What is the FILEBOLT file format?
A .filebolt file is a single file that has been encrypted by Filebolt, a file-protection app from Envault Corporation Oy, a Finnish company founded in 2007. Inside the container sits one original file, such as an .xlsx spreadsheet or a .jpg photo, scrambled with AES encryption and locked behind a password the owner chose.
Envault built Filebolt on encryption research from VTT, the Technical Research Centre of Finland. The app ran on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, and it could lock files stored on the device or inside cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive. Encryption happened locally, so the cloud provider only ever saw ciphertext. Envault stated it never stored, transferred, or viewed the files themselves.
One important detail: Filebolt has been discontinued. The apps and the website are no longer available, so most people meeting a .filebolt file today are trying to recover their own older documents.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .filebolt file is encrypted data, not executable code, so opening it will not run anything. The real risk is losing access: the Filebolt app and website are discontinued, and without the password plus a working copy of the app the contents cannot be recovered. Decrypt important files and store them in a supported format while you still can.
Format details
in a nutshell- FileBolt: File Transfer (iOS) - A separate, unrelated iOS app on the App Store for peer-to-peer file transfer. It does not create the Envault .filebolt encrypted container.
Programs that open FILEBOLT files
Windows1 app
Filebolt (Envault)
Freemium Install the Filebolt desktop app if you still have it, then drag the .filebolt file onto the window or choose "Open bolted file..." and enter the password to decrypt. 
macOS1 app
Filebolt (Envault)
Freemium Open the Filebolt macOS app, drop the .filebolt file into it, and supply the password to reveal the original file. 
Android1 app
Filebolt (Envault)
Freemium Open the Filebolt Android app, tap the .filebolt file, and enter the password to decrypt and view its contents.
Filebolt (Envault)
Freemium Launch the Filebolt iOS app, select the bolted file, and authenticate with the password or fingerprint to unlock it. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | Binary |
| Container | Proprietary Filebolt encrypted container that wraps a single original file plus metadata |
| Compression | None documented; the format focuses on encryption rather than size reduction |
| Encryption | AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). Envault marketed it as military-grade AES; specific key length is not published, though modern builds are consistent with AES-256. |
| Typical size | Slightly larger than the source file, reflecting encryption overhead and container metadata |
| Structure | A .filebolt file holds one encrypted payload (for example an .xlsx or .jpg) protected by a user-set password. The password derives the key that unlocks the AES-encrypted contents inside the Filebolt app. |
| Integrity | Not publicly documented |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Notes | Envault Corporation drew on encryption research from VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland). Envault did not store, transfer, or view user files; encryption happened locally on the device. The Filebolt apps and website are discontinued, which makes recovering old .filebolt files difficult if you no longer have a working copy of the app. |
| Structure Summary Extra | Files can live locally or inside cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive; Filebolt encrypts them in place so the cloud provider only ever sees ciphertext. |
| Released | 2010s |
FILEBOLT conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about FILEBOLT files.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open a .filebolt file?
Is Filebolt still available?
.filebolt files.
