Apple has updated its macOS 28 migration guidance, allowing users to directly convert encrypted HFS+ drives to encrypted APFS. Previously, users with encrypted HFS+ volumes had to decrypt them before converting or reformatting to APFS for macOS 28 compatibility.

This new option simplifies the process, as users no longer need to decrypt their drives first. The updated guidance, found in Disk Utility, provides steps to convert an encrypted HFS+ volume directly to encrypted APFS. This eliminates the need for decryption and re-encryption steps previously outlined by Apple.

However, Apple notes that this direct conversion method does not apply to encrypted Time Machine backup disks. The company has removed older instructions that involved decrypting the drive, converting it, and then re-encrypting. This change aims to streamline the transition for users with legacy encrypted storage.