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File Vault 2020

Has there been any update on the ability to shut down file vault while its in progress?


iMac 27″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Jun 7, 2020 1:02 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 7, 2020 5:31 PM

It takes far less than minute to change that setting.


But to actually implement the encryption/decryption you asked for, every file on your drive must be read in one state, and written back in the other. That means it takes ALL afternoon to complete, provided your Mac does not go to sleep during the process.


You need to wait until it finishes the conversion. Your Mac will continue to operate with a "split" disk, partially-encrypted/partially-decrypted until it finishes. Only then can you change the state again.


Your only other recourse is to cancel it altogether and ERASE your drive re-install MacOS from scratch or from your backup.

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 7, 2020 5:31 PM in response to AaronEire

It takes far less than minute to change that setting.


But to actually implement the encryption/decryption you asked for, every file on your drive must be read in one state, and written back in the other. That means it takes ALL afternoon to complete, provided your Mac does not go to sleep during the process.


You need to wait until it finishes the conversion. Your Mac will continue to operate with a "split" disk, partially-encrypted/partially-decrypted until it finishes. Only then can you change the state again.


Your only other recourse is to cancel it altogether and ERASE your drive re-install MacOS from scratch or from your backup.

File Vault 2020

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