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How to remove Filevault encryption within Recovery Mode in Catalina?

In recovery mode (cmd R) you used to be able to remove filevault from your drives.

with catalina, I can still go to recovery mode, disk utility, but not the uption to decrypt it from there.


how can i do this? Greets

MacBook Air

Posted on Nov 15, 2019 9:48 AM

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Posted on Nov 15, 2019 11:09 AM

Disk Utility itself cannot disable FileVault. One needs to use the Security & Privacy preference panel to enable or disable FileVault. I have no recollection of controlling FileVault using Disk Utility in Recovery Mode. Have you checked the Utilities menu in the screen menubar? I don't think you can evoke System Preferences while in Recovery.


If you can boot the computer normally or Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support or Playing Safe- what does Safe mode do?, then you can use Security & Privacy to disable FileVault. Keep in mind that decrypting the disk takes quite a long time to complete.

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Nov 15, 2019 11:09 AM in response to rooibosje

Disk Utility itself cannot disable FileVault. One needs to use the Security & Privacy preference panel to enable or disable FileVault. I have no recollection of controlling FileVault using Disk Utility in Recovery Mode. Have you checked the Utilities menu in the screen menubar? I don't think you can evoke System Preferences while in Recovery.


If you can boot the computer normally or Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support or Playing Safe- what does Safe mode do?, then you can use Security & Privacy to disable FileVault. Keep in mind that decrypting the disk takes quite a long time to complete.

Nov 22, 2019 10:49 AM in response to rooibosje

My apologies. I meant starting up the computer or re-starting. You can follow these instructions with which you should be familiar:


Boot from the Recovery HD


  1. Restart the computer.
  2. Immediately, at or before the chime, press and hold down the "COMMAND" and "R" keys together.
  3. Release the keys when the Apple logo and progress bar appear.
  4. Upon completion the Utility Menu should appear.


The Utility Menu appears on a gray screen. There is a menubar on the screen. The Utility Menu has four selections: Restore from Time Machine backup; Install macOS; Get help; and, open Disk Utility. In the lower right corner of the Utility Menu is a button labeled, Continue. You can open any of the options either by double-clicking on the option or by selecting the option and clicking on the Continue button.


So, to do what you asked:


Install El Capitan or Later by Erasing the Disk


If possible, back up your files.


  1. Restart the computer. Immediately, at or before the chime, hold down the Command and R keys until the Apple logo and progress bar appear. Wait until the Utility Menu appears.
  2. Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on the Continue button.
  3. When Disk Utility loads select the volume (indented entry, usually Macintosh HD) from the Device list.
  4. Click on the Erase button in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
  5. Set the Format type to APFS (SSDs only) or Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
  6. Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it.
  7. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
  8. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.


If you don't want to erase the disk, here is how you reinstall macOS over an existing system without erasing the disk:


Reinstall El Capitan or Later Without Erasing Drive


Please be sure you back up, if possible.


  1. Restart the computer. Immediately, at or before the chime, hold down the Command and R keys until the Apple logo and progress bar appear. Wait until the Utility Menu appears.
  2. Select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
  3. Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list.
  4. Click on the First Aid button in Disk Utility's toolbar. Wait until the Done button activates, then click on it.
  5. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
  6. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.


Nov 17, 2019 2:01 AM in response to Kappy

The problem is, I cannot log in my account. I have the correct password, but the loading barr gets filled up till half of it, the mac turns off.

I was told this could be a filevault issue, so I wanted to decrypt (to later encrypt again after solving the issue).


however, i can not enter safemode. I can enter recovery mode. Where it used to be possible to select the locked hard drive in utility, and then there was a File menu (to choose unlock). However, I see no file menu.

Nov 22, 2019 10:09 AM in response to Kappy

Thanks, I guess I can boot from recovery HD (not sure, what exactly do you mean by that - sorry it’s the language barrier, not really familiar with the english technical terms).


If I indeed am able to boot from Recovery HD, how can I reformat the disk while in Recovery HD, and will this somehow change / remove my files?


Nov 28, 2019 8:32 AM in response to Kappy

Thanks I tried, well with catalina instead of el capitan. But the problem is: there isn’t enough space to do this.


so my issue is:

I cannot log in my account, because halfway up loading it freezes. They say I have to de activate FileVault but how can I do that without logging in?


The second option is to reinstall current ios, so any broken software is fixed. However when I try that, it says not enough space.


so I’m still stuck at recovery mode.

How to remove Filevault encryption within Recovery Mode in Catalina?

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