This article applies to unmanaged (standalone) installations only. On managed systems key sharing is performed by the administrator through the DESlock+ Enterprise Server.

 You can share an encryption key with another DESlock+ user using one of two methods, either by sharing the key using a removable memory device/over a network connection or by email. This article details how you can share an encryption key using a removable memory device or network connection. If you would like to know how to share and encryption key using email, please click this link to be taken to the relevant article Sharing an encryption key via email

To share an encryption key with another user who has DESlock+ installed, you will need to use the Key Transfer Wizard. To do this, from the machine on which you wish to add the shared key, right click on the DESlock+ Icon in the Notification Area (also known as the System Tray) and click ‘Key Transfer’.

The Key Transfer Wizard will then launch and guide you through the process. Click 'Request a key from another user' and click the 'Next' button.

You will then be prompted to save your key request file. Name the Key_File request appropriately so that it can be easily distinguished, navigate to the location of either the network drive or removable memory device to which you are going to save the request file and click 'Save' followed by 'Next and then 'Finish' on the final window.

From the machine which you wish to share the encryption key, right click on the DESlock+ Icon in the Notification Area (also known as the System Tray) and click ‘Key Transfer’ as you did before on the destination machine and select the second option, 'Issue a key to another user' and click 'Next'

You will now be asked to specify the location of the request file which you saved from the destination machine. Click 'Browse' and navigate to the location of the request file (which was saved on either a network drive or a removable memory device). Select the file and click 'Open' followed by 'Next'

You will now be asked which key you wish to issue, select the relevant key from the list and click 'Next'

You will at this point be asked to set the terminator code limit, for more information on what this means, please see the article Setting the terminator code limit and what it means. click 'Next'

Navigate to the location where you saved the request file and name the update file accordingly then click 'Save' followed by 'Next' and then 'Finish' on the final window.

You will now need to go back to the destination machine on which you wish to add the encryption key and once again, right click on the DESlock+ Icon in the Notification Area (also known as the System Tray) and click ‘Key Transfer’ as before. When the Key Transfer Wizard pops up, select the third option 'Update your Key-File with a key from another user' and click 'Next'.

Click 'Browse' and navigate to the location of the update file which you saved to the same location as your request file on either your removable memory device or network drive, select the file and click 'Open'.  

You may now be presented with the following message if the two Key-File names are the same or an appropriate name hasn't been chosen at the point of requesting/issuing the key. Simply click 'OK'  and then specify an approriate name for the new key and click 'Next'.

You will now be asked to select a spare slot where you would like the new key to be located, highlight a spare slot and click 'Next' and then click 'Finish'

The Key-File backup wizard will now be activated as a fail safe following a change to your Key-File and the addition of your shared key. A backup at this point is compulsory and it is advised that the backup is stored in a safe location (either a backed up network location or a removable memory device).