The majorly used one is FAT32 which is commonly used in floppy disks, SD memory cards, USB, digital cameras, as well as many portable and embedded devices. FAT32įAT (File Allocation Table) was one file system originally developed for use on floppy disks, later it was adapted for use on many other devices including Hard drives and it includes three major file system variants. So before you know how to format a hard drive for Mac and PC, you should know the pros and cons of each file system. However, different formats have different advantages and disadvantages. So, every hard disk needs a proper file system, including desktop drives and portable storage devices like external drives, USB flash drives, and sd cards. The file system is what manages how your files are stored and retrieved on your devices. Which is the best format for an external hard drive for Mac and PC In the case that you find some important data stored missing from the external hard drive you format, you can restore files from Time Machine or rescue files with iBoysoft Data Recovery. If you want an interchangeable drive to use on both macOS and Windows, you must choose FAT or exFAT, the format works on Mac and PC. Then set the disk information in the Format Partition screen, including allocation unit size, volume label, and format. Find the target external hard drive in Disk Management and check if it's already initialized, if it's not, click on it using the right button of the mouse and choose the style (scheme) you are going to use, MBR or GPT, then right-click on it, and choose Format from the contextual menu.Ģ. Here is how to do it: Format the external drive with Disk Management on Windows:ġ. Similarly, you can also format your drive on Windows computers with a utility called Disk Management. How to format an external hard drive for Windows PC And finally, all the other file formats are only used for Mac.ĭuring the process you are going to find 3 kinds of schemes you can choose from: If your goal is to format drive for Mac and PC, you have to choose FAT or exFAT, compatible file formats for Mac and Windows. However, it is only compatible with macOS. Edit the disk name, and select a file format and a scheme.Īmong all the 10 formats (file systems) you can select in macOS 10.13 or above the APFS is the suggested one, because it has the most recent features to work with the best performance and data management. Choose your target external hard drive or volume, and click the Erase button on the top of Disk Utility.Ĥ. Launchpad → Other → Disk Utility, and click the Disk Utility.ģ. Connect the external hard drive with your Mac, and the computer will mount your drive.Ģ. Format the external drive with Disk Utility on Mac:ġ. Tips: Remember to back up the files on the external drive if you have saved anything important on it, formatting a disk will erase all the data on it. Free download, install, and launch iBoysoft NTFS for Mac on your computer. Now, it also supports macOS Ventura to High Sierra, Mac with M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max and M2 chips. Even if the external hard drive is read-only on Mac, this iBoysoft tool enables you to write to NTFS drives on the Mac with ease. Under such a circumstance, a professional NTFS driver for Mac like iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is exactly what you need. Because you can read NTFS drive on Mac only and you can't write to this drive normally in this case. However, the NTFS format can be a hassle for users who need to use the same external hard drive on both Mac and Windows. This is because Windows is the most commonly used around the world. Usually, most hard drive manufacturers use the NTFS(New Technology File System) to format their external HDD as a factory standard, including many famous brands such as Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Touch and WD My Passport. This method suits you most if you just want to use it occasionally on different OS or don't want to lose all the files caused by formatting drive for Mac and PC. If you need to use an external hard drive on Mac that is not completely compatible with your computer OS and you have the urge to format hard drive for Mac and PC, you should know there is a more feasible way to make your external hard drives compatible with your Mac and PC. How to make an external hard drive compatible with Mac and PC without formatting
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |