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If the user forgets their account password and recovers the account by answering their configured security questions, will they lose access to EFS-secured files? Or is guessing the recovery questions enough to gain access to EFS-encrypted files?

Is this configurable, and, if so, how is it configured?

I am asking this in the context of non-Domain-joined Windows 10 computers, with no especial backup options pursued (such as a data recovery agent), with a local user account that's been created by the normal user setup wizard (i.e., not joined to a Microsoft account).

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  • Because the password itself is important, I doubt it’s sufficient. // It should be easy to try this in a virtual machine.
    – Daniel B
    Commented Mar 16, 2023 at 13:56
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    If a user's password is reset, then the certificate used to encrypt the files, must exist in the certificate store or the files will be inaccessible. You are warned that performing a password reset will make encrypted files inaccessible. It does not matter how that password reset happens. Unless a backup of the certificate exists, and is imported into the certificate store after the password is reset, the files will be inaccessible due to the encryption
    – Ramhound
    Commented Mar 16, 2023 at 14:08

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