It debuted in windows vista sp1, it has a maximum file size of 16 exabytes eb its going to take us a while to hit. File system formats available in disk utility on mac. But hey, if you got your mac and pc within the past two decades, then its safe to say that fat32 vs exfat has a clear winner. External ssd exfat vs mac os extended apple community. Macs and pcs, linux boxes, and vintage machines that use usb 2. These file systems provide a way to organize an internal or external drive. How to format usb flash drive to fat32 in mac os x. Choose this format if the size of the disk is 32 gb or less. May 14, 2017 going over the difference between fat32, exfat and ntfs in less than 5 minutes. If you want to switch a partitions file system to exfat, you need to format the partition, which is. Its slow because it uses a slow storage format like fat32 or exfat.
How to format usb flash drive using fatfat32 ntfsexfat. Oct 23, 2017 ntfs is the default system on many storage systems, and it is used by windows, due to the fact that it is the most modern of the three. Use the exfat file system and never format your external drive. Its designed to be a lightweight file system as fat32 but with certain advantages over ntfs. At the end of the day, you are in the market for a flash drive or hard drive that you can use, maybe even between multiple devices. Fat or fat 32 file system is the option selected by default for formatting a usb flash drive. Mar 06, 2020 differences between exfat vs ntfs vs fat32. Like ntfs, exfat has very large file size and partition size limits. Apr 18, 2019 i did not have the option for fat rather only exfat. Under file system box, select exfat for this drive. Jul 16, 20 fat had been the standard format for floppy disks and hard drives all through the dos years, and versions of windows up to and including windows 8. A drive can be formatted with exfat using either a windows or a mac computer. I have since seen contradicting info that ntfs is faster. Format a disk for windows computers in disk utility on mac apple.
A1 in most windows systems while formatting a usb stickflash drive, file system choices are presented to you ntfs, fat, fat32 or exfat. Actually you would use hfs extended or apfs for the mac. Essentially, its a file system thats both readable and writable on any modern mac or windows machine sorry, leopard users. Choosing the right format for your external hard drive b. Ntfs is the default system on many storage systems, and it is used by windows, due to the fact that it is the most modern of the three. The format dates back to 2006, and was made by microsoft to provide some of the crossplatform compatibility of the older fat32 format without the file and partition size limitations. Apr 23, 2020 after comparing ntfs vs fat32 vs exfat, you can choose a suitable file system for your drive according to your needs. Exfat a newer file format, supported in mac os x 10. Difference between usb drive file systems ntfs vs fat32. Select your drive from the list and rightclick on it. I am moving a folder of 508 gb according to finder of project files from a spinning disk encrypted external.
From what i understand, windows doesnt always like the way macs do the formatting on some larger drives, though, so give it a try and if your windows machines dont like it, just format the drive with windows. At this time, a couple of formatting options available. Verschil tussen fat32, exfat en ntfsbestandssystemen. Let us looks at some of the most notable differences between exfat vs ntfs vs fat32. Usb for dashcam exfat vs fat page 4 tesla motors club. A window will pop up where you can choose the format ntfs, fat32, or exfat. How to format usb to fat32ntfsexfat on windows and mac. Select one of the format from dropdown menu and click erase to start formatting usb to fat or exfat on mac. Ntfs, exfat, fat32, ext4 file systems explained utilize. Windows snapin formatting tools are helpful in formatting exfat on windows 10.
To make it happen, lets open disk management by rightclicking this pc in windows 10 or my computer in windows 87, select manage. Connect the usb fash drive to the mac os x computer. It is thus a cross platform file system which can be used for external drives either plugged to a windows pc or a mac with consummate ease. Moreover, it is also used to format the high capacity sdxc memory cards. It is the oldest and is therefore the least efficient out of them all. Whether youre formatting an internal drive, external drive, usb flash drive, or sd card, windows will give you the choice of ntfs, fat32, and exfat. Fat had been the standard format for floppy disks and hard drives all through the dos years, and versions of windows up to and including windows. While it may sound like a weightloss product from a latenight infomercial, exfat is a hard drive format that feels like the child of ntfs and fat32. How to format a drive for mac and pc compatibility macyourself. Rightclick on the drive you want to format, click on format. Go to applications utilities double click and open disk utility. Dec 21, 2018 fat32, ntfs, and exfat are the three file systems created by microsoft which used to store data on storage devices.
Apple file system apfs apple file system apfs, the default file system for mac computers using macos 10. Give the partition a name and select exfat for the format. Exfat should basically only be used on drives that need to work with both windows and macos computers. The speed is noticeably different when i tried to fast forward movies over 4gb. To format a usb flash drive to fat32 in mac os x follow these steps. Afps and mac os extended only work on macs and cant be used for other operating systems. Make sure the allocation unit size is set to default and type in a volume label. While exfat doesnt quite match fat32s compatibility, it is more widelycompatible than ntfs. Fat or fat 32 file system is the option selected by. Read only ntfs from native mac os x to readwrite format ntfs from mac os x, here are some alternatives. When you erase a drive on your mac, should you use mac os extended journaled, msdos fat, exfat, or apfs. It is also compatible with gaming consoles as well as with any device with a usb port.
Select the new untitled partition so we can format it as exfat for use with both mac and windows. The fat32 file system is compatible with windows, mac and the linux operating systems. The fat32, file allocation table 32, is the first of the three file systems to be created and used. For a hard drive to be able to be read and written to in both a pc and mac computer, it must be formatted to exfat or fat32 file format. Oct 16, 2019 but hey, if you got your mac and pc within the past two decades, then its safe to say that fat32 vs exfat has a clear winner. Fat32 is an older file system thats largely relegated to usb flash drives and other external drives. You can not edit the ntfs formatted file using mac. This means you can store files that are larger than 4 gb apiece on a flash drive or. Format external driveusb exfat in windows 10 in simple steps. Windows, mac, and android machines can read and write to exfat with no problem, as can many other modern devices. File system formats available in disk utility on mac apple support. The first format, fat32, is fully compatible with mac os x, though with. From what i understand, windows doesnt always like the way mac s do the formatting on some larger drives, though, so give it a try and if your windows machines dont like it, just format the drive with windows. The instructions below are for windows 10, but other versions of windows from windows 7 and up can also format an external drive as exfat for use with mac as well.
Fat32 is an older file system thats largely relegated to. After comparing ntfs vs fat32 vs exfat, you can choose a suitable file system for your drive according to your needs. By default, mac os x can only read ntfs drives, not write to them. Sep 20, 2019 exfat should basically only be used on drives that need to work with both windows and macos computers. Whats the difference between fat32, exfat, and ntfs. Select the drive you want to format and click erase button. Which format to use exfat vs fat32 vs hfs apple community. Thanks for answering my question about unit size with exfat.
Format a usb drive as exfat for mac and windows compatibility. One is for windows, one is for mac, and one crosses the two but with its own limitations. This is the easiest way to format your usb drive in windows 10 or mac. Jako prvni pametova karta s timto formatem byla sdxc od spolecnosti pretec s kapacitou 32 gib, vyrobena v breznu 2009 jako prototyp.
If the drives format comes up as msdos fat or, less likely, exfat. Read only ntfs from native mac os x to readwriteformat ntfs from mac os x, here are some alternatives. For external hard drives or ssds, ntfs is the best choice for anybody who is entirely or primarily windowsbased, while exfat is probably the best choice that anybody who regularly shares files between a pc and a mac. Going over the difference between fat32, exfat and ntfs in less than 5 minutes. If its a removable disk like a usb drive, plug it in the usb slot on your pc. Not sure if there was a change regarding exfat and music files. The difference between ft32, ntfs, and exfat is the storage size that the file. Ntfs, exfat, fat32, ext4 file systems explained utilize windows. Click the format popup menu, then choose one of the following. Format a disk for windows computers in disk utility on mac. Use the exfat file system and never format your external. Whether youre formatting an internal drive, external drive, usb flash drive, or sd. Linux kernel only added native support for exfat in the recent 5.
I did not have the option for fat rather only exfat. The best format for your external hard drive the hellotech blog. How to format a hard drive for both windows and mac. Format your external drive with exfat for both mac and. In disk utility on your mac, format disks or volumes using apple file system apfs, mac os extended, msdos fat, and exfat. Regarding ntfs vs fat speeds, years ago i had read that fat was faster and i often format a partition for the swappage file as fat for the slight performance increase. However the format exfat is similar to ms dos fat without restriction. Dec 29, 2015 select the new untitled partition so we can format it as exfat for use with both mac and windows. Fat32, ntfs, and exfat are the three file systems created by microsoft which used to store data on storage devices. This is an updated file system created by microsoft to replace fat32.
Copy any one of the following commands to format the exfat drive to fat, fat32 or ntfs. Taking into account the file size and volume size limitations, fat32 also remains an option for external drives that need to be. Fat32 vs windows ntfs vs mac hfs vs exfat for all my. Exfat vs fat32 now that you have an understanding of how the exfat file system and fat32 file system work individually, we can discuss their relative merits.
How to format usb flash drive using fatfat32ntfsexfat. If you need to write files that will be larger than 4 gb, then fat32 is out. It is mainly used in modern digital cameras and in ball games. While mac os x includes only readonly support for ntfs, macs offer full readwrite support for exfat. If the maximum file size is less than 2 gib and the file syste. Though you may want to go with apfs instead as thats the newer file system from apple with a few extras like integrity checks and healing abilities built in. If you want to switch a partitions file system to exfat, you need to format the partition, which is different from fat and ntfs conversion. I believe macs can read data from drives formatted in ntfs but cant write to them. Sep 19, 2011 exfat a newer file format, supported in mac os x 10. By widely used i mean supported by different operating systems. For all intents and purposes, there is no file size limit, and the format is both readwrite in windows and os x without the need for any third party software to access it. The best format for external hard drives if you want to format your external hard drive to work with mac and windows computers, you should use exfat. While exfat doesnt quite match fat32 s compatibility, it is more widelycompatible than ntfs. Fat32 has several limitations, including a 4 gb perfile limit.
979 314 1390 459 1466 1132 158 1453 1057 1363 915 236 179 1047 990 1231 5 714 886 1003 1030 160 494 218 302 811 1569 651 361 316 897 1439 978 1532 1277 735 806 465 1281 1034 1211 666 429 1444 671 275