Bitlocker vs File Encryption for Cloud Files

To make sure your encrypted files are actually synchronized to the cloud, you need to place them inside your OneDrive* folder (or within any external folders that you’ve explicitly configured OneDrive* to sync).
- OneDrive* only uploads and synchronizes files that are located in its managed directories.
- If you encrypt a folder with EFS but keep it outside of OneDrive’s sync scope, those files will remain local and won’t be copied to the cloud.
- By moving the encrypted folder (or the files inside it) into your OneDrive folder, or by adding that folder to OneDrive’s “Manage backup” / “Sync external folders” settings, OneDrive will then synchronize the encrypted versions to the cloud.
- Remember: the files will stay encrypted, but to open them on another device you’ll still need to import the same EFS certificate.

So, make sure the folder is inside OneDrive’s sync scope — either directly in the OneDrive folder or added through the external folder sync option — otherwise it won’t be uploaded.

* I’m referring to OneDrive, but the same principle applies if you use NextCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, and similar services.

Regards

JADM