Encrypt External Storage with Password on macOS 13

Encrypting an external storage drive on macOS 13 (Ventura) adds a critical layer of security to safeguard your personal data against unauthorized access if the device is lost or stolen. macOS provides two primary native methods to encrypt external drives using password protection: directly through Finder for drives already formatted for Mac, or through Disk Utility, which formats and secures drives using Apple’s APFS (Encrypted) or Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted) file systems.

Method 1: Encrypt Directly Using Finder

This method allows you to encrypt an existing Mac-formatted drive without erasing its contents, provided it uses a compatible scheme like GUID Partition Map.

  1. Connect the external storage drive to your Mac.
  2. Open Finder and locate your external drive in the sidebar under Locations, or on your desktop.
  3. Control-click (or right-click) the drive icon.
  4. Select Encrypt "[Drive Name]" from the contextual menu.
  5. Enter a secure password in the Password and Verify fields.
  6. Enter a password hint to help you remember the credentials if needed.
  7. Click Encrypt Disk.

The encryption process will run in the background. Depending on the size of the drive and the amount of data stored on it, the process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Method 2: Format and Encrypt Using Disk Utility

If the "Encrypt" option does not appear in Finder, the drive is likely formatted in a non-Apple file system (such as exFAT, FAT32, or NTFS). You must format the drive using Disk Utility. Note: This process will erase all existing data on the drive, so back up necessary files beforehand.

  1. Connect the external drive to your Mac.
  2. Open Disk Utility (press Command + Space, type "Disk Utility", and press Enter, or navigate to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility).
  3. Click the View menu in the top-left corner of the window and select Show All Devices.
  4. In the left sidebar, select the top-level external drive or the specific volume you want to secure.
  5. Click the Erase button in the top toolbar.
  6. Enter a name for the drive.
  7. Set the Scheme to GUID Partition Map (if this option is visible).
  8. Set the Format dropdown to APFS (Encrypted) for modern solid-state drives (SSDs) or Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted) for older mechanical hard drives.
  9. When prompted, enter your desired password, verify it, and provide a password hint. Click Choose.
  10. Click Erase to format and apply the encryption.
  11. Once completed, click Done.

Accessing the Encrypted Drive

Whenever you reconnect the encrypted drive to a Mac running macOS 13, a prompt will require the password before mounting the volume. You can check the box labeled Remember this password in my keychain to allow automatic unlocking on your primary Mac while keeping the drive protected against unauthorized systems.