When FileVault is enabled on Mac, it encrypts everything, all files stored on the disk are encrypted. Any newly created file or document will be encrypted automatically and instantly. It is fast and highly secure.
How to encrypt Mac?
Apple has a built-in encryption support for Mac OS. With the built-in feature of FileVault, you can encrypt entire Start-up disk on a Mac.
When FileVault is enabled on Mac, it encrypts everything, all files stored on the disk are encrypted. Any newly created file or document will be encrypted automatically and instantly. It is fast and highly secure.
FileVault full-disk encryption (FileVault 2) uses XTS-AES 128 encryption to help prevent unauthorized access to the information on your startup disk. If someone gains an unauthorized access to your Mac and access your hard drive will not be able to view your data without having the encryption key since data will be stored in an encrypted form. If the FileVault wasn’t enabled and the Mac was not encrypted, someone with physical access to your Mac could easily view your unencrypted data by removing your hard drive.
Thus, it is highly recommended to turn on FileVault and encrypt your Mac.
Steps to encrypt Mac? Apple has made FileVault 2 an inbuilt feature Mac OS X Lion onwards. Here’s how you can enable FileVault on your Mac.
- Choose Apple menu and goto System Preferences, then click Security and Privacy icon.
- Click the FileVault tab to configure it.
- Click the Lock button on the bottom left corner. Enter an Administrator name and Password.
- Click Turn On FileVault.
- If you have multiple users on your Mac, you will need to enter password for each user to enable FileVault for those users. Click Enable User and enter password. This will unlock the disk for these users, else they will not be able to access the disk. Users added after turning on FileVault will be automatically enabled.
- You need choose an option to unlock the disk and reset your password in case you forget your password.
- Depending on the Mac OS you are using you can choose one of the below methods:a.) You can choose to store a FileVault recovery key with Apple by providing the questions and answers to three security questions. Choose answers that you’re sure to remember.b.) You can choose to use your iCloud account to unlock your disk and reset your password.c.) If you don’t want to use iCloud FileVault recovery, you can create a local recovery key. Keep the letters and numbers of the key somewhere safe—other than on your encrypted startup disk.
- When Filevault setup is complete, your Mac will restart and you will need to login by entering your password. After your Mac starts up, the encryption of the disk occurs in the background.
- Encryption process takes sometime and you can check progress in the FileVault section of Security & Privacy preferences. It usually takes an hour or two to complete. During this time you can continue to use your Mac normally.
- You need to make sure that your Mac is awake and plugged in to AC power through this entire process.
Following the above steps will make your Mac an encrypted machine. FileVault requires that you log in every time your Mac starts up, and no account is permitted to log in automatically.