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Core Infrastructure and Security Blog
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Defining the friendly name certificate property

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MS2065
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Jan 24, 2020

First published on TECHNET on Dec 12, 2008

The friendly name of a certificate can be helpful if multiple certificates with a similar subject exist in a certificate store.

One way to set the friendly name is through the certificate MMC SnapIn. Alternatively certutil.exe can be used in the following way:

  1. Open Notepad and past the following text into the editor

    [Version]
    Signature = "$Windows NT$"
    [Properties]
    11 = "{text}My Friendly Name"

  2. Save the file as friendlyname.inf
  3. Determine the serialnumber of the certificate where the friendly name should be changed.
  4. If the certificate exists in the user’s certificate store, run the following command at a command-line

certutil –repairstore –user my {SerialNumber} FriendlyName.inf

Updated Feb 20, 2020
Version 3.0

5 Comments

  • Joshua-Bennett's avatar
    Joshua-Bennett
    Copper Contributor

    Great topic—setting a clear friendly name on certificates really helps with identification during renewals and audits.It’s best to keep the name descriptive, consistent, and aligned with its actual usage to avoid confusion later.You can also document naming conventions alongside internal references, as explained in resources like https://dakotacountycourts.org to keep everything organized.This small step can save significant time when managing multiple certificates across environments.

  • William_Mason23's avatar
    William_Mason23
    Copper Contributor

    Great explanation of how the friendly name certificate property helps with clarity and management, especially when dealing with multiple certificates in secure environments. It’s interesting how proper naming conventions can reduce errors and simplify identification over time. I’ve seen similar principles applied in public data systems as well, where organized labeling improves accessibility—resources like https://okaloosapropertyappraiser.org show how structured naming supports better understanding. Overall, a very practical breakdown of a topic that’s often overlooked but highly useful.

  • Jhon_Smitrh's avatar
    Jhon_Smitrh
    Copper Contributor

    Great explanation of how friendly name certificates relate to property identification and public records. For readers reviewing ownership details or assessment references, checking verified county-level data can add clarity and reduce confusion. I’ve found that resources covering https://palmbeachcountypropertyappraiser.org data are helpful for confirming parcel details and related tax information. Using reliable sources like this can support more accurate documentation and smoother property-related decisions.

  • Ryan_Cooper's avatar
    Ryan_Cooper
    Copper Contributor

    Great explanation of how the friendly name certificate property improves clarity and management within secure systems. Clear naming conventions really help reduce confusion during certificate handling and long-term maintenance. I’ve seen similar principles applied effectively in data organization contexts like https://baycountypropertyappraiser.org where structured identification makes complex records easier to interpret. Overall, this is a concise and well-articulated breakdown that highlights the practical value of this property.

  • jamie22's avatar
    jamie22
    Copper Contributor

    Why hasn't this site gotten likes?   It may help to provide information as to what and where a "SerialNumber" can be found (screen shot would help), and how would one think about creating a friendly name for a certificate?   If the certificate is opened, can the friendly name be found?   More information on what, where, how, why, when might get some likes here.