---
title: "Add-VBREncryptionKey"
description: "Creates encryption key. Platform: VMware, Hyper-V Product Edition: Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License This cmdlet creates a new encryption key. This cmdlet accepts SecureString type."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/powershell/add-vbrencryptionkey.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam PowerShell Reference > Managing Security Settings > Data Encryption > Add-VBREncryptionKey"
dateModified: "2026-08-19"
---

# Add-VBREncryptionKey

## Short Description
Creates encryption key.

**Platform**: VMware, Hyper-V

**Product Edition**: Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License

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

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet creates a new encryption key.

This cmdlet accepts SecureString type. Use Microsoft PowerShell standard capabilities to convert your password into the SecureString.

## 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 description of the new encryption key that you can further use to search encryption keys.</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>1</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 password 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>0</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>

`<CommonParameters>`

This cmdlet supports Microsoft PowerShell common parameters. For more information on common parameters, see [ Microsoft Docs](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_commonparameters?view=powershell-7).

## Output Object
[`PSCryptoKey`](pscryptokey.md)

## Examples

::: example
### Creating Encryption Key

This command creates the `Veeam Administrator` encryption key.

```
$plainpassword = "VeeamPassword"
$securepassword = $plainpassword | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force
Add-VBREncryptionKey -Password $securepassword -Description "Veeam Administrator"
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Save the password into the `$plainpassword` variable.
2. Turn the password into a SecureString by running the [`ConvertTo-SecureString`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.security/convertto-securestring?view=powershell-7.4) command. Provide the `AsPlainText` and `Force` parameters.
3. Run the `Add-VBREncryptionKey` cmdlet. Set the `$securepassword` variable as the `Password` parameter value. Specify the `Description` parameter value.

:::