Jigsaw ransomware-affected file
File type: Ransomware encrypted file
A .paymts file is a file encrypted by a variant of Jigsaw ransomware. The ransomware appends the .paymts file extension to affected files.
It is not an independent document format and cannot normally be opened until the encrypted data has been decrypted.
File type category:
Ransomware encrypted file
Date updated: October 5, 2026
Jigsaw ransomware encrypts users' files and demands payment in bitcoins. A .paymts file contains the encrypted data from an original file, such as a document or image, with the ransomware's extension added to its name.
The Jigsaw Ransomware Decryptor, developed by Michael Gillespie for Microsoft Windows, is intended to decrypt files affected by Jigsaw. The .paymts file extension identifies an encrypted file rather than a normal file format used by an application.
A .paymts file cannot normally be opened with the program that created the original file. On Microsoft Windows, use the Jigsaw Ransomware Decryptor to attempt to decrypt the affected file.
After successful decryption, open the restored file with a program that supports its original format.
An encrypted .paymts file cannot be meaningfully converted while it remains encrypted. It must first be decrypted.
After decryption, the restored file can be converted or exported with software that supports its original file format.
Software apps that recover paymts files:
Microsoft Windows
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