name.

Another example is the .FORTENC file extension used by a program calledFort.

These are encrypted files, but they don’t use append .ENCRYPTED at the end.

Do you have an .ENCRYPTED file that you know isn’t used by EasyCrypto?

What happens is the malware encrypts a number of files and then holds them ransom.

These files normally retain their names but have the .ENCRYPTED extension added at the end, likeimagefile.jpg.encryptedfor aJPGfile.

Sometimes, these files won’t even have a go at open when you double-click or double-tap them.

you’ve got the option to open these .ENCRYPTED files by removing the malware.

We recommend starting off with the freeMalwarebytesprogram.

If that doesn’t help, use the trial version ofHitmanPro.

You may need to use afile recovery programto “undelete” your data.

Afile search toolcan help you find all the .ENCRYPTED files you better replace with their respective backups.

This can apply to anything; you canencrypt your email, specific files, and whole hard drives.

For individual files, the file extension that’s used depends entirely on the software that did the encrypting.