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How do I turn off FileVault while encrypting?

I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014) running OS X Yosemite 10.10.5


I am trying to upgrade the OS to Catalina. When updating I get the error "File Vault Conversio in Progress"


I cannot stop the encryption via the Security in Preferences.


I have seen the fix posted in which I have to essentially wipe the disk and start over. Is there an easier way?

William’s 13" MacBook Pro, MacBook Pro 13″

Posted on Jul 24, 2020 7:18 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 24, 2020 9:01 PM

You cannot stop an encryption or decryption process. You must wait for the process to complete. Make sure the laptop is plugged into a working power adapter since the encryption process will pause when the laptop is only running on battery power. If you don't want to wait for the conversion process to finish, then you will need to erase the whole physical drive before installing macOS. Erasing the drive will destroy all data on the drive so make sure you have a good backup first.


You should always have frequent & regular backups anyway since it is impossible to recover accidentally delete data from an SSD. Plus an SSD can fail at any time without any warning signs.

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 24, 2020 9:01 PM in response to wdftexas

You cannot stop an encryption or decryption process. You must wait for the process to complete. Make sure the laptop is plugged into a working power adapter since the encryption process will pause when the laptop is only running on battery power. If you don't want to wait for the conversion process to finish, then you will need to erase the whole physical drive before installing macOS. Erasing the drive will destroy all data on the drive so make sure you have a good backup first.


You should always have frequent & regular backups anyway since it is impossible to recover accidentally delete data from an SSD. Plus an SSD can fail at any time without any warning signs.

How do I turn off FileVault while encrypting?

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