Apple ends support for encrypted HFS+ drives in macOS 28

Starting with macOS 28, Apple will no longer support encrypted Mac OS Extended, or HFS+, volumes. Users will need to decrypt them or reformat them as APFS to keep using them. 9to5Mac reports: In a new support document, Apple explains that starting with macOS 28, "the Mac OS Extended file system format will be supported only for volumes (disks and other storage devices) that aren't encrypted." In practice, this means users who currently rely on encrypted HFS+ external drives or other encrypted legacy Mac-formatted volumes will need to "either decrypt or reformat any encrypted Mac OS Extended volumes." Apple doesn't explain the reason for the change. Still, the move appears to be another step in Apple's transition to APFS, its file system with built-in encryption support, which replaced Mac OS Extended as the default Mac file system in macOS High Sierra. As a result of this change, Apple says that starting with macOS 26, Macs might notify users when they're using an encrypted Mac OS Extended disk that won't be compatible with macOS 28 or later. According to the support page, "the notification will identify the volume by name." However, Apple says users can manually confirm whether a volume is both using Mac OS Extended format and encrypted by following these steps [...]. Apple adds that "macOS 28 and later will continue to support unencrypted volumes that use Mac OS Extended format," and notes "Mac OS Extended is also known as HFS Plus (or HFS+)." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Apple set a firm deadline for encrypted Mac OS Extended (HFS+) drives. Here’s how to check if you’re affected. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Apple will be cutting support for encrypted Mac OS Extended drives from macOS 28 onwards, but HFS+ will still function — for now. Here's what you can do about it.Check your drives to make sure they're not formatted as Encrypted Mac OS Extended before macOS 28 arrives next year. As time rolls on, technologies used to power operating systems like macOS are deprecated in favor of newer versions. While most users will embrace the newer ways of working, users of older installations can sometimes do with a nudge in the right direction.On Tuesday, Apple's support pages were updated with a warning affecting Mac users with encrypted MacOS Extended drives, also known as encrypted HFS+ drives. Apple confirmed that support for encrypted Mac OS Extended drives will end in macOS 28, and won't be supported at all in the future. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Macworld In a newly released support document, Apple announced that support for the encrypted Mac OS Extended (HFS+) format will end with macOS 28, which is expected to be released in 2027.  This means that users will need to reformat or decrypt any storage device formatted with encrypted Mac OS Extended to use the drive with macOS 28. Apple does not explain the end of Mac OS Extended (HFS+), though the company has been prioritizing its APFS format over HFS+. Apple previously announced the deprecation of encrypted Mac OS Extended in the developer notes of the macOS 27 beta. Also, the support document states that macOS 26 may start displaying alerts if an encrypted Mac OS Extended drive is being used, telling the user that it will not be compatible with macOS 28. Apple introduced the Mac OS Extended (HFS+) format in 1998, a time when hard drives or Fusion drives were the storage devices used on Macs. In 2017, Apple introduced the APFS format to replace Mac OS Extended (HFS+), a more modern format designed to work with the SSDs that are now standard storage devices in every Mac. SSDs must be formatted with APFS, while hard drives can be formatted with either format. To see which format a drive is using, attach the device to a Mac. Then: If you set your Mac up to show storage devices on the Desktop, you can select the drive’s Desktop icon and the Get Info on the drive by pressing Command-I, or by right-clicking and selecting Get Info. In the Get Info window, look for the Format heading. If you do not show storage devices on the Dekstop, you can open a Finder window, select the storage device in the sidebar, right-click and select Get Info. In the Get Info window, look for the Format heading. You can also use the Disk Utility app, which shows the format under the storage device’s name in the main window. What to do with your encrypted Mac OS Extended (HFS+) drive You have two options: decrypt the drive and continue using Mac OS Extended (HFS+) without encryption, or reformat the drive to APFS. The former can be done without having to copy your data to another storage device, but it’s best to make a copy first before proceeding. The second option requires you to erase the drive and all data on it, so you’ll want to make a backup before proceeding. Apple offers complete instructions on how to decrypt the drive and continue using Mac OS Extended (HFS+) without encryption, or reformat the drive to APFS.

Apple today published a new support document warning that macOS 28 will no longer support encrypted Mac OS Extended (HFS+) volumes, meaning affected external drives will need to be decrypted or reformatted ahead of the update. Starting with macOS 28, "the Mac OS Extended file system format will be supported only for volumes (disks and other storage devices) that aren't encrypted." Any encrypted HFS+ disks, such as older encrypted external hard drives, will stop working with the Mac unless users take action before upgrading. Apple has not given a specific reason for the change. APFS, which natively supports encryption, has been the default file system on the Mac since macOS High Sierra launched in 2017, and dropping encrypted HFS+ support looks like a further nudge toward retiring the older format altogether. The transition will start showing up before macOS 28 arrives. Apple says that beginning with macOS 26, a Mac might notify users if it detects an encrypted Mac OS Extended disk that will not carry over to macOS 28 or later, identifying the affected volume by name. Users can also check manually through Disk Utility by selecting a volume and looking at the format details listed beneath its name; a volume showing both "Mac OS Extended" and "Encrypted," such as "CoreStorage Logical Volume • Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted)," will be incompatible. Unencrypted Mac OS Extended volumes are not affected. Apple says macOS 28 and later will continue to support them, and notes that Mac OS Extended is also known as HFS Plus, or HFS+. For anyone who wants to keep using an affected drive after upgrading, Apple recommends backing up its contents first, then either reformatting or decrypting it. Reformatting means erasing the volume and setting it up again in APFS or APFS (Encrypted) format through Disk Utility, which permanently deletes existing data but ensures the drive keeps working in future versions of macOS. Decrypting is the alternative for anyone who wants to preserve their existing data on the drive. That involves connecting the drive, unlocking it with its encryption password, then Control-clicking its icon in the Finder or on the desktop and choosing Decrypt, entering the password a second time to begin the process. Apple notes that decryption "takes time, especially for large volumes," and progress can be checked in Terminal. Once decryption finishes, users can optionally convert the volume to APFS without erasing it via Disk Utility's Convert to APFS option, and re-encrypt it afterward if desired. Apple notes that this decryption path does not apply to encrypted Time Machine backup disks.Related Roundup: macOS Golden GateTag: Apple SupportThis article, "Apple to Drop Support for Encrypted Mac OS Extended Drives Next Year" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums