Understand What the Recovery Key Is
The recovery key is an important password that lets you recover your data if you forget your login password. It is given to you when you first set up FileVault encryption. According to Apple Support, “The recovery key is the master key for the FileVault encryption key. It’s used to recover your encrypted disk if you forget your password.” (Source)
When enabling FileVault, you will be prompted to store the recovery key with Apple or print/write it down. This 24-character password acts as a backup that lets you unlock your drive and recover data if needed. Treat it carefully, as anyone with the recovery key can decrypt and access your files.
Try Retrieving Your Recovery Key
If you forgot your Recovery Key, the first step is to thoroughly check all locations where you may have saved or recorded it previously. When FileVault encryption is first enabled, Apple provides the Recovery Key and recommends you print or save it in a safe location such as your Apple account, iCloud, USB drive, external hard drive, or even an old email or document.
Log into your Apple account at https://appleid.apple.com and check if your Recovery Key is stored there under the Security section. You can also check iCloud by going to iCloud.com and seeing if you saved the Recovery Key file anywhere in your cloud storage.
If you ever printed or wrote down the Recovery Key, check any physical documents where you may have recorded it. Thoroughly search old emails, documents, cloud storage, backups, or external drives where you may have saved the Recovery Key file in the past.
With FileVault encryption, Apple provides the Recovery Key upon enabling it specifically so you can retrieve it in case you forget your password. So be sure to thoroughly check all potential locations where you may have saved the Recovery Key previously.
Use Account Recovery
If you have set up trusted phone numbers or email addresses for your Apple ID, you may be able to reset your login password using Apple’s account recovery options without needing your recovery key. To do this:
- Go to iforgot.apple.com and select “Get Started.”
- Enter your Apple ID and complete the Captcha verification.
- Select “Reset Password” and follow the onscreen instructions.
- If you have a trusted phone number or email on file, Apple will send a verification code to reset your password.
- Enter the new password for your Apple ID when prompted.
This allows you to reset your login credentials without the recovery key. However, you will still need the recovery key if prompted in the future to make sensitive changes to the account.
Contact Apple Support
If you don’t have access to your recovery key and have exhausted all other options, you can contact Apple Support for assistance. Apple may be able to help you regain access to your account if you can provide proof of purchase or ownership of the device.
To start the process, you will need to contact Apple Support by phone, chat, or email. Be prepared to provide your Apple ID email address, device serial number, and proof of purchase if available. Apple may ask you to answer account security questions or provide other information to verify your identity.
According to Apple’s support site, “If you can’t remember your password or your FileVault recovery key, Apple doesn’t have a master key to decrypt the data. Your only options are to recall the password, decrypt the disk with a recovery key, or erase the disk and start over.” So keep in mind that without your recovery key, Apple may not be able to decrypt your data.
However, Apple support will work with you to explore all options. With sufficient proof of ownership, they may be able to remove FileVault encryption entirely so you can regain access. Be prepared for potential data loss in this scenario.
For more help contacting Apple Support about a lost FileVault key, check out this Apple Discussions thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252692262
Use Another Admin Account
If you have another admin account on the device, you can reset the password of the account you’re locked out of. To do this:
- Log in to the other admin account.
- Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups.
- Select the locked account and click the Reset Password button.
- Enter and confirm a new password for the account.
This allows you to reset the password without having to erase the machine or use account recovery. It’s a handy way to regain access if you have another active admin account. Just be sure you know the password for that second admin account or you may end up locked out of both!
For more details, see this guide from Hellotech.
Erase and Reinstall macOS
As a last resort, erasing the drive will allow you to access it again by removing encryption. This requires booting into Recovery Mode by restarting your Mac and holding Command + R during startup. From there, open Disk Utility and select your drive. Click “Erase” to reformat the drive, which will remove FileVault encryption and any previous data. You can then reinstall a fresh copy of macOS (https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2020/04/07/erasing-a-filevault-encrypted-t2-equipped-mac/).
While this will grant access to the drive again, all previous data and files will be permanently erased in the process. Only use this method if you have absolutely no other way to retrieve the recovery key and have exhausted all other options. Back up any accessible data first if possible.
Use a Third Party Unlock Tool
If you’ve exhausted all other options, you may want to try using a third party FileVault unlock tool as a last resort. Specialty third party tools like Elcomsoft Advanced EFS Data Recovery and Prosoft Data Rescue claim to be able to crack or bypass FileVault encryption given sufficient time and computing power.
However, there are risks to using these tools. First, they can be expensive, with some costing hundreds of dollars. Second, cracking encryption takes a long time, potentially days or weeks depending on the strength of your password. Finally, there is no guarantee of success – if you have a strong password, the encryption may be too difficult to crack.
Before using a third party tool, be sure to back up your data if possible. Also understand that if the tool recovers your data by cracking the encryption, it could theoretically access all your encrypted files – not just the ones you need. Proceed with caution and manage your expectations with these specialized high-cost tools.
Send for Professional Data Recovery
If you need to recover important data and cannot access your files, sending your Mac’s drive to a professional data recovery service may be an option. Professional recovery services have advanced tools and techniques that may allow them to bypass or decrypt FileVault encryption and recover data from your drive.
Data recovery services typically charge a fee based on the drive type, complexity, and amount of data being recovered. For an encrypted FileVault drive, costs often start around $300 and can range up to $3000 or more depending on the situation (Source). The service will analyze your drive, determine if recovery is possible, and provide a quote for the total cost.
While professional recovery has no guarantees, it may be the best chance at recovering data from a drive with lost encryption keys. Just be prepared that it can be an expensive process. Also be sure to research and select a reputable recovery service with demonstrated experience in decrypting FileVault drives.
Prevent This in the Future
To avoid getting locked out of your Mac again in the future, it’s crucial to safely store your FileVault recovery key. Here are some tips:
- Store your recovery key in a password manager or other secure location. Do not keep it on your Mac’s startup disk, as you won’t be able to access it if locked out.
- Enable password reset for your Apple ID. This allows you to reset your account password online, which can help regain admin access if you forget that password too. Visit https://iforgot.apple.com/ to set up password reset.
- Keep a physical copy of the recovery key somewhere secure like a safe deposit box.
- Set a reminder to periodically check that you still have access to the recovery key.
Taking these preventative measures ensures you always have a way to get back into your encrypted Mac, even if you forget the password. Storing the recovery key properly is just as important as setting a strong login password.
Understand Data Loss Risks
When FileVault encryption is enabled on a Mac, all user data on the startup drive is encrypted using sophisticated encryption algorithms. Without the proper FileVault recovery key, it is impossible to decrypt and access the data. Unfortunately, if you have lost or forgotten your recovery key, your encrypted data may be permanently inaccessible.
Apple does not have a master key or backdoor to bypass FileVault and decrypt the drive. The only way to unlock the encryption is with the original recovery key. So if you do not have a copy of the recovery key saved somewhere, and you cannot retrieve it through account recovery, then you should be prepared for potential complete data loss. There may be no way to recover your files if you cannot produce the recovery key.
Before taking any permanent actions like erasing the drive, contact Apple support to see if they have any other options to help recover the key. But ultimately, forgetting the FileVault recovery key could mean your data is locked forever with no way to retrieve it.