We’ll show you how to access your Mac-formatted APFS or HFS+ drive on Windows. Windows can’t read either file system by default. Older Mac drives may still be formatted with the HFS+ file system. All new Macs will be formatted with APFS. There’s even a way to Some of the most common methods of adding NTFS support broke with the recent release of El Capitan, but you can still write to your Windows drives with a bit of tinkering. Most devices, including Macs, can read and write from FAT32 devices. External hard disks and USB drives are generally formatted with the Windows FAT32 file system for maximum compatibility. Today, APFS is used on Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs. Windows uses the NTFS file system for its internal drives, whereas Apple replaced HFS+ with its successor- Apple File System (APFS)-in early 2017. Why Can’t Windows Read Mac Drives? Windows and macOS use different file systems. Here’s everything you need to know to get it working. If you also need to use the drive on a Mac, select 'exFAT.' Optionally, enter a.Īdvertisement Do you need to read a Mac drive on Windows? Unfortunately, it’s not a straightforward process you can’t just connect the Mac drive and expect it to work. How to Format a 2TB My Passport External Hard Drive on a PC.
