Talked about too much on file system and why you want to change. Make sure that it has at least 12gb of available storage and is formatted as mac os extended. However, if the usb flash drive is not mounted on mac, you will lose access to the usb flash drive as well as to the data stored on it. Formatting the device as ntfs will make it unwriteable on a mac computer. Due to the peculiarities of the file system, ntfs is not recommended for flash drives, even if their capacity is 32gb. Difference between usb drive file systems ntfs vs fat32.
Like ntfs, exfat has very large file size and partition size limits. While apfs is optimized for the flashssd storage used in recent mac computers, it can also be used with older systems with. Your flash drive should be listed in the left menu. How to format a drive for mac and pc compatibility macyourself.
To your surprise, you see a yellow bar representing system that seems to occupy way more space than you think it should. They were once the goto file system for formatting windows based devices. Sep 19, 2011 the overwhelming majority of usb flash drives you buy are going to come in one of two formats. The first format, fat32, is fully compatible with mac os x, though with some drawbacks. Because it was a 64g flash drive i paid a handsome price for it from staples. I returned it to staples and asked for my money back but again, according to my receipt, it was beyond their warranty period. Its designed to be a lightweight file system as fat32 but with certain advantages over ntfs. If you want to use the drive between a windows and mac machine, you can format it to fat32.
Formatting will delete all the data in your device. Thus, the exfat file system is optimal for usb flash drives formatting. Mac os extended journaled this is the default file system format for mac os x drives. Mac using a usb flash drive to back up your data files. This is to ensure that you will be able to access the files stored in the flash drive should it happens again. Now that the flash drive not recognized problem is solved on your windows or mac computer, make sure you had backup all important document in the flash drive. Apple file system apfs, the default file system for mac computers using macos 10. Apple file system apfs is a proprietary file system for macos high sierra 10. In this article, we are taking a closer look at the disk utility, which comes with all recent versions of the mac os x operating system and how you can use it to format usb drive on mac. To share a usb drive between a mac and a windows pc, there are two disk formats to choose from. Once data from the corrupt usb drive is rescued by using the stellar data recovery tool, open disk utility to erase the drive with apfs or hsf file system format and resolve drive corruption. For most reasons to erase, including when reformatting a disk or selling, giving away, or trading in your mac, you should erase your entire disk. You may ask can i change file system without formatting in windows. Windows operating system fetches this data by using the file system of the storage drive, as and when you require to access it.
The overwhelming majority of usb flash drives you buy are going to come in one of two formats. How to format usb flash drive on mac stepbystep tutorial. Formatting a drive will erase all data and partitions on the disk. In the file system list box, choose exfat, type in. Your mac computer comes with a handy utility appropriately called disk utility, which can be used to format any.
I did tell them that i would alert the mac community about the problem and suggest mac users avoid pny flash drives or other drives. When you attempt to format a fat32 flash drive on your computer, you may find that there is no option for ntfs file system show as the image below. This problem often occurs when you format a flash drive that has capacity less than 32gb. Formatting the flash drive as exfat or ntfs will resolve this issue.
Ntfs is the default file system for windows operating system and hfs for mac operating system. How to clear mac system storage that takes huge space. Thus, converting file system is a mustdo event when you have large file say dvd iso files on fat32 partition to read, especially on usb flash drive. How to repairfix unreadable usb flash drives on mac. How to erase a disk for mac use disk utility to erase format a hard disk, ssd, flash drive, or other storage device. Mar 15, 2018 to use hfsexplorer, connect your macformatted drive to your windows pc and launch hfsexplorer.
Rightclick your flash drive and then select format. After launching the program, youll see various options on the home page. Now click on load dmg to add the file to the program, and insert a usb flash drive. Whether youre formatting an internal drive, external drive, usb flash drive. The easiest way to add storage to your mac is to buy an external hard drive. Incompatibility issues between the file systems of both flash drive and the mac computer. The best way to fix flash drive not recognized on windows and mac. While apfs is optimized for the flash ssd storage used in recent mac computers, it can also be used with older systems with traditional hard disk drives hdd and external, directattached storage. How to format a flash drive to work on os x and windows. The drive will be automatically detected by the software, so all thats left is to click on burn and wait for. However, the usb flash drive with the ntfs file system is readonly on the mac.
Plug the drive into a usb socket if you have a recent macbook or macbook pro that only has usbc connectors, youll need a usbc to usba adaptor. If you are going to use your usb drive on mac devices mainly, choose this file system. Its not the fastest but as most things are download then its good for that transfer or file out though because if your going to be using it for a bios flash or windows install it wont work because you can only use a maximum 32gb flash drive for thati found out the hard way. To format a flash drive on a mac, plug in the drive and open the applications folder, the utilities folder and then disk utility. Since changing the usb chips system requires formatting, this means all data will be erased. More less 17 imac 2ghz intel core 2 duo, 2gb ram, 250gb hard drive, mac os x 10. If you want to make your drive compatible with mac and windows, you need to format it with a common file system for mac and windows. In the file system list box, choose exfat, type in a volume label. Meaning information can be writing to the flash drive at times in which you think the usb is idle. If you only use a mac computer, you can format your thumb drive so it can. How to choose the best format for usb drive on windowsmaclinux. If you plan to use the usb drive on linux computers, you can format it to this file system. How to format drive with compatible file system for mac.
Which mac file system is best for an external drive. The ntfs file system is a system specifically optimized for windows in the way that it organizes the data on the drive. You can backup usb drive simply by copying all files to the computer. Connect the usb flash drive or other volume that youre using for the bootable installer. The first format, fat32, is fully compatible with mac os. Feb 03, 2020 so, your mac is running out of storage. Mar 03, 2020 go to this pc, under devices and drives, highlight the disk that represents your usb flash drive, rightclick and select properties. Its a replacement for apples mac os extended file system.
Volume format most manufacturers use the fat 32 or msdos fat volume format. On a pc, when you delete a file off a usb flash drive, it is totally deleted, and doesnt go into any sort of trashrecycle bin, which frees up space on the usb flash drive. While apfs is optimized for the flash ssd storage used in recent mac computers, it can also be used with older systems with. May 01, 2020 how to erase a disk for mac use disk utility to erase format a hard disk, ssd, flash drive, or other storage device. Converting external drive to apple file system apfs format. Also keep in mind that xp is a 15 year old operating system at the time of this post and microsoft no longer supports the os. By default, windows uses nfts and macs to use hfs and apfs. Select the usb drive from the sidebar and then click the erase tab.
How to format drive with compatible file system for mac and. How to choose a filesystem for your usb drive make tech easier. May 04, 2020 a usb flash drive stores all the data in its memory cells and keeps a track of it through a file system similar to a hard drive. Click the file menu and select load file system from device. Each time you finish using your flash drive and want to unplug it from your computer to take it with you, it should be ejected. Solution 1 format in exfat exfat file system that allows a single file larger than 4gb to be stored on the device. Feb 25, 2019 exfat extended file allocation table is the file system optimized for flash drives. It is the recommended file format for windows computers, however, they are not suited for mac os.
Format an external hard drive or usb flash drive for mac os x. In case the usb flash drive is formatted with the ntfs file system which isnt compatible with macos. In the new properties window, check general file system and youll see what type of file system your flash drive is currently with. File system formats available in disk utility on mac. Here is how to check the current drives file system. How to choose the best format for usb drive on windowsmac. May 29, 2018 to format external drive to file system compatible with mac and pc, connect the drive to your computer and follow the detailed steps given below take formatting hard drive to exfat in windows 7 for example. But dont worry, this page talks about the reasons for this issue, and how to fix usb flash drive not mounting on mac without data loss. You can see drives file system displayed next to format, in the general section exfat, msdosfat, os x extended. Change file system between ntfs and fat32 without formatting. To format external drive to file system compatible with mac and pc, connect the drive to your computer and follow the detailed steps given below take formatting hard drive to exfat in windows 7 for example. A file system that has been in business from the early 1980s. You try to figure out whats taking up your disk space by clicking the apple logo on the topleft of the screen, selecting about this mac, and hitting the storage tab.
The extended file system ext was the first file system created specifically for linux. File system formats available in disk utility on mac apple. Ntfs or new technology file system is the current standard in windows machines. The compromise solution will be the exfat file system. Its exactly the same procedure if you need to reformat a flash drive on a mac. If you have an old flash drive or one that was formatted to work with windows or another operating system, you can still format your flash drive to work on a mac. See this stepbystep tutorial for how to format your usb drive for mac machine macos and pc windows 10. Transferring a 4gb or larger file to a usb flash drive or. How do you know your mac, xbox, and windows pc can read your files. Using apples free disk utility app, you can easily format the drive, give it a label, or even partiti.
You may ask can i change file system without formatting in. How to recover data from usb drive with readonly file. Rightclick on usb drive you want to replace its system. While this file system is readable on macs because os x can rearrange the data as it is reading it, the way that ntfs writes the files to the storage device is not. It combines the essential advantages of fat and ntfs large file sizes are supported. Fixrepair corrupted usb drive without formatting easeus. Jan 15, 2019 its exactly the same procedure if you need to reformat a flash drive on a mac. Select your external hard drive or usb flash drive from the list on the left. Whats the difference between fat32, exfat, and ntfs.
Rightclick the removable drive and select the format option. But dont worry, this page talks about the reasons for this issue, and how to fix usb flash drive not mounting on mac without data loss even if the external drive is greyed out in disk utility. Make sure format is mac os extended journaled and ensure that the scheme is set to guid partition map 6. Jun 14, 2019 here is how to check the current drives file system. It will automatically locate the connected drive, and you can load it. In the main interface, right click the partition on that need. A usb flash drive stores all the data in its memory cells and keeps a track of it through a file system similar to a hard drive.
If drivers are out of date, the mac operating system and your applications on the computer will fail to interact with all. Right click on that partition of the drive untitled or no name 8. Once you have it, your first task is to pick a suitable file system for that drive depending on your intended usage. Flash drive not recognized issue on windows and mac. Open terminal, which is in the utilities folder of your applications folder. Jan 25, 2019 the easiest way to add storage to your mac is to buy an external hard drive. Format fat32 flash drive to ntfs when there is no option for ntfs file system. Eject stop use of your flash drive when you have finished using it. How to erase a flash drive from disk utility on a mac. How to choose a filesystem for your usb drive make tech. Jul 28, 20 i did tell them that i would alert the mac community about the problem and suggest mac users avoid pny flash drives or other drives. To use hfsexplorer, connect your macformatted drive to your windows pc and launch hfsexplorer. Rightclick on the flash drive or memory card, then select format. How to format a usb flash drive on windows 10 windows.
How to recover data from usb drive with readonly file system. Apple file system is optimized for use with solid state drives ssds and flash storage, but you can also use it with traditional mechanical hard disk drives hdds too. How to format usb flash drive to ntfs, exfat or fat32. This means you can store files that are larger than 4 gb apiece on a flash drive or. Recover files after usb flash drive becomes corrupt or. Difference between usb drive file systems ntfs vs fat32 vs.
Type or paste one of the following commands in terminal. By default, mac os x can only read ntfs drives, not write to them. The volume does not contain a recognized file system in. If you have a usb drive, and you plan to use it on both a mac and pc, things can get a bit tricky here. Feb 17, 2007 on a pc, when you delete a file off a usb flash drive, it is totally deleted, and doesnt go into any sort of trashrecycle bin, which frees up space on the usb flash drive. The nt file system ntfs is the file system that modern windows versions use by default.