The biggest difference between Mac OS X Extended (Journaled) and Mac OS X Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled) is the latter one is case-sensitive to folder names. And this file system is necessary if you plan on using the drive for Time Machine backups. Windows-running computers can read the files formatted to Mac OS X Extended but can't write to them. It doesn't put a limit on the size of files you can save on the drive, which is the greatest advantage. Mac OS X Extended, aka HFS+, is the default file system before APFS for macOS 10.12 and earlier. 2Mac OS X Extended (Journaled) & Mac OS X Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled) If you're sure that you don't need to use your USB drive on a Mac running old version in the future, then you can format it to APFS. However, as this file system is only compatible with latest macOS, you have to think twice before choosing it.
It's the most appropriate format for SSD. 1APFS (Apple File System)ĪPFS is the default file system of macOS 10.13 and later. So what's the difference between them and which one should we choose when formatting USB drive on Mac? Check the details of each format below. You'll be given several format options when you try to format a USB drive on Mac. What Is the Best Format for USB Drive on Mac? Next, drag the USB data to a safe location for backup/recovery measures before formatting it. To avoid formatting the wrong disk, firstly remove the USB drive from Mac, check the title of other storage disks, then insert the USB disk again and note the name of the disk. Formatting a USB drive will еrаѕе all the data stored on it before, and that's the reason why it should be taken seriously. Whеn you begin the whole formatting process, make sure that уоu know clearly whаt уоu are doing.
How to Format USB to FAT32/ExFAT on Macīonus: How to Recover Lost Data After Formatting USB Drive Type diskpart into the Command Prompt window and press Enter.Part 1.
To do this on Windows 8 or Windows 7, press the Windows key once, type cmd, and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Next, open a Command Prompt window as administrator.
For example, in the screenshot below, the Mac-formatted drive is Disk 2. First, note the number of the disk in the disk management window. This process erases everything on the disk, including its files and all its partitions. To erase this partition, we’ll have to wipe the entire disk. This partition is marked as protected, so you can’t just right-click and delete it - the delete option will be disabled. The Mac drive may have an “EFI System Partition” on it. You can then right-click in the empty space and select New Simple Volume to create a partition and format it with the Windows NTFS or FAT32 file systems. If you’re lucky, you can just right-click each partition on the Mac drive and select Delete Volume to remove the partitions. Be sure you’ve identified the Mac drive - if you accidentally delete partitions from another drive, you could damage your Windows installation or lose your files. Locate the Mac drive in the list of disks. This tool allows you to manage the partitions on drives connected to your computer - internal ones or external ones connected via USB. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog, type diskmgmt.msc into the box, and press Enter to open it. RELATED: Understanding Hard Drive Partitioning with Disk Managementįirst, open the Windows Disk Management tool. You’ll probably want to uninstall Java when you’re done.Įrase the Mac Partitions, Including the EFI System Partition
HFSExplorer unfortunately requires you install Java to use it, but it’s the only free option here. If you only have Windows systems available, you can use HFSExplorer to copy files from the drive onto your Windows system drive or another drive. If you have a Mac lying around, you can plug the drive into a Mac and back up the files. Instead, we’ll just be wiping the drive and starting over from scratch. This process won’t actually convert the file system. First, back up the data on the Mac-formatted drive if you have anything important on it.