Unable to export an encrypted virtual machine to an OVF template

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to execute the [Export OVF Template] action for a virtual machine using the vSphere Client, the task is blocked and the following error message is displayed in a dialog box.

The selected virtual machine cannot be exported because it is encrypted.

Environment

VMware vSphere 7.0
VMware vSphere 8.0

Cause

This behavior is expected and by design. It is not possible to export an encrypted virtual machine to an OVF template.

Resolution

Change the virtual machine storage policy to remove encryption before exporting. For detailed instructions, refer to the following documentation.

Encrypt an Existing Virtual Machine or Virtual Disk