How do I get the password hint for an encrypted disk?

I created an encrypted disk on a USB drive the other day, and added a password hint. I don't remember what the password is. (I have a scheme for mapping hints to passwords, so when there's a hint available I just pick something random and write out the appropriate hint.)

When reconnecting the disk today, OS X popped up the password prompt - but no hint displayed.

When I go into Disk Utility and try to mount the volume, same thing. Not even a button to show the hint!

So now I've got no idea what the password is. How do I find out the hint?

OS X 10.12.6 (16G29)


Here's the process I went through. (I went through it again using a spare SD card and took screen grabs at each point.)

  1. From Disk Utility, select disk in question and go to the Erase option. Select Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)

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  1. The password box appears. Enter password and add a hint.

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(I usually pick a more cryptic hint than that)

  1. Click Choose, then click Erase, and it will do its thing. Click Done once it's done, and quit Disk Utility.

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  1. Eject the newly-mounted encrypted disk image from Finder, then unplug USB hard drive.

  2. Reinsert USB hard drive and wait for password dialog to appear.

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But where's the hint?!


Have you tried entering an incorrect password? If I enter a wrong password three times, I get the hint displayed.


I hope this can help:

  1. Unmount your encrypted volume.

Disk Utility Unmount Disk

  1. Mount back.

(If the password is not stored in your Keychain, it will ask you for the pass in a dialog box and will display a button called "Show Hint")

Show Hint Button

  1. Press the Button Show Hint

Hint Revealed