How to Use FileVault for Data Encryption on Mac OS Mojave
Posted on 20th June 2023
FileVault is a tool built into Apple’s Mac OS that can encrypt your entire hard drive. This means that all of the data on your hard drive, including sensitive information like credit card numbers and passwords, will be unreadable to anyone who does not have the proper key to decrypt the drive. In this article, we’ll show you how to use FileVault to encrypt your hard drive on Mac OS Mojave.
Before You Begin
There are a few things you should know before you begin:
- FileVault will only encrypt the data on your hard drive. It will not encrypt any external drives or disks.
- FileVault will not encrypt any data that is already encrypted, such as disk images or disk partitions that are already using a different encryption scheme.
- You should have a backup of your data before you begin. While unlikely, it is possible for data to be lost or corrupted during the encryption process.
Step 1: Enable FileVault
To begin, you’ll need to enable FileVault. This can be done from the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences. Click the padlock icon in the bottom-left corner to unlock the pane, then click the “Turn On FileVault” button.
You’ll be asked to provide a recovery key. This key is used to decrypt your hard drive if you forget your password. Make sure to store this key in a safe place, as you will not be able to decrypt your hard drive without it.
You’ll also be asked if you want to allow FileVault to store the recovery key in your iCloud account. This is optional, but can be helpful if you forget your recovery key and need to reset your password.
Step 2: Encrypt Your Hard Drive
Once FileVault is enabled, your hard drive will begin encrypting. This process can take a while, depending on the size of your hard drive and the speed of your computer. You can continue to use your computer while the encryption process is underway.
Step 3: Reset Your Password
Once your hard drive is encrypted, you’ll be prompted to reset your password. This is necessary in order to use the encryption key that is now stored on your hard drive. Make sure to choose a strong password that you will remember.
Step 4: Decrypt Your Hard Drive
If you ever need to decrypt your hard drive, you can do so from the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences. Click the padlock icon in the bottom-left corner to unlock the pane, then click the “Turn Off FileVault” button.
You’ll be prompted for your password. Enter your password to decrypt the hard drive.
Conclusion
FileVault is a powerful tool that can help keep your data safe from prying eyes. By following the steps in this article, you can easily encrypt your hard drive on Mac OS Mojave.
To encrypt your Mac’s startup disk using FileVault, head to System Preferences > Security & Privacy. Click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then enter your password when prompted.
Click the FileVault tab, then click the Turn On FileVault button. You’ll be asked whether you want to use your iCloud account to unlock your disk or a recovery key. If you choose the former, you’ll be able to unlock your disk by entering your iCloud password. If you go with the latter, you’ll need to keep the recovery key somewhere safe; if you forget your password, you’ll need it to unlock your disk.
Once you’ve decided how you want to unlock your disk, click Continue. You’ll be asked to reboot your Mac; click Restart to do so.
Once your Mac has rebooted, you’ll see a message saying that “FileVault is encrypting your disk”. This process can take a while, especially if you have a lot of data on your Mac. Once it’s finished, your disk will be encrypted and you’ll be able to log in with your password or recovery key.
If you ever need to disable FileVault, head back to System Preferences > Security & Privacy. Click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then enter your password when prompted.
Click the FileVault tab, then click the Turn Off FileVault button. You’ll be asked to enter your password or recovery key; once you do, FileVault will be disabled and your disk will be decrypted.
If you’re looking for a way to encrypt your data on Mac OS Mojave, you can do so using FileVault. FileVault is a built-in encryption tool that can be used to encrypt your entire drive. In this article, we’ll show you how to use FileVault to encrypt your data on Mac OS Mojave.
To get started, open the System Preferences application and click on the Security & Privacy icon.
In the Security & Privacy window, click on the FileVault tab.
You will see a message telling you that FileVault is not turned on. To turn on FileVault, click on the Turn On FileVault button.
You will be asked to provide a recovery key. This recovery key is important as it is the only way to decrypt your drive if you forget your password. Make sure to store this recovery key in a safe place.
Once you have entered a recovery key, you will be asked to choose whether you want to use your iCloud account or a local account to unlock your drive. If you choose to use your iCloud account, you will be able to unlock your drive using your Apple ID.
Once you have chosen how to unlock your drive, you will be asked to restart your computer. Once your computer has restarted, your drive will be encrypted and you will be prompted to enter your password to unlock it.
And that’s it! You have successfully encrypted your drive using FileVault.
