Frequently Asked Questions

Encryption Instructions for a Mac Laptop

Step 1: Click on the Apple Menu and select System Preferences.


Step 2: Select Security & Privacy


Step 3: Click on the FileVault tab at the top and select "Turn On FileVault".
Note: If you are unable to click anything, you may need to unlock the application by clicking on the padlock on the bottom left of the page. If it says "Turn Off FileVault" then you are already encrypted and will not need to do anything further.



Step 4: Your Mac will now generate a Recovery Key. Make a copy and save this in a safe place. This is the only time the Recovery Key will be displayed.
If you forget your password and if you do not have the Recovery Key, all of the data on your disk will be lost.


Step 5: As an additional safety measure, you can optionally save your Recovery Key with Apple. At this time, we currently recommend leveraging this feature and to store your Recovery Key with Apple


Step 6: If you choose to Store the recovery key with Apple, you will then be asked to answer 3 security questions. Apple can only decrypt the recovery keys if you can provide them with the exact answers. Click on Continue when you are satisfied with your answers.
Note: You may also have the option to save the key using your Apply ID which you can do at this time depending on the version of your operating system.


Step 7: Click on Restart to begin the encryption process. You can use your computer during the encryption process.