diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift
index 91c5b1b36..2e724bcd8 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ func setXFTPConfig(_ cfg: XFTPFileConfig?) throws {
     throw r
 }
 
-func apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(_ enable: Boolean) throws {
+func apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(_ enable: Bool) throws {
     let r = chatSendCmdSync(.apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(enable: enable))
     if case .cmdOk = r { return }
     throw r
@@ -1158,7 +1158,7 @@ func initializeChat(start: Bool, dbKey: String? = nil, refreshInvitations: Bool
     try apiSetTempFolder(tempFolder: getTempFilesDirectory().path)
     try apiSetFilesFolder(filesFolder: getAppFilesDirectory().path)
     try setXFTPConfig(getXFTPCfg())
-    // try apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(privacyEncryptLocalFilesGroupDefault.get())
+    try apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(privacyEncryptLocalFilesGroupDefault.get())
     m.chatInitialized = true
     m.currentUser = try apiGetActiveUser()
     if m.currentUser == nil {
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/UserSettings/PrivacySettings.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/UserSettings/PrivacySettings.swift
index 34b6f147b..16555fad3 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/UserSettings/PrivacySettings.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/UserSettings/PrivacySettings.swift
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ struct PrivacySettings: View {
                 Section {
                     settingsRow("lock.doc") {
                         Toggle("Encrypt local files", isOn: $encryptLocalFiles)
+                            .onChange(of: encryptLocalFiles) {
+                                setEncryptLocalFiles($0)
+                            }
                     }
                     settingsRow("photo") {
                         Toggle("Auto-accept images", isOn: $autoAcceptImages)
@@ -183,6 +186,16 @@ struct PrivacySettings: View {
         }
     }
 
+    private func setEncryptLocalFiles(_ enable: Bool) {
+        do {
+            try apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(enable)
+        } catch let error {
+            let err = responseError(error)
+            logger.error("apiSetEncryptLocalFiles \(err)")
+            alert = .error(title: "Error", error: "\(err)")
+        }
+    }
+
     private func setOrAskSendReceiptsContacts(_ enable: Bool) {
         contactReceiptsOverrides = m.chats.reduce(0) { count, chat in
             let sendRcpts = chat.chatInfo.contact?.chatSettings.sendRcpts
diff --git a/apps/ios/SimpleX NSE/NotificationService.swift b/apps/ios/SimpleX NSE/NotificationService.swift
index 2fb069a86..ea52f4be8 100644
--- a/apps/ios/SimpleX NSE/NotificationService.swift	
+++ b/apps/ios/SimpleX NSE/NotificationService.swift	
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func startChat() -> DBMigrationResult? {
             try apiSetTempFolder(tempFolder: getTempFilesDirectory().path)
             try apiSetFilesFolder(filesFolder: getAppFilesDirectory().path)
             try setXFTPConfig(xftpConfig)
-            // try apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(privacyEncryptLocalFilesGroupDefault.get())
+            try apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(privacyEncryptLocalFilesGroupDefault.get())
             let justStarted = try apiStartChat()
             chatStarted = true
             if justStarted {
@@ -352,8 +352,8 @@ func setXFTPConfig(_ cfg: XFTPFileConfig?) throws {
     throw r
 }
 
-func apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(_ enable: Boolean) throws {
-    let r = chatSendCmdSync(.apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(enable: enable))
+func apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(_ enable: Bool) throws {
+    let r = sendSimpleXCmd(.apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(enable: enable))
     if case .cmdOk = r { return }
     throw r
 }
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/model/SimpleXAPI.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/model/SimpleXAPI.kt
index f49984b94..cc8d481b5 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/model/SimpleXAPI.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/model/SimpleXAPI.kt
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ object ChatController {
       apiSetTempFolder(coreTmpDir.absolutePath)
       apiSetFilesFolder(appFilesDir.absolutePath)
       apiSetXFTPConfig(getXFTPCfg())
-//      apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(appPrefs.privacyEncryptLocalFiles.get())
+      apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(appPrefs.privacyEncryptLocalFiles.get())
       val justStarted = apiStartChat()
       val users = listUsers()
       chatModel.users.clear()
@@ -1333,7 +1333,7 @@ object ChatController {
   private suspend fun sendCommandOkResp(cmd: CC): Boolean {
     val r = sendCmd(cmd)
     val ok = r is CR.CmdOk
-    if (!ok) apiErrorAlert(cmd.cmdType, generalGetString(MR.strings.error), r)
+    if (!ok) apiErrorAlert(cmd.cmdType, generalGetString(MR.strings.error_alert_title), r)
     return ok
   }
 
@@ -1942,7 +1942,7 @@ sealed class CC {
   class ApiRejectContact(val contactReqId: Long): CC()
   class ApiChatRead(val type: ChatType, val id: Long, val range: ItemRange): CC()
   class ApiChatUnread(val type: ChatType, val id: Long, val unreadChat: Boolean): CC()
-  class ReceiveFile(val fileId: Long, val encrypt: Boolean?, val inline: Boolean?): CC()
+  class ReceiveFile(val fileId: Long, val encrypt: Boolean, val inline: Boolean?): CC()
   class CancelFile(val fileId: Long): CC()
   class ShowVersion(): CC()
 
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/usersettings/PrivacySettings.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/usersettings/PrivacySettings.kt
index ef0940b2a..210d3c613 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/usersettings/PrivacySettings.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/usersettings/PrivacySettings.kt
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ fun PrivacySettingsView(
     SectionDividerSpaced()
 
     SectionView(stringResource(MR.strings.settings_section_title_chats)) {
-      SettingsPreferenceItem(painterResource(MR.images.ic_lock), stringResource(MR.strings.encrypt_local_files), chatModel.controller.appPrefs.privacyEncryptLocalFiles)
+      SettingsPreferenceItem(painterResource(MR.images.ic_lock), stringResource(MR.strings.encrypt_local_files), chatModel.controller.appPrefs.privacyEncryptLocalFiles, onChange = { enable ->
+        withBGApi { chatModel.controller.apiSetEncryptLocalFiles(enable) }
+      })
       SettingsPreferenceItem(painterResource(MR.images.ic_image), stringResource(MR.strings.auto_accept_images), chatModel.controller.appPrefs.privacyAcceptImages)
       SettingsPreferenceItem(painterResource(MR.images.ic_travel_explore), stringResource(MR.strings.send_link_previews), chatModel.controller.appPrefs.privacyLinkPreviews)
       SettingsPreferenceItem(
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/resources/MR/base/strings.xml b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/resources/MR/base/strings.xml
index 7912a5ad1..114fe49e9 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/resources/MR/base/strings.xml
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/resources/MR/base/strings.xml
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@
   <string name="error_xftp_test_server_auth">Server requires authorization to upload, check password</string>
   <string name="error_smp_test_certificate">Possibly, certificate fingerprint in server address is incorrect</string>
   <string name="error_setting_address">Error setting address</string>
+  <string name="error_alert_title">Error</string>
   <string name="smp_server_test_connect">Connect</string>
   <string name="smp_server_test_disconnect">Disconnect</string>
   <string name="smp_server_test_create_queue">Create queue</string>