FileVault/Login screen issue

dmitchell
Contributor

My issues seems to be present in 10.13 and 10.14.

We have the login window configured to show text fields for username and password. If a user logs out, the normal login window will show up. If a user restarts the machine, it will show the last logged in user but only gives a password field, if you click help it asks to reset your PW using your recovery key. At the bottom there is only a restart and shutdown button.

I am 100% sure file vault is causing this and it is troublesome for shared Macs. We can't expect a user to log out every time, they will shutdown the Mac most likely. There is not user switch button on the screen, I have it configured to allow user switch but it's not there. Is there something I am missing regarding this login window or FileVault in general?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

mm2270
Legendary Contributor III

This is just how FileVault works unfortunately. You cannot change how the usernames show up on the FV2 login screen, and only users that have been authorized to unlock the device in FileVault will actually show up there. There is no "switch user" button on that screen because technically the OS isn't even loaded when you get to that screen. It's still in a pre-boot mode, ready to be unlocked to continue booting up, but again, only authorized user accounts will be able to do that.

Frankly, in a shared device environment like what you're describing, FileVault is not the right tool to be using. You're better off disabling encryption on those Macs.

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2 REPLIES 2

mm2270
Legendary Contributor III

This is just how FileVault works unfortunately. You cannot change how the usernames show up on the FV2 login screen, and only users that have been authorized to unlock the device in FileVault will actually show up there. There is no "switch user" button on that screen because technically the OS isn't even loaded when you get to that screen. It's still in a pre-boot mode, ready to be unlocked to continue booting up, but again, only authorized user accounts will be able to do that.

Frankly, in a shared device environment like what you're describing, FileVault is not the right tool to be using. You're better off disabling encryption on those Macs.

dmitchell
Contributor

@mm2270 thank you for the response, this answered all my questions.