Software⏱️ 3 min readπŸ“… 2026-06-11

How to Fix: Error: encfs has been disabled because it requires FUSE

Error fixing encfs on macOS Catalina 10.15.7 with FUSE issue.

Quick Answer: Reinstall homebrew and run brew install --reinstall encfs to resolve the issue.

Error: encfs has been disabled because it requires FUSE! This issue affects users of macOS Catalina 10.15.7 who attempt to install and run the encfs command using Homebrew. The error message indicates that FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace) is required for encfs, but it has been disabled due to compatibility issues.

This error can be frustrating for users who need to use encfs for encryption purposes. However, there are steps you can take to resolve this issue and get back to using encfs.

πŸ” Why This Happens

  • The primary reason for this error is that FUSE has been deprecated in macOS Catalina due to compatibility issues with newer versions of the operating system. This deprecation was made to ensure better security and stability.
  • Another possible cause could be that the Homebrew tap for encfs has become outdated or corrupted, leading to the empty tap message.

βœ… Best Solutions to Fix It

Enabling FUSE

  1. Step 1: Step 1: Enable FUSE by running the following command in your terminal: sudo sysctl -w kern.fuse.enable=1
  2. Step 2: Step 2: Reinstall Homebrew and its encfs tap by running the following commands: brew uninstall encfs && brew install --cask encfs
  3. Step 3: Step 3: Verify that FUSE is enabled by checking the system log for the 'kern.fuse.enable' setting. You can do this by running the command: sudo sysctl -w kern.fuse.enable=1

Using an alternative encfs implementation

  1. Step 1: Step 1: Install the alternative encfs implementation, 'encfs-encrypted', using Homebrew: brew install --cask encfs-encrypted
  2. Step 2: Step 2: Configure your Homebrew installation to use the new encfs implementation by running the following command: brew link encfs-encrypted --force

πŸ’‘ Conclusion

By enabling FUSE or switching to an alternative encfs implementation, you should be able to resolve the Error: encfs has been disabled because it requires FUSE! issue and continue using encfs for encryption purposes.

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