Turning off FileVault for secondary user sign-in on MacBook Air

Hi Dean! There are a couple of risks of turning off FileVault:

• Turning off FileVault will decrypt your whole disk, which means that if your Mac is lost or stolen, anyone could potentially access your files
• Decryption can take hours (depending on how full your disk is). During this, your Mac must remain powered on and plugged in.
• You can re-enable FileVault afterward, but that will require another long encryption pass. In other words, there is no "undo", and disabling FileVault makes the Mac less secure.

Here are some alternatives that you can try:

• Instead of turning off FileVault completely, you can add the second user to FileVault so they can log in directly

1. Log in as an admin user
2. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > FileVault, Click the "Enable Users" button (or similar wording)
3. Select the second account
4. Enter their password to authorize them

Hope this helps, good luck Dean!

See the following from Protect data on your Mac with FileVault - Apple Support

If your Mac has additional users, their information is also encrypted. Users unlock the encrypted disk with their login password.

If there’s an Enable Users button, you must enter a user’s login password before they can unlock the encrypted disk. Click Enable Users, select a user, enter the login password, click OK, then click Continue.

Dean Lindsay wrote:

I see FileVault needs to be turned off so second user can sign in with password (sign in grayed out), but not sure if its safe to do so on my Air

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: as admin I set up a separate user account on my laptop but user cannot signin directly (Sonoma 0S

If you have a Mac with Apple silicon or an Apple T2 Security Chip, your data is encrypted automatically.

The FileVault could well be considered a feel good option.

ref: Protect data on your Mac with FileVault - Apple Support

FileVault recovery options - Apple Support

personally I have never used FV since it inception— in all honesty it is just one more thing can can go sideways keeping you or Apple from helping you access you machine if you are locked out.

If you encrypted your Mac’s boot disk with FileVault 2 —this prevents you from using your Apple ID to reset your password likewise if the need arises...

State secrets, nuclear launch codes, internationally spying—maybe I would give it a second look, otherwise not.

All you did was give the answer already provided; garnished with irrelevant word salad.