---
title: "Add-VBOEncryptionKey"
description: "This cmdlet creates an encryption key for object storage repositories. You can use this key to encrypt data that is stored in object storage repositories."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbo365/powershell/add-vboencryptionkey.html"
breadcrumb: "PowerShell Reference > Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 PowerShell Reference > Backup Infrastructure > Object Storage Encryption > Add-VBOEncryptionKey"
dateModified: "2026-08-21"
---

# Add-VBOEncryptionKey

## Short Description
Creates encryption keys for object storage repositories.

## Syntax
```
Add-VBOEncryptionKey -Password <SecureString> [-Description <String>] [<CommonParameters>]
```

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet creates an encryption key for object storage repositories. You can use this key to encrypt data that is stored in object storage repositories.

## Parameters

<table style="width:100%;" class="Blue_Table">
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Parameter</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Description</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Type</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Required</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Position</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Accept Pipeline Input</p>
        </th>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Description</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies a description of an encryption key. The cmdlet will create an encryption key with this description.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>String</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Password</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies a password that you want to use to encrypt data.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SecureString</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>

`<CommonParameters>`

This cmdlet supports Microsoft PowerShell common parameters. For more information on common parameters, see the [About Common Parameters](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkID=113216) section of Microsoft Learn.

## Output Object
The cmdlet returns the [`VBOEncryptionKey`](vboencryptionkey.md) object that contains settings of an encryption key.

## Examples

::: example
### Example 1: Creating Encryption Key

This example shows how to create an encryption key.

```
$plainpassword = "VeeamPassword"
$securepassword = $plainpassword | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force
Add-VBOEncryptionKey -Password $securepassword
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Create the `$plainpassword` variable and assign a value to it.
2. Create the `$securepassword` variable and assign it to the `$plainpassword` variable value. 
3. Pipe down the `$plainpassword` object to the [`ConvertTo-SecureString`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.security/convertto-securestring) cmdlet. Specify the `AsPlainText` and the `Force` variables.
4. Run the `Add-VBOEncryptionKey` cmdlet. Set the `$securepassword` variable as the `Password` parameter value.

:::

::: example
### Example 2: Creating Encryption Key with Description

This example shows how to create an encryption key with a description.

```
$securepassword = Read-Host "Enter your password" -AsSecureString
Enter your password: **********
Add-VBOEncryptionKey -Password $securepassword -Description "Veeam Administrator"
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Read-Host`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/read-host) cmdlet. Specify the message that the console will display as a prompt. Provide the `AsSecureString` parameter. Save the result to the `$securepassword` variable.
2. Enter the password.
3. Run the `Add-VBOEncryptionKey` cmdlet. Set the `$securepassword` variable as the `Password` parameter value. Specify the `Description` parameter value.

:::

## Related Commands

- [``ConvertTo-SecureString``](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.security/convertto-securestring)
- [``Read-Host``](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/read-host)