The Encrypt VM toggle is grayed out and cannot be enabled in the vSphere Client

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

The [Encrypt VM] toggle switch displays a red prohibited mark. The toggle switch is grayed out and cannot be operated.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Cause

The vSphere Client disables the [Encrypt VM] toggle if no active Key Provider is configured in vCenter Server.

Resolution

To enable the toggle switch, you must configure a Key Provider in vCenter Server. For steps to configure a vSphere Native Key Provider, refer to this document: Configure a vSphere Native Key Provider

Additional Information

If the toggle switch is entirely missing (not just grayed out), verify that the user's role has the necessary privileges for cryptographic operations and storage policies. See the related KB: The Encryption toggle switch is missing in the vSphere Client