The Windows Certificate Store in Practice — User or Computer, Which Should You Use? (archived 2026-08-30)

Abstract

Should a client certificate go in the user store or the computer store? This practical guide works systematically through the classic certificate mistakes — the difference between certmgr.msc and certlm.msc, granting private-key permissions, and taking an expiry inventory with PowerShell. Archived version of https://comcomponent.com/en/blog/windows-certificate-store-guide/, as published on 2026-08-30. The live article is maintained and may change after this date. First published 2026-08-01.