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User profile for user: amathie
amathie Author
User level: Level 1
14 points

What, no progress bar for internal drive File Vault encryption?

I bought a 2019 MacBook Pro about two years ago and after using it over that period have now decided to turn on File Vault 2 encryption as I'm doing more travelling with it. It has the T2 security chip.


So, I read how to do it and turn FV on in the Security and Privacy pane of System Prefs. Immediately it states that FV is switched on. If I "Get info" by right clicking the Mac HD icon on the desktop is shows the format as "APFS encrypted".


What? Is that it. No progress bar to let me know whats going on? Perhaps it is instantaneously encrypted because of the T2 chip? How could an unencrypted drive instantaneously be encrypted? Can I start backing up to an external drive immediately?


On a previous Mac is seemed to remember switching FV on and having to wait a day or two.


Any insight into this would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Apr 17, 2022 11:38 AM

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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
472,203 points

Posted on Apr 17, 2022 11:45 AM

See the following from Intro to FileVault - Apple Support


If FileVault isn’t turned on in a Mac with Apple silicon or a Mac with the T2 chip during the initial Setup Assistant process, the volume is still encrypted but the volume encryption key is protected only by the hardware UID in the Secure Enclave.


If FileVault is turned on later—a process that is immediate since the data was already encrypted—an anti-replay mechanism prevents the old key (based on hardware UID only) from being used to decrypt the volume. The volume is then protected by a combination of the user password with the hardware UID as previously described.


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User profile for user: FoxFifth
FoxFifth
User level: Level 10
472,203 points

Apr 17, 2022 11:45 AM in response to amathie

See the following from Intro to FileVault - Apple Support


If FileVault isn’t turned on in a Mac with Apple silicon or a Mac with the T2 chip during the initial Setup Assistant process, the volume is still encrypted but the volume encryption key is protected only by the hardware UID in the Secure Enclave.


If FileVault is turned on later—a process that is immediate since the data was already encrypted—an anti-replay mechanism prevents the old key (based on hardware UID only) from being used to decrypt the volume. The volume is then protected by a combination of the user password with the hardware UID as previously described.


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What, no progress bar for internal drive File Vault encryption?

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