Formatting MacBook HD (APFS Encrypted & FileVault?)

[mrtemp]

I purchased a new MacBook and want to reload it. I travel a lot and want to ensure that the files are not accessible in the event the MacBook is lost or stolen.

Please confirm that I should format the internal hard drive as:

- APFS encrypted - GUID (by default it is just APFS with no encryption)
- Enable FileVault

?

Thank you!

 

[Isamilis]

They both are same. My experience, it will be faster if you format with APFS encrypted using disk utility just before macOS installation, rather than enabling FileVault later after installation.

 

[chabig]

FileVault is encryption. Just format it with APFS. Let FileVault handle the encryption and provide additional features like:
- a recovery key
- iCloud recovery (the aforementioned key is stored in iCloud)
- logging in with a single password instead of separately entering the encryption key and then logging in
- ability to grant other users rights to log in without giving them the encryption or recovery key

If you encrypt the drive using Disk Utility you'll have to authenticate twice, once with the disk password and again as the user.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apfs-encryption-vs-filevault.2050097/
https://apple.stackexchange.com/que...h-sierra-install-apfs-encryption-or-filevault

 

[Crunch]

They both are same. My experience, it will be faster if you format with APFS encrypted using disk utility just before macOS installation, rather than enabling FileVault later after installation.

I am still on Sierra and HFS+. In your experience, is APFS noticeably faster and better with permission issues, which still seem to creep up on a semi-regular basis?

I'd also love to get whatever boost I might get from going with 10.13 or later thanks to the implementation of Metal?