Protect your Mac information with encryption (2024)

macOS Sequoia 15

macOS Sonoma 14

macOS Ventura 13

macOS Monterey 12

macOS Big Sur 11.0

macOS Catalina 10.15

Mac User Guide

Welcome
- MacBook Air
- MacBook Pro
- iMac
- Mac mini
- Mac Studio
- Mac Pro
What’s new in macOS Sonoma
- Work on the desktop
- What’s in the menu bar?
- Quickly change settings
- What’s in the Apple menu?
- Search with Spotlight
- Use Siri
- Get notifications
- Open apps from the Dock
- Organise your files in the Finder
- Connect to the Internet
- Sign in to your Apple Account
- Set up iCloud
- Browse the web
- Preview a file
- Take a screenshot
- Change your display’s brightness
- Adjust the volume
- Use trackpad and mouse gestures
- Use Touch ID
- Print documents
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Apps on your Mac
- Open apps
- Work with app windows
- Tile app windows
- Use apps in full screen
- Use apps in Split View
- Use Stage Manager
- Get apps from the App Store
- Install and reinstall apps from the App Store
- Install and uninstall other apps
- Create and work with documents
- Open documents
- Mark up files
- Combine files into a PDF
- Organise files on your desktop
- Organise files with folders
- Tag files and folders
- Back up files
- Restore files
- Change System Settings
- Choose your desktop picture
- Add and customise widgets
- Use a screen saver
- Add a user or group
- Add your email and other accounts
- Automate tasks with Shortcuts
- Create Memoji
- Change your login picture
- Change the system language
- Increase the size of what’s on your screen
- How to use Siri
- Customise Siri
- What are Siri Suggestions?
- Use Siri results
- Add Siri Shortcuts
- Set up a Focus to stay on task
- Block pop-ups in Safari
- Use Dictation
- Perform quick actions with hot corners
- Send emails
- Send text messages
- Make a FaceTime call
- Edit photos and videos
- Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo
- Start a Quick Note
- Get directions
- Intro to Continuity
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Control your iPhone from your Mac
- Copy and paste between devices
- Stream video and audio with AirPlay
- Make and receive calls and text messages on your Mac
- Use your iPhone internet connection with your Mac
- Share your Wi-Fi password with another device
- Use iPhone as a webcam
- Insert sketches, photos and scans from iPhone or iPad
- Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
- Use your iPad as a second display
- Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
- Sync music, books and more between devices
- Manage Apple Account settings
- Set your Apple Account picture
- What is iCloud?
- What is iCloud+?
- Store files in iCloud Drive
- Share and collaborate on files and folders
- Manage iCloud storage
- Use iCloud Photos
- Get started with Screen Time
- Set up Screen Time for yourself
- Set up Screen Time for a child
- Track app and device usage
- Set time limits for apps and websites
- Set up content and privacy restrictions
- Set up Family Sharing
- Get Family Sharing recommendations
- Add family members to a Family Sharing group
- Remove family members from a Family Sharing group
- Manage sharing and parental settings
- Share a Photo Library
- Collaborate on projects
- Find content shared with you
- Find your family and friends
- Play music
- Watch and listen together with SharePlay
- Listen to podcasts
- Watch TV shows and movies
- Read and listen to books
- Read the news
- Track stocks and the market
- Play games with your friends
- - Apple Music
  - Apple TV+
  - Apple Arcade
  - Apple News+
  - Apple Podcasts
  - Manage subscriptions in the App Store
  - View your family subscriptions
- Connect an external display
- Use the built-in camera
- Connect a wireless accessory
- Connect a printer to your Mac
- Connect AirPods to your Mac
- Optimise your Mac battery life
- Optimise storage space
- Burn CDs and DVDs
- Control accessories in your home
- Use Windows on your Mac
- Get started
- Vision
- Hearing
- Mobility
- Speech
- Control what you share
- Set up your Mac to be secure
- Allow apps to see the location of your Mac
- Use Private Browsing
- Keep your data safe
- Understand passwords
- Change weak or compromised passwords
- Keep your Apple Account secure
- Use Mail Privacy Protection
- Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
- Find a missing device
- Shut down or restart your Mac
- Start up your Mac in safe mode
- Keep your Mac up to date
- Reinstall macOS
- Erase your Mac
Resources for your Mac
Resources for your Apple devices
Copyright

Protect your Mac information with encryption (1)

Using removable media, such as USB flash drives, memory cards, CDs, DVDs or removable disks, is a convenient way to transport information. However, if the removable media is lost or stolen, someone else can access its data by mounting the media on another computer.

If you want to keep private or confidential information secure on removable media, you need to encrypt the information on it.

WARNING: When you encrypt a disk or other media, the disk format is converted to the APFS format and then encrypted. Mac computers with earlier versions of macOS that don’t support the APFS format are not able to read the device’s data. Consider whether you need to connect the media to a Mac with an older version of macOS before you encrypt the data. You can also update your other Mac to the latest version of the macOS that supports the APFS format.

On your Mac, click in the Dock to open a Finder window.
In the sidebar, Control-click the item you want to encrypt.
Choose Encrypt [item name] from the shortcut menu.
Create a password for the disk and click Encrypt Disk.
Important: Be sure to record and keep this password in a safe place. You cannot access the data on the encrypted disk without it.
It may take some time to encrypt, depending on how much information is stored on your Mac. However, you can use your Mac as usual while the disk is being encrypted.

To decrypt an encrypted disk, Control-click the disk you want to decrypt, then choose Decrypt [item name] from the shortcut menu. See How does FileVault work on a Mac?

See alsoProtect data on your Mac with FileVault

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