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Normally, Mac OS X lets you choose to show the login screen as a list of users (you click to enter the password), or two text fields (you enter the username and password): enter image description here

But, I use FileVault 2. So, when I first turn on the computer I'm greeted with the login screen (with a blue background).
This is fine, except for one thing: It's a list of users.
But, for a variety of reasons, I prefer the 'Name and password' style.

Is it possible to have FileVault give a prompt for username and password, instead of a list of users?

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  • I´d suggest you don´t do that ;-) First of all, a honest finder needs to know the name of the owner and second of all, you should consider hiding the users you want to hide, like in this answer superuser.com/questions/98206/…
    – Asmus
    Aug 2, 2011 at 7:26
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    @Asumus I've got a message displayed in case the computer is lost and found, so I'm covered there. Here's why I want to use the alternative layout: 1) No mouse work required! 2) Slightly more secure (someone trying to get in has to guess a username and password).
    – Nathan Greenstein
    Aug 2, 2011 at 14:05
  • but you can login just using your keyboard! You can arrow down to the user you want to log into, press "return", enter the password, "return", and your in; you can even select any user with the arrow keys and then hold down "alt" while pressing "return" to get to the username&password prompt. Oh and "esc" brings you back, in case you were wondering.
    – Asmus
    Aug 2, 2011 at 17:02
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    @Asmus That's true, but is's way more work than just tying a username, pressing tab, typing a password, and pressing enter. I am aware that the normal way is usable; my question is how to set it to use a username and password prompt. I know I'm being picky, but this seems like a basic functionality they should support...
    – Nathan Greenstein
    Aug 2, 2011 at 17:34
  • Well in my case it´s just "down-arrow", "return", password, "return" (I´m on the top of my user-list); but if you have many users on your system, I can see your point. And to be quite honest, I don´t think I´m ready to mess around with FileVault 2 preferences just yet. ;-)
    – Asmus
    Aug 2, 2011 at 21:33

1 Answer 1

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I'm quoting this directly from a post in this thread at Apple Discussions:

This isn't a bug. This is the way FileVault-2's EFI boot authentication UI is built. When your Mac first starts up, EFI-boot takes over to decide what to do. It either continues to bring up the system to the typical OSX login screen, which is managed by OSX's system preferences, or it starts a special EFI pre-boot where it displays the FV2 unlock screen with the icons of designated OSX accounts approved to unlock the disk. Once you log on, the EFI unlock sequence carries forth your credentials, performing a single signon.

I have submitted a UI request (not as a bug) to be able to either edit the EFI boot screen (look at /usr/standalone/i386/EfiLoginUI directory, none are editable using normal applications) or ask that a feature is included, probably in the FV system preference pane, to add a custom banner.

For now, there doesn't appear to be a way to change it.

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  • Yes, I undestand that it is a different UI. I'm interested in changing it. Are you saying that isn't possible?
    – Nathan Greenstein
    Aug 6, 2011 at 4:59
  • Aye, sorry - the rest of his post goes into a bit more detail that states that for now, it isn't possible to change it. I myself don't have FileVault enabled so I wasn't 100% sure of what you meant, but the part I quoted cleared it up for me. So, yes, for now - there doesn't appear to be a way to change it. I've edited the answer to reflect this.
    – Gauzy
    Aug 6, 2011 at 5:02
  • Maybe FV2 authentication UI is able to do "Name and Password" but your system settings change is just not updating it... Have you tried sudo touch /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/EFILogin.framework/Resources/EFIResourceBuilder.bundle/Contents/Resources after the change above? (You may need to disable System Integrity Protection).
    – TCB13
    Mar 24, 2016 at 20:21

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