Clavis

Help · Everyday use · Clavis Pro

Open encrypted files without decrypting them

Usually you don't need to decrypt a file just to read or edit it. Open shows it in its usual app (Word, a PDF viewer, Photos…) from a temporary working copy, and puts it back under lock when you're done.

Open a file

Any of these works:

  • Double-click the .enc file in File Explorer.
  • Right-click it → Clavis → Open.
  • In Browse Encrypted, select it and press Open.

While files are open, the status bar says so. Click it to manage them.

The status bar showing an open file
  1. Click to see open files and re-lock them

Save or discard, then re-lock

The Open Files panel
  1. Files you opened, and whether you edited them
  2. Put your edits back into the encrypted file
  3. Or throw the edits away
  4. Bring the file's window back
  • Save changes & re-lock encrypts your edits back into the same .enc file and wipes the working copy. With Premium, the version before your edit is kept in Previous versions.
  • Discard changes & re-lock (or Re-lock if you didn't edit) wipes the working copy and leaves the encrypted file as it was.
  • Show again brings the file's window back.
Close the file in its app first. Save in Word (or whichever app), close it, then re-lock in Clavis. If Clavis or your PC stops unexpectedly, Clavis cleans up any leftover working copies the next time it starts.

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