Aug 16, 2019 While Windows uses NTFS and FAT32 file format, Mac uses APFS (Apple File System). Most of the external drives now come pre-formatted as FAT32 for better compatibility. Mac can read and write to FAT32 drives – the most common file format for many external drives – but it can not read and write NTFS. Hi all, I recently transitioned my home laptop from a Mac to a PC (running Windows 10). I only saved my data onto a WD passport drive, not realizing that it needs to be formatted differently for a Mac vs. Is there any way for me to access the data already on the drive on the PC? The instructions I have found online require reformatting the drive, which I assume would wipe out existing. Safely Remove HFS Hard Drive from Mac. After identifying a corrupt hard drive, you need to remove it carefully from the Mac and ensure that the drive does not suffer any physical damage. Insert the Mac Drive into an Enclosure. The next step is to connect the Mac hard drive to a PC powered by Windows operating system. HFS Explorer is a pretty good software that can help you read your Mac-formatted drives on Windows. As its name suggests, the software only works with the drives that are. But using a third party all the time for accessing a hard drive on windows is not good. A user has to know how to convert Mac formatted hard drive to Windows formatted. The Windows system uses a hard drive with a different file system than the Mac systems. Windows-formatted hard drives have either NTFS file system of an FAT32 file system.
Do you constantly switch between a Mac and Windows and find it harder to use the same external drive on two devices? Rest assured you are not alone in this mess. Both Windows and Mac – two most popular computer operating systems – use different file format. While Windows uses NTFS and FAT32 file format, Mac uses APFS (Apple File System). Most of the external drives now come pre-formatted as FAT32 for better compatibility. Mac can read and write to FAT32 drives – the most common file format for many external drives – but it can not read and write NTFS. Similarly, if you format your external drive to APFS, then you can not use that drive on Windows without formatting back to NTFS or FAT32.
Formatting a drive also means that you will be losing all your data which is a no-no for all of us. So, if you have a drive formatted in APFS and want to use on Windows without formatting, then you have come to the right place. In this article, I’ll show you how to read and write Mac-formatted APFS drives on Windows computers. Blufftitler.
Table of Contents
![How How](https://i1.wp.com/www.manchestervideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/EXFat.png?resize=288%2C419&ssl=1)
- How to Read Mac Formatted APFS Drive on Windows
How to Read Mac Formatted APFS Drive on Windows
You can not read or write an APFS drive on Windows without taking any help from third-party software programmes.
Paragon APFS for Windows
Paragon is one of the most popular drive management software company that generally deals with drive compatibility with most OSs. It has many products under its belt, and APFS for Windows is one of them. By using this tool, you can seamlessly read and write any APFS formatted drive on your Windows PC without any hassle.
The tool is only designed to handle one task only, and it does that efficiently. The tool is very simple to use with some advanced features like auto-mount at startup which let you mount and connected APFS drive without needing to do it manually.
The tool is not free though, if you want to use Paragon APFS for Windows, then you have to pay a one-time subscription fee of $50.
MacDrive
Read Mac Usb Drive Windows
MacDrive is another popular tool for reading and writing APFS drive on Windows. Just like Paragon APFs for Windows, you can seamlessly write and read APFS formatted drives without even opening the tool. It has all the features as the PAragon does with one extra feature and that is the support for HFS+ drives. Mac for a long time had used HFS+ as its file system, and many old Macs still uses this format. The simpsons game ps3 eu iso. If you have both APFS drive and HFS+ drives, then you should consider this tool above the Paragon APFS tool. MacDrive also cost the same $49.
Mac External Hard Drive On Windows 10
Which one to Choose?
So these were the two best tools for Windows user to access Apple formatted drives on Windows. In my opinion, MacDrive provides more value for money but don’t believe me yet. Both tools come with a free trial period. You should take the trail and see for yourself.
Mount Ext4 In Windows 10
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