FileVault encryption took about 1 minute to encrypt

[iphonefreak450]

I remember when I first got my MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) M1 Pro, when I turned on FileVault, the encryption took about 1 minute or even less to encrypt.

My SSD is 500gb with 16gb RAM.

All my Apps are default native Apple apps and no third-party apps. I also didn’t have any data stored on my MacBook.

I also performed a few months ago an Erase All Content and Settings, and when I turned on FileVault, the encryption took less than a minute as well.

Does this mean that FileVault encrypts USED space only?

Is this normal for FileVault encryption to take such short time to encrypt?

On the Apple Support page for FileVault, it says that FileVault encryption can take hours to complete.

For me, it took about a minute to complete.

Is this normal?

 

[ondioline]

Storage on any Mac with a T2 or Apple Silicon is always encrypted via the SSD controller. When you “turn on” File Vault it’s just adding a password to decrypt the volume.

 

[iphonefreak450]

Thank you for the explanation.

Is there any way to check from a Terminal command or from the FileVault settings to see if the entire drive is fully encrypted or only the Used space?

I’m just asking this question because coming from a Windows environment, which uses BitLocker, there are two options. To encrypt the Used Space Only or to encrypt the Entire drive.

So, does FileVault encryption encrypt the Entire drive by default or only just the Used space?

 

[CoastalOR]

FileVault encrypts full volumes. Apple FileVault encrypts full volumes by default, there are no settings for encrypting just data or free space.

Here are information pages from Apple that explains FileVault in more detail that I got by going to Apple's site/support and searching for "filevault":

Intro to FileVault

Mac computers offer FileVault, a built-in encryption capability, to secure all data at rest.

support.apple.com

Protect data on your Mac with FileVault

Turn on FileVault to add an extra layer of security to the encrypted data on your Mac.

support.apple.com

 

[chabig]

On Macs with T2 or Apple Silicon, everything on the SSD is always encrypted. Read this:

Volume encryption with FileVault in macOS

In Mac OS X 10.3 or later, Mac computers provide FileVault, a built-in encryption capability to secure all data at rest.

support.apple.com

 

[iphonefreak450]

Thanks a lot to all for the helpful explanation.

 

[Basic75]

So, does FileVault encryption encrypt the Entire drive by default or only just the Used space?

I'm not quite sure that this question makes sense for SSDs where unused space is, hopefully, TRIMmed. It's not like on an HDD where every sector always "exists" and has some data in it.

 

[chabig]

Thanks a lot to all for the helpful explanation.

By the way, this is why “Reset all Content and Settings” works, and so quickly. When you invoke it, it simply deletes the encryption key for the data volume and poof, the Mac is restored to factory condition.

 

[iphonefreak450]

As I mentioned, I have a MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) M1 Pro which is quite new and I read that newer or more modern MacBooks should have FileVault turned on by default.

I always had to turn FileVault on manually.

Just wondering as to why FileVault wasn’t turned on by default when I first got my MacBook or when after performing the Erase All Content and Settings?

 

[chabig]

The internal SSD is encrypted by hardware but FileVault is not on by default. It’s user choice but there are no cons to enabling it, only benefits.

 

[CoastalOR]

As I mentioned, I have a MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021) M1 Pro which is quite new and I read that newer or more modern MacBooks should have FileVault turned on by default.

I always had to turn FileVault on manually.

Just wondering as to why FileVault wasn’t turned on by default when I first got my MacBook or when after performing the Erase All Content and Settings?

I have two 2021 14'' MBP M1 Pro's in the family. None came with FileVault On from Apple.

I don't know where you read that new MBPs come with FileVault On, but that is wrong. It has already been stated in this thread, Silicon Macs storage are encrypted (know that it does not mean that FileVault is turned On). Take the time to carefully read some of the links already posted to help explain.

 

[iphonefreak450]

I’m going to start reading those posted links.

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The reason Apple stated it could take hours, is because of the old days with HDD drives. What you witnessed with your Mac is normal behavior.

 

[iphonefreak450]

Leading to my next question, how come the FileVault encryption does not appear when setting up the MBP from the Setup Assistant? Is there any option to encrypt using FileVault from the Setup Assistant like the one shown from the below link?

I never saw this FileVault option when setting up my MBP for the first time or even after performing an Erase All Content and Settings.

New FileVault 2 enablement option in Yosemite’s Setup Assistant

One new window that appears in Apple’s Setup Assistant application for Yosemite is one that encourages new users of Yosemite to enable FileVault 2 encryption. However, this Setup Assistant wi…

derflounder.wordpress.com

 

[chabig]

That's an old blog. Back in the old Intel days, there wasn't any hardware encryption. So during setup you were prompted to enable FileVault, which encrypted the hard drive. Modern Macs have hardware encryption that can't be turned off, FileVault or no. All that happens when you turn on FileVault on your modern Mac is that the hardware encryption key is further encrypted with your user password.

 

[madmin]

Is there any way to check from a Terminal command or from the FileVault settings to see if the entire drive is fully encrypted or only the Used space?

the terminal command you want is "fdesetup"

(you probably know already that) you can do "man fdesetup" to see all the options (like most terminal commands)

There's a well known mac admin called Rich Trouton who has a blog that can help with most questions about how fdesetup works: https://derflounder.wordpress.com/category/fdesetup/


Another site that could be useful is run by Howard Oakly https://eclecticlight.co/?s=fdesetup

 

[Populus]

That's an old blog. Back in the old Intel days, there wasn't any hardware encryption. So during setup you were prompted to enable FileVault, which encrypted the hard drive. Modern Macs have hardware encryption that can't be turned off, FileVault or no. All that happens when you turn on FileVault on your modern Mac is that the hardware encryption key is further encrypted with your user password.

I don’t quite understand this, and it interests me for my future Apple Silicon Mac.

What’s effectively the difference between enabling FileVault on an Apple Silicon Mac? Once you enter the login password, in both cases, FV enabled or disabled, it decrypts the volume, right?