Apple Warns macOS Catalina Users About Installing macOS 12.3 Beta on Volume With FileVault Enabled

Apple today updated its macOS 12.3 beta release notes to warn macOS Catalina users about a potential boot loop issue when installing the macOS 12.3 or macOS 11.6.4 betas on a separate APFS volume with FileVault enabled.

macOS Monterey on MBP Feature
"If your Mac currently has macOS Catalina installed, installing macOS Monterey 12.3 beta or macOS Big Sur 11.6.4 beta on a volume with FileVault enabled might cause a boot loop when attempting to log back into the previous volume," says Apple.

On a Mac running macOS High Sierra or later, it is possible to install macOS on a separate APFS volume and then switch between versions of macOS, including betas, as if each were on a separate disk. Apple has a support document with more details.

Apple seeded the first beta of macOS 12.3 earlier this week, with a key new feature being Universal Control. macOS 12.3 also features new emoji, deprecates kernel extensions used by Dropbox and OneDrive, removes Python 2.7, and more.

Top Rated Comments

dr_lha Avatar
24 months ago

I wonder how many people in that case will actually receive the information.
If you're not reading changelogs, you probably shouldn't be installing betas.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antnythr Avatar
24 months ago

If you're not reading changelogs, you probably shouldn't be installing betas.
And if you are installing betas, your data should be backed up so when something like this inevitably happens, it’s not actually an issue.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sdf Avatar
24 months ago

Wait, are you saying Apple only tested a Beta release in the simplest and most basic install config? I’m SHOCKED!!
Discovering bugs in a variety of real world conditions is why beta tests exist.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
24 months ago

If you're not reading changelogs, you probably shouldn't be installing betas.
Next you assume people read TnC of anything
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
randyhudson Avatar
24 months ago
Wait, are you saying Apple only tested a Beta release in the simplest and most basic install config? I’m SHOCKED!!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apparatchik Avatar
24 months ago
Not only shouldn't you install betas on critical / important devices but, just out of caution, you shouldn't jump head first to new major releases whatever the OS.

I was once left out of my bank's mobile app (which meant I couldn't withdraw money, pay for critical stuff, etc.) because I updated my phone right away to the new release and the app would crash. It took three weeks for the bank to fix it. On iOS you should wait at least six months, and on a Mac you use for a living, you better wait a full year and always stay a version behind if possible.

Beta testing should be left to either platform developers or people with the time and spare devices to actually test things. People shouldn't expect it to be seamless.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 16 4 Web Push

Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:06 am PST by
Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users by tracking push notifications that move through Google's and Apple's servers, a US senator warned on Wednesday (via Reuters). In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from the tech giants to track smartphones. The traffic flowing from apps that send push notifications...
airpods pro 2 pink

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Firmware

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware update for both the Lightning and USB-C versions of the AirPods Pro 2. The new firmware is version 6B34, up from the 6B32 firmware introduced in November. Apple does not provide details on what features might be included in the refreshed firmware beyond "bug fixes and other improvements," so it is unclear what's new in the update, but prior software releases ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

'All-Screen' iPhone Under-Display Camera Enters Development

Wednesday December 6, 2023 2:03 am PST by
Apple's Korean suppliers have begun developing smartphone under-display cameras (UDC), paving the way for the first iPhone with a true "all-screen" appearance. According to The Elec, LG Innotek has entered the preliminary development of the UDC, which sits under the display and does not result in a visible hole in the panel when the camera is not in use. A UDC differs from a typical front ...
magsafe blue 2

iOS 17.2 Brings Qi2 Support to iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 Models

Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:04 am PST by
The iOS 17.2 update that Apple is set to release to the public in the near future will bring support for the next-generation Qi2 wireless charging standard to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models. Qi2 was mentioned in the release notes for the RC version of the update that came out today. With the addition of support for the new standard, iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models will work with Qi2...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 May Reuse Existing iPhone 14 Battery

Wednesday December 6, 2023 1:17 pm PST by
Recently, MacRumors has received details on the battery currently being tested on the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE, and the information corroborates previous findings in relation to the device. The iPhone SE 4, known by its device identifier D59, is expected to use the exact same battery found in the base model iPhone 14. Partially assembled prototypes of the next iPhone SE have been ...
airpods pro bulbs

Black Friday Prices Return for AirPods Pro 2 With USB-C, iPad, and More

Tuesday December 5, 2023 7:30 am PST by
Today we're tracking a collection of deals that are matching - or nearly matching - the same all-time low discounts we saw during Black Friday. This includes the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, 9th generation iPad, and M1 MacBook Air. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the ...
instagram messenger

Instagram and Facebook Messenger Chats to Disconnect This Month

Tuesday December 5, 2023 1:57 am PST by
Meta has revealed plans to end Instagram users' ability to chat with Facebook accounts later this month, rolling back a feature that it introduced over three years ago. In September 2020, Meta (then Facebook) announced it was merging its Facebook Messenger service with Instagram direct messaging, allowing Instagram users to chat with Facebook users and vice versa using the same platform....