Cryptomator guide

1. Install Google Drive for desktop and ensure Google Drive appears in File Explorer or Finder.
2. Install and open Cryptomator.
3. Select Add Vault → Create New Vault.
4. Give the vault a name.
5. Choose the synced Google Drive folder as the vault's storage location.
6. Create a strong and unique password for the vault.
7. Save the recovery key in a safe place separate from the vault.
8. Complete the creation. Google Drive will automatically start syncing the encrypted vault folder.

Important: Cryptomator cannot recover a forgotten password without the recovery key.

1. Install Cryptomator from your app store and open the app.
2. Add Google Drive as a cloud service and log in to your Google account. Grant the permissions the app needs.
3. Press the plus button and select Create new vault.
4. Choose Google Drive and the desired folder as the storage location.
5. Give the vault a name and create a strong password.
6. Save the recovery key in a safe place.

Menu names may differ slightly between Android and iPhone. On iPhone, Cryptomator also works through the Files app.

On computer

1. Wait for Google Drive to sync the vault folder to your computer.
2. Open Cryptomator and select Add Vault → Open Existing Vault.
3. Select the vault folder in Google Drive and its vault.cryptomator file.
4. Select the vault from the list, press Unlock and enter the vault password.
5. Open the virtual drive or folder that appears. Only access files through this opened view.

On phone

1. Add Google Drive to Cryptomator's cloud services.
2. Press the plus button and select Add existing vault.
3. Find the vault folder in Google Drive and select it.
4. Tap the vault and open it with your password, biometric authentication, or device key, if you have enabled one.

On computer

1. Unlock the vault in Cryptomator.
2. Open the virtual drive or vault folder shown by Cryptomator.
3. Drag or copy files into the opened vault just like a normal folder.
4. Open and edit files with normal programs. Save changes normally.
5. Cryptomator encrypts the changes, and Google Drive syncs the encrypted files to the cloud.

On phone

1. Open the vault in Cryptomator.
2. Create a folder, import a file from your device, or use the share function to add a file to the vault.
3. Open the file from Cryptomator into a compatible app.
4. Save the modified file back to the vault. Not all apps can save directly to the same file, in which case the modified version must be imported back separately.

• Deleting: Open the vault and delete the file or folder from the opened virtual drive or Cryptomator app. Do not delete individual encrypted files directly from the Google Drive vault folder.
• Moving out on a computer: Move or copy the file from the opened vault to a normal folder. If you copy the file, delete the original from the vault separately if you don't want to keep it there.
• Moving out on a phone: Select the file and use the Export, Share, or Save to device function. Delete the original from the vault separately if needed.

Note: A file moved or exported out of the vault is no longer protected by Cryptomator.

On computer

1. Save and close all files open in the vault.
2. Wait a moment so programs have time to write changes to the disk.
3. Return to Cryptomator and press Lock next to the vault.
4. Wait for Google Drive to sync the changes before shutting down the computer.

On phone

1. Return to Cryptomator and close the open vault with the lock button.
2. You can enable auto-lock in the settings, so the vault closes when exiting the app or after a set time.

• Keep the vault password and recovery key secure. The cloud service or Cryptomator support cannot open the vault for you.
• Do not rename, move, or modify the encrypted files inside the vault directly in Google Drive.
• Back up the vault. Cloud syncing alone does not replace a backup.
• Before locking the vault, make sure the files are no longer open in other apps.