Axcrypt on Microsoft OneDrive

[Steve]

Can Axcrypt encrypt a folder on OneDrive? That is to say can one simply select and encrypt a folder on OneDrive? without effecting any other file or folder even on the PC hard driver?

What I wish to do is copy folders from my Documents to OneDrive for backup purposes and then encrypt them there thus ensuring their security. Then in the unlikely event I need them call on them decrypt them there and then download back to my PC or another device.

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello Steve,

AxCrypt will encrypt any file that “looks like a file in a folder” on your computer. This is how most apps work with files. Very few have direct support for specific providers. For cloud service providers, this is typically done by synchronizing the cloud storage with a “mirror” folder on your computer. AxCrypt will happily encrypt those files, in the synchronized local copy. These will then become synchronized with the cloud and all is well.

[Steve]

Hi Svante

 

Let me play this back to you:

All I need do is:

1. Create a folder on my PC drive then designate it as an encrypted folder.
2. Then link it to a mirror version on my OneDrive. Is this done automatically?
3. Then just copy any folder I want to backup onto this encrypted folder and it then synchs. with its mirror folder on my OneDrive.
4. Then I can access the OneDrive Mirror folder from another PC and with AxCrypt installed and the same password then gain access to the backup files.

Is that it?

[Felix]

It depends on how you’re using OneDrive Steve as Microsoft give you a couple of options:

• Cloud only (file/s will be downloaded on demand – they use a symbolic link)
• Mirrored (exact replica – files in cloud and on hard drive)

To encrypt your files you need to use the second option and then encrypt the contents of each and every folder.

The other method is to create a local folder (like <Encrypted Files>) and then tell AxCrypt to designate it as a Secure Folder if you’re a premium customer. This method is more suitable if you’ve only got a few sensitive files or you don’t mind the folder structure. There’s nothing to stop you having sub-folders within <Encrypted Files> such as <Receipts>, <Photos> and so on – you need to activate the recursive option within AxCrypt.

This is the inherent difficultly of insecure cloud services; encrypting files can be a pain.

The more appropriate option is to use a fully encrypted cloud service but these are expensive and you might not want to change.

[Stewart Holland]

Will AxCrypt encrypt only the locally stored onedrive files on the PC the app is installed? I don’t want the files that are re-uploaded to the onedrive cloud to be encrypted since other computers will be accessing those files without AxCrypt on their computer.

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello Stewart,

AxCrypt encrypts the locally stored One Drive file, then these files are synchronized / uploaded to One Drive. Encrypted.

One Drive just sees files. AxCrypt files. Word Files. Excel Files. PDF Files. Zip Files. etc.

This is also the almost essentially universal goal of AxCrypt use – to keep files *outside* of your computer, i.e. in the cloud etc, strongly encrypted and secured.

So, yes, the files will remain encrypted on One Drive. The other users accessing the files will need AxCrypt if you encrypt the files with AxCrypt.

What you might want to consider using if you just want files locally to be encrypted is BitLocker or similar drive encryption.

[Kristina M Vaughn]

How can I tell if the files showing in my OneDrive are actually encrypted? Because when I try to open them, they just open for me. Is there a way to test this out?

[Ax]

Kristina – An encrypted file’s icon will change from it’s standard icon (Word, PPT etc) to AxCrypt’s green and white padlock logo (see image top left of this web page). Also if, in Windows Folder Options, View, you untick Hide extensions for known file types, every AxCrypt encrypted file will show .axx as its end file extension. As an example Document 1.docx = unencrypted, Document 1-docx.axx = AxCrypt encrypted version.

If you double click any AxCrypt encrypted file, if the AxCrypt app is also running and logged in, the file will open as normal in your chosen default app for that type of file. Simply by saving and closing the file it will be re-encrypted.

[Prabhukumar RModerator]

Hello Kristina,

AxCrypt secure your file and changed to .axx extension. If the files are having an “.axx” file extension, then the files are secured/encrypted  with the AxCrypt app.

AxCrypt app encrypt file(s) with the .axx extension. AxCrypt encrypted files have their own file structure and AxCrypt app only can interpret and open those file(s). That’s the way AxCrypt was designed. Other than .axx extension files, can’t be opened by the AxCrypt app. No other application(s) can open the AxCrypt encrypted files.

If the above doesn’t help, please provide more information about the issue and some screenshots and write a mail to support@axcrypt.net.

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by  Prabhukumar R.

[Kylie]

Does Axcrypt work with one drive personal vault where the files are locked on the device and would be encrypted twice in the cloud?

[Prabhukumar RModerator]

Hello Kylie,

You can use AxCrypt to secure your files which are all stored in your cloud service like Dropbox, OneDrive, google Drive, etc..

AxCrypt Cloud Storage Awareness is really just about detecting installed cloud services, creating a “My AxCrypt” folder and then designating the created folder as ‘Secured’. However, the feature is really useful only when the folder is Secured, i.e. monitored for new files to encrypt.

Please read the blog for drive encryption AxCrypt –https://axcrypt.net/blog/easy-guide-to-encrypting-onedrive-files-using-the-unbreakable-aes-256-algorithm and  https://axcrypt.net/blog/encrypt-onedrive-and-googledrive-files-using-worlds-best-encryption

If the above doesn’t help, please provide more information about the issue and some screenshots and write a mail to support@axcrypt.net.

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