Forums Help & support Not encrypting upon Sign Out from AxCrypt or when locking screen Reply To: Not encrypting upon Sign Out from AxCrypt or when locking screen

#7687 Reply

Ted

It is my understanding that upon signing out from AxCrypt via the main File menu or upon locking my screen via W+L, the program should automatically re-encrypt decrypted files stored in previously selected secured folders within AxCrypt.

You’re mostly correct although it doesn’t actually re-encrypt anything, it forgets your password when you lock the screen using W+L.

Your files are encrypted at all times, but when your password is in memory (prior to using W+L), it allows AxCrypt to decrypt the files without prompting you again.

I find that this feature is not working for me so even upon locking my screen, or a long period of inactivity, or upon signing out of AxCrypt via the File Menu, I can locate the file I had previously decrypted via Windows Explorer and it does not show the axx extension or the AxCrypt icon and I can open it without being prompted for my password as if it was never encrypted.

I think you may misunderstand how AxCrypt works.

To encrypt your files with AxCrypt you either right click on the file or drag and drop the file into the AxCrypt window. The file icon then changes to a padlock. If you use W+L your screen locks and AxCrypt should forget your password. When you unlock your screen and go to open the AxCrypt file it’ll prompt you for your password once, or until you lock your screen again.

Important: when you need to work with your file all you need to do is double click on it. Once you close it, the file will be automatically re-encrypted by AxCrypt.

I think what you’re doing is permanently decrypting the file, working with the file, locking your screen and expecting AxCrypt to re-encrypt your file.

AxCrypt is designed to be convenient: single sign-on (until your screen is locked) and to open a file just double click it. AxCrypt will handle all the encryption and decryption transparently. If you manually tell the software to decrypt the file (instead of double clicking the file) then you’ll experience the behaviour you’ve described.

Please try what I’ve suggested and if you’re still having problems, describe in some more detail.

For what it’s worth I’ve just tried to replicate your scenario (by locking my screen and then double clicking on the locked file) and AxCrypt changes to “Signed Out”. That’s the software working as it should. It prompts me for the password before it’ll allow me to open it… that’s because I haven’t used the manual decrypt feature.