Is the encrytioning working-how to check?

[tbone]

hello. I just installed cryptomator on my desktop. I am choosing to NOT use the cloud and just encrypt to a folder on my computer and then place the data on an external drive also. Can I do That?

after I dragged and dropped some folders from my computer into the Cryptomator window as a test to learn how to use the app. I must have done it correctly as I can see the folders inside the app.

Also,I can edit and save the data from inside the app.

However, I am confused if the folders that I encrypted are really encrypted at all. I must be doing something very wrong because the same folders that I placed by dragging into the app ARE STILL IN THe ORIGINAL LOCATION that I took them from. So now, I have the folder in the cryptomator app AND in the Original location in my computer. I can Still access the folder and its data at the original location!
My thinking is how is my data protected if some bad guy can just access the data on my computer at the original location? Should not the data at the original location be unreadable and be only readable from within the cryptomator app?? This makes no sense to me.

Did I do something wrong when installing? I googled for information and I cannot even make any sense of the explanationsthey come up with. I am NOT a tech minded person, just someone who needs to protect some data (about 35 GB). I just need some claification on what is going on here. I don’t seek a compicated answer–just a very simple solution like if you were speaking to a 12 year old.

Thank You so Much for your help.

Bone

[Michael]

Hi and welcome

@tbone

I am choosing to NOT use the cloud and just encrypt to a folder on my computer and then place the data on an external drive also. Can I do That?

Yes you can. If you create a vault, you can choose any location on your system where the vaull (aka the encrypted files) should be stored.

@tbone

after I dragged and dropped

@tbone

I must be doing something very wrong because the same folders that I placed by dragging into the app ARE STILL IN THe ORIGINAL LOCATION that I took them from

If you drag and drop files to a vault with Windows explorer, they are copied. Not moved. (see the litte text that appears on your mouse pointer when you drag a file to the vault). This is standard Windows behavior, as windows sees a cryptomator vault as a virtual drive (because it is a virtual drive, the same it does for example with the Google virtual drive, typically “G:”). And thus does not move but copy files with drag and drop. If you want to move files, please choose “copy/paste”, or hold shift while draging files.

@tbone

I am NOT a tech minded person, just someone who needs to protect some data (about 35 GB)

Id like to underline how important backups are. Please make backup of all you files, no matter if they are encrypted or not. Cryptomator is to protect privacy. Backups are there to cover the risk of data loss. So please do backups .