No Volume Password for USB Sticks?

Hi mr88cet,

If you only plan to use the thumb drive with other Macs, you can encrypt it using Apple File System (APFS) or in older versions of macOS, Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted).

WARNING: This erases all data from the thumb drive.

1. Connect your thumb drive to your Mac.
2. Open Disk Utility, located in Applications -> Utilities.
3. In Disk Utility, select View -> Show All Devices.
4. Select the top level of your thumb drive and select Erase. Choose these options:
   1. Name: Whatever you want
   2. Format: APFS (Encrypted)
   3. Scheme: GUID Partition Map
5. Set a password when prompted, then click Erase. Future files placed on the USB drive will be protected with this password.

The Scheme option I described earlier isn't showing up in your screenshot. This means that you didn't select the top level of your external drive to erase.

Here is what Disk Utility shows on my end with my 2 TB external SSD when View -> Show Only Volumes (the default) is selected:

And here is what Disk Utility shows when View -> Show All Devices is selected:

Notice how the APFS containers and drive brand names are now visible in the left sidebar. This is what you want. Choose the top level option of your external drive (the option with the brand name) and click Erase.

This should now include a Scheme option in the erase dialog. Once the scheme is set to GUID Partition Map, APFS will appear as a format option.

My understanding is that FAT32 does not support full-disk encryption.

You can use Disk Utility to create an encrypted disk image (.DMG) file, which you store on the unencrypted FAT32 thumb drive as if it were any other file. To store files in, or retrieve files from, the .DMG, you double-click on it – to mount the contents as a (virtual) disk. When done, you eject the virtual disk.

Microsoft has an article on 'How to encrypt a flash drive – and why you should"; their proposed method involves a program (Bitlocker) that is specific to the Windows platform.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-life-hacks/privacy-and-safety/how-and-why-to-encrypt-usb-flash-drive

There may be other tools that run both on macOS and on Windows that might be preferable if you will be moving your USB flash drive back and forth between the platforms. But if you want password-protection / encryption on FAT32, you're going to have to layer it on, on top of a non-password-protected, unencrypted filesystem.

BDAqua wrote:

Nice work! :)

But with Show all Devices on my Sandisk stick...

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/119bee85-a92b-4794-b367-a5357fe4d66f

Thanks! Strange that yours is in the same predicament... I'm assuming that you first selected GUID Partition Map/Table as the scheme before clicking on the Format selection?

It looks like your USB drive is currently using Master Boot Record as the scheme. Disk Utility requires that the drive use GUID Partition Map/Table as the scheme before it will allow the drive to use APFS. Maybe try changing the scheme, erasing the drive, and then format to APFS? Note mr88cet's latest comment :)

I was hoping to use the Disk Utility to format it with a password, but I don't see that option.

1 - Erase the USB Flash drive as Mac OS Extended

2 - Erase again and the option for APFS (Encrypted) will be available - as shown below

I'm assuming that you first selected GUID Partition Map/Table as the scheme before clicking on the Format selection?

Whoa... you just taught an old dog an old trick! yes that was it!!! :<|

I'm embarrassed but have an excuse... many excuses!;)

Thanks! :)

mr88cet wrote:

Is that option just not available for USB sticks, or did they just stop supporting volume passwords entirely? (Or am I looking in the wrong place or something?)

Your signature indicates you are running Monterey. I have no problem formatting a USB flash drive as APFS Encrypted.

Do you have another flash drive you can try?

I'll ask again…

"Do you have another flash drive you can try?"

Or alternatively, what brand, size, is the flash drive in question?

Nice work! :)

But with Show all Devices on my Sandisk stick...

BDAqua wrote:

I wonder if it's maybe the stick's firmware???

I don't know why all but the the APFS options are available. But, the OP said in one place his looks the same as mine in Ventura, then said neither does. So I give up. 😎