macOS
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> Why did an update change my Recovery Key?
When my Mac finished updating to Sonoma 14.4.1, I was asked to create a new FileVault Recovery Key. Why?
Many who updated to macOS 14.4 or 14.4.1 reported this odd behavior, although Apple doesn’t seem to understand why. When you enable FileVault, you’re given the choice between receiving a Recovery Key you can enter if you can’t recall its password or, if that doesn’t work, you can opt to do this through your Apple ID and iCloud. With those updates, something triggered macOS to ask that again, and if you opted for a Recovery Key, it gave you a new one.
Beware: some of those new Recovery Keys don’t work. Whenever you get a new key, you should verify that it works by opening Terminal and there typing sudo fdesetup validaterecovery. You’ll be prompted first to enter your admin password, and next to paste in the key, which isn’t shown to you. You’ll then be told whether the key you supplied is valid or not.