Acronis True Image Decryption: What to do

TL;DR

If Acronis True Image encrypted your files and you can’t decrypt them, the most common causes are a lost or incorrect password/key, or issues with the Acronis software itself. This guide covers how to try recovery options, check your backups, and explore alternative solutions if needed.

1. Check Your Password & Key

1. Double-check the password: Ensure Caps Lock isn’t on. Try variations you might have used (e.g., with or without special characters).
2. Key Location: If you used a key file, make sure you have it in the correct location and haven’t renamed it. The software needs to find this file during decryption.
3. Password Recovery Tools: Acronis doesn’t offer built-in password recovery. Third-party tools exist but use them with extreme caution as they may not work and could pose a security risk. We don’t recommend these unless you are very technically confident.

2. Use the Acronis Recovery Environment

The Acronis Recovery Environment can sometimes decrypt files even if the main application has issues.

1. Boot from Rescue Media: Create a bootable rescue media (USB drive or CD) using a working installation of Acronis True Image on another computer.
2. Select ‘Acronis Recovery Environment’: When booting from the rescue media, choose the option to enter the recovery environment.
3. Attempt Decryption: Navigate to your backup location and try decrypting the files using your password/key.

3. Restore from a Previous Backup

If you have older backups, restoring from one created before the encryption issue is the simplest solution.

1. Identify Usable Backups: Check your backup history to find a version that predates the problem.
2. Restore Files/Folders: Use Acronis True Image to restore the necessary files or folders from the older backup. You may need to restore to a different location if the original is inaccessible.

4. Check Acronis Software Integrity

A corrupted Acronis installation can cause decryption failures.

1. Repair Installation: Open Control Panel (Windows) or Applications folder (macOS). Find Acronis True Image and look for a ‘Repair’ option.
2. Reinstall Acronis: If repair doesn’t work, uninstall Acronis completely, then download and reinstall the latest version from the official website.

5. Troubleshoot Common Errors

• Error: ‘Incorrect Password’: This is usually a password issue (see Step 1).
• Error: ‘Key File Not Found’: Verify the key file’s location and name.
• Error: ‘Archive Corrupted’: The backup archive may be damaged. Try restoring from another backup if available.

6. Consider Data Recovery Services (Last Resort)

If all else fails, professional data recovery services specializing in cyber security and encrypted files might be able to help. This can be expensive and success isn’t guaranteed.

7. Prevent Future Issues

• Store Passwords Securely: Use a password manager.
• Backup Your Key File: Keep multiple copies of your key file in safe locations (separate from the encrypted backup).
• Regular Backup Verification: Regularly test restoring files from your backups to ensure they are working correctly.