Restore EFS Certificate

To restore a certificate, import an existing certificate that you have previously backed up via certificate export.

Open the MMC console and add or select the Certificates snap-in.
Right-click the Certificates folder under the personal store where you want to import the certificate to, and select All Tasks > Import.

In Certificate Import Wizard, click Next.
Specify the path to the certificate file that you want to import.

This file contains the private key, provide the password. If you are importing a simple .CER file, this step is not required.

Pick the certificate store that you want to use. By default, the personal store is selected.

Check your settings and click Finish to complete the process.

Once the certificate import is completed, a pop-up notification appears. The certificate that was imported is displayed in the certificate folder on MMC snap-in.

You can also import a certificate with PowerShell using the Import-Certificate cmdlet.