Where Is the ELSTER Certificate File Stored?
The ELSTER .pfx certificate saves to Downloads by default and you move it yourself. Where to keep it safe.
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Mein ELSTER issues the Zertifikatsdatei as a .pfx download. The portal drops it in Downloads automatically. The safe spot is yours to choose; most people move it to an encrypted USB stick. The file plus its password unlocks every login, so a readable copy in Downloads weakens the whole setup. Move it after registration and delete the original.
ElsterFormular is discontinued and only handled old .elfo input files. It never managed the .pfx centrally. If login asks for a file you cannot find, stop and locate it before creating a second account. Search all drives and USB sticks for the saved file, since no scan finds it for you. Without file plus password a fresh registration is the only path.
Where ELSTER stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\Downloads\*.pfx
Default download spot for the .pfx. Move it to encrypted storage after registration. ElsterFormular .elfo files, where still present, sit wherever you saved them.
Frequently asked questions
I lost my ELSTER certificate file. Where could it be?
Search all drives for *.pfx and check USB sticks. ElsterFormular only remembers the last used path and Mein ELSTER is browser only, so nothing auto scans for it. Without the file plus password you must re register.
Is keeping the .pfx in Downloads safe?
Copy the .pfx to an encrypted USB stick and delete it from Downloads. You need the file plus its password on every login. A readable cert on a shared PC voids the security model.
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