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When doing a clean install with High Sierra, I have the option to do APFS or APFS Encrypted.

If I choose APFS Encrypted, do I also need to do Filevault as well? Is it the same thing?

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Here is what I found useful for me. To avoid a double login situation, or where you see both the User login and Disk Password on the login screen after boot, do NOT select APFS Encrypted in Disk Utility when formatting the hard drive. Select the regular APFS file format, and THEN apply Filevault once you complete setup.

This applies to when you are installing from a bootable usb stick, as it was in my case.

I hope this is helpful for you!

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  • That's not really the answer you needed, is it? I suggest you keep the question open so someone with that knowledge may answer>
    – Anael
    Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 18:25
  • Yep, it is. If you encrypt before you install the OS, it will encrypt at the drive level, which will result in needing a password for the disk to open. And then if you enable Firewall, it's also encrypted at the OS level, in which you have the option for your user to unlock the disk with the same credentials upon setup.
    – v15
    Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 18:28
  • Ok so you're saying the two are different. Why chose OS level instead of drive level encryption? Why use Filevault if you can use APFS Encrypted?
    – Anael
    Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 18:53
  • Essentially yes, that's exactly it. Filevault within the OS i believe it still at the drive level (bits and bytes), but if you set a password on the drive before the OS is installed "drive level", then it adds a second password that's essentially not necessary. Since Filevault protects against viewing files in Target Disk mode, it's works just fine without needing to enable APFS Encrypted when doing a complete re-format. APFS then using Filevault after OS install is exactly what I needed to do.
    – v15
    Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 18:56
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    That's where I was confused too. But from what I can gather, FileVault is the same form of encryption as APFS encryption, just inside the OS. So for my situation, as I didn't want a double login, it was better to simple enable FileVault inside the OS after a clean regular APFS install. Hope that helps!
    – v15
    Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 19:19

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