---
title: "Remove-VBREncryptionKey"
description: "Removes encryption key. Platform: VMware, Hyper-V Product Edition: Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License This cmdlet removes a selected encryption key."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/powershell/remove-vbrencryptionkey.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam PowerShell Reference > Managing Security Settings > Data Encryption > Remove-VBREncryptionKey"
dateModified: "2026-08-19"
---

# Remove-VBREncryptionKey

## Short Description
Removes encryption key.

**Platform**: VMware, Hyper-V

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

## Syntax
```
Remove-VBREncryptionKey [-EncryptionKey] <PSCryptoKey> [-WhatIf]
 [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]
```

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet removes a selected encryption key.

::: important

You cannot remove an encryption key if it is used by any job or set in permissions for repository for Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows jobs.

:::

## 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">EncryptionKey</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the encryption key you  want to remove.</p><p>Accepts the <a href="pscryptokey.md"><code>PSCryptoKey</code></a> object or string (description). To get this object, run the <a href="get-vbrencryptionkey.md"><code>Get-VBREncryptionKey</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><a href="pscryptokey.md"><code>PSCryptoKey</code></a></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>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Confirm</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines whether the cmdlet displays a prompt that asks if the user is sure that they want to continue.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: Microsoft PowerShell enables the <code>Confirm</code> parameter for this cmdlet by default. To disable this option, set the parameter value to <code>$false</code>. That is, <code>Confirm:$false</code>.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</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">WhatIf</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines whether the cmdlet writes a message that describes the effects of running the cmdlet without actually performing any action.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</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>
    </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).

## Examples

::: example
### Example 1. Removing Encryption Key [Using Pipeline]

This example shows how to remove the `Veeam Administrator` encryption key.

```
Get-VBREncryptionKey -Description "Veeam Administrator" | Remove-VBREncryptionKey
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Get-VBREncryptionKey`](get-vbrencryptionkey.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Description` parameter value.
2. Pipe the cmdlet output to the `Remove-VBREncryptionKey` cmdlet.

:::

::: example
### Example 2. Removing Encryption Key [Using Variable]

This example shows how to remove the `Veeam Administrator` encryption key.

```
$administratorkey = Get-VBREncryptionKey -Description "Veeam Administrator"
Remove-VBREncryptionKey -EncryptionKey $administratorkey
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Get-VBREncryptionKey`](get-vbrencryptionkey.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Description` parameter value. Save the result to the `$administratorkey` variable.
2. Run the `Remove-VBREncryptionKey` cmdlet. Set the `$administratorkey` variable as the `EncryptionKey` parameter value.

:::

## Related Commands

[`Get-VBREncryptionKey`](get-vbrencryptionkey.md)