A Guide to Switching to Linux | Linux Mint Edition - Part 5 (Encrypting the Home Folder)

In this video, I show you how to encrypt your home folder on Linux Mint after installation.

Disclaimer: While the odds are extremely low, there is a very small chance that setting up encryption on your home folder will cause data loss. Because of this, it's a good idea to make a backup of your data beforehand. I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DATA LOSS THAT MAY OCCUR BY FOLLOWING THIS GUIDE!

*This process will ONLY encrypt your home folder. Anything stored outside your home folder WILL BE UNENCRYPTED!

Commands:
sudo ecryptfs-migrate-home -u [username] (example: sudo ecryptfs-migrate-home -u drew)

If it complains that your user is not added to the "ecryptfs" group, do:
sudo adduser [username] ecryptfs (example: sudo adduser drew ecryptfs)
and give it another go.

This video is part of a series entitled "A Guide to Switching to Linux | Linux Mint Edition". The purpose of this series is to make it easier for a Windows user to migrate to Linux (or in the case of this guide, Linux Mint specifically) by going over what Linux Mint is, how to install it, how to use it, and what to expect in your journey of switching from Windows to Linux, and kind of get you "jumpstarted" on Linux Mint.

[MarcoDM]

I like the complete yet snappy delivery

[skz]

after encrypting you will have a new hidden folder in Home, called ecryptfs - alongside your username folder

[Corum]

Well explained, keep up the good work, thanks for your effort. cheers.

[utubepunk]

Just started watching... do you address moving your home folder to a different partition in your other videos? Does Linux Mint have similar functionality as system restore points found in Windows 10? Thank you.

[richardmcnally]

Great video and much needed. My only question is you did not have to create a separate password for the encrypted folder. I guess the assumption is that your login password is of proper length.

[richardmcnally]

I also guess it goes without saying anything added to the home folder will be encrypted.