Vindows Locker ransomware affected file
File type: Ransomware encrypted file
Files with the .vindows file extension are files encrypted by the Vindows Locker ransomware.
The extension is added to files affected by the ransomware and indicates that their original contents are inaccessible without decryption.
File type category:
Ransomware encrypted file
Date updated: October 9, 2026
Vindows Locker is ransomware that appeared in late November 2016. It encrypts users' files, changes their file suffixes to .vindows, and demands a ransom in exchange for decryption.
A vindows file is an encrypted version of a user's original file, not a separate document format. Its original type cannot be determined reliably from the new extension alone, and the file cannot be used normally until it has been decrypted.
A vindows file cannot be opened normally because its contents are encrypted. Renaming the file or changing its extension will not decrypt it.
Recovery requires a decryptor that supports Vindows Locker or an unaffected backup of the original file. Do not open the file with unrelated programs, as they are unlikely to recognize its encrypted contents.
A vindows file cannot be meaningfully converted while it remains encrypted. It must first be decrypted or restored from an unaffected backup.
After recovery, the resulting original file can be opened or converted using software that supports its original format.
Language