FileVault password change after user password change

Issue

I changed my password, and now my Mac won't accept it when I try to log in.

Environment

  • macOS
  • FileVault
  • MyGRCC network account

Information

FileVault asks for a FileVault-enabled user's password at startup, before macOS loads. If the password FileVault has stored no longer matches the user's MyGRCC password, the user can't get past the login screen. To fix this, remove the user from FileVault and add them back with their current password.

To list enabled FileVault users, open Terminal and run:

sudo fdesetup list

Being listed does not mean the user's current password can unlock the drive.

Process

Before you begin: Confirm the user's MyGRCC password reset was successful. In the commands below, replace username with the user's MyGRCC Username.
  1. Log in with the local administrator account.
  2. Open Terminal.
  3. Remove the user from FileVault: 
    sudo fdesetup remove -user username
  4. Restart the device and log in as administrator again.
  5. Open Terminal and add the user back to FileVault: 
    sudo fdesetup add -usertoadd username

    Respond to each prompt as shown. The user enters their own password at the last prompt.

    Enter the user name: administrator
Enter the password for user 'administrator': administrator-password
Enter the password for the added user 'username': user-password
  6. Restart the device.
  7. Verify the user can log in with their current MyGRCC credentials.

Cause

This usually happens when the user changes their password on the Mac itself. macOS then prompts to either update the login keychain password or create a new keychain. Choosing the wrong option can leave the keychain, local account, and FileVault out of sync with the MyGRCC password. See Logging into a Mac after password change for more details.

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