You may get an error 0x80071771 saying “The specified file could not be decrypted” when you try to open the encrypted files. What triggers this error and how to resolve it? If you are stuck in this issue as well, this MiniTool post is the right place to get answers.

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The Encrypting File System [EFS] helps people encrypt files to prevent unauthorized access or virus attack. However, many people report a problem, especially after they updated the Windows system, that they receive error 0x80071771: This specified file could not be decrypted.

You should know that using the EFS to encrypt files requires the certificate if you want to access the file from a different computer. Here are some methods that may help you fix the error 0x80071771. You can try them one by one to find which fits your situation.

Fix 1. Decrypt Files with the Command Prompt

You can access the file by giving the current account full permission. But this method doesn’t fit for files that are encrypted on a different device.

Step 1. Take Full Permission of the Problematic Drive

1: Press Win + E to open the File Explorer.

2: Right-click on the drive with this problem and choose Properties from the context menu.

3: Change to the Security tab, then click on the Edit button.

4. Tick Full control in the Permissions for Everyone section.

5. Click Apply > OK to save the change and back to the Properties window.

6. Click Advanced at the bottom of the Properties window.

7. Choose Change in the Owner section. Then you should input Everyone into the box and click Check Names.

8. Click OK to save.

9. Check Replace owner on subcontainers and objects and click Apply.

Alt=replace owner

Step 2. Running the Command Line

1. Press Win + R to open the Run window.

2. Type cmd into the text box and press Shift + Ctrl + Enter to run Command Promot as administrator.

3. Type cipher /d “Path” and hit Enter to run this command. You should change the Path to the real path of the file that you can’t decrypt.

Fix 2. Decrypt Files By Importing the Key & Certificate

Another way that allows you to access the encrypted files on a different device is by using the key and certificate. You need to export the certificate and the key from the original computer first then import them to the device where you want to access the file.

Step 1. Export the Certificate and Key

1. Type Manage User Certificates into the Windows search box and hit Enter to open the window.

2. Click Personal > Certificates. Right-click on the certificate that you need and choose All Tasks > Export.

3. Click Next. In the following window, select Yes, export the private key, then click Next.

4. Under the Personal Information Exchange -PKCS

12 [.PFX] section, you should select Include all certificates in the certification path if possible, Export all extended properties, and Enable certificate privacy. Then click Next.

5. Check Password and set the password for the PFX file. Click Next.

6. Name the PFX file and choose the location of this file. Click Next.

7. Click Finish to complete the process.

Step 2. Import the Certificate and Key

1. Transfer the PFX file to the computer you want to access the encrypted file.

2. Open Certificate Manager and find the Personal folder.

3. Right-click on it and choose All Tasks > Import.

4. Click Browse to find the PFX file. If you can’t find it, please choose All Files [*.*] from the dropdown menu next to File name. Double-click on the file to open it then click Next.

5. Input the password you set. Select Mark this key as exportable and Include all extended properties under the Import options.

6. Click Next. In the following window, choose Automatically select the certificate store based on the type of certificate and click Next.

7. Choose Finish to complete the importing process.

After all the steps above, you can try to access the encrypted file to see whether the error message: the specified file could not be decrypted, error 0x80071771 still occurs.

Bonus Tip: Recover Data from an Encrypted Drive

Will your data be 100% safe if you encrypt the drive by using BitLocker? This answer is no. Your files may be also lost due to hardware problems, BitLocker crashes, or other reasons. In this situation, can you recover lost files from the BitLocker Encrypted drive?

You can get a positive answer with the help of MiniTool Power Data Recovery. This professional file recovery tool is capable of helping you get files back, even after you format the drive. You can first download and install MiniTool Power Data Recovery to make a deep scan to see if your wanted files can be found. You can use MiniTool Power Data Recovery Free to recover 1GB of files without any penny.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Final Words

This is all about how to fix error 0x80071771: the specified file could not be decrypted. Both two methods are a little complex but they can help decrypt the encrypted files. Hope this post gives you some useful information.