How to create an encrypted volume on an external drive or flash drive

Question

How do you encrypt an external hard/flash drive connected to my Mac in Lion 10.7? Preferable something with a strong encryption as FileVault.

Slick · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-03 10:03:18Z

6

The best way to do this is via Disk Utility in the Application/Utilities folder. Review pictures for better understanding

Select the disk you want to encrypt Disk Utility

Choose the format method as in the picture, making sure you choose the option with Encryption Choose format

Next time you connect the disk, you will be asked to enter password. Here is what it looks like after you are done

answered Aug 3, 2011 at 10:03

Slick

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Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-13 12:45:13Z

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You can create an encrypted volume using Disk Utility:

Also, see here for information on FileVault:

CommunityBot

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answered Aug 3, 2011 at 9:58

dan8394

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The article describes how to create an encrypted disk image. That is not the same as FileVault. But it is also just as secure, and more backwards compatible (you can read it from older OS X versions, too), which is important for external drives, I would think.
– Thilo
Aug 3, 2011 at 10:10

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