How to Unlock a Mac Stuck on FileVault

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Perform a hard power cycle

   Press and hold the Power button (Touch ID sensor) until the screen turns black and the device shuts down completely. Wait ten seconds to ensure all volatile memory clears, then press the Power button once to restart the machine.

   Note: If you are using a desktop Mac, disconnect the power cable for 30 seconds.
2. 2 min

   Enter macOS Recovery mode

   On Apple Silicon Macs, press and hold the Power button until 'Loading startup options' appears on the screen. Select 'Options' and click 'Continue' to enter the Recovery environment.

   Note: On Intel Macs, press and hold Command + R immediately after powering on until the Apple logo appears.
3. 1 min

   Unlock the internal drive

   Select 'Disk Utility' from the macOS Utilities window and click 'Continue'. Choose your primary drive, usually labeled 'Macintosh HD', then click the 'Mount' button in the toolbar.

   Note: You will be prompted to enter your administrator password to unlock the encrypted partition.
4. 2 min

   Execute First Aid on the volume

   With the drive still selected in the sidebar, click the 'First Aid' button. Confirm the action by clicking 'Run' to allow the system to scan for and repair directory structure errors impeding the login process.

   Note: Do not interrupt this process, as it may cause further file system corruption.
5. 1 min

   Restart the system normally

   Quit Disk Utility by selecting 'Quit Disk Utility' from the top menu bar or by pressing Command + Q. Select the Apple menu () and choose 'Restart' to exit the recovery environment and attempt a standard boot.

   Note: If the issue persists, you may need to reset your password using your Apple ID via the 'Reset Password' utility in Terminal.