You just need to fix the issue on your Windows computer for the short time you’ll use your external drive there. If mostly on your Mac computer, then the same thing holds true. Then you just need to fix the issue on the Mac for the odd time you need to use your drive there. Which Computer Are You Planning To Use Your External Hard Drive Most On?īecause if you’re using your external hard drive mostly on your Windows PC. There are some questions to ask yourself before you go ahead. Before You Decide How You’re Going To Fix Your External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without Losing Any Files Then you can check your external drive’s properties when you’re not sure what file system it uses. Pick Get Info from the menu that comes up.

To check, right click on your external drive. The faster SSD drives in a Mac format may well use an APFS file system. Typically, an external hard drive that works on a Windows PC uses an NTFS file system.Īnd an external hard drive that works on a Mac is in HFS+ format. Note that: You’ll also hear the file system referred to as the USB drive’s formatting. APFS (the Apple File System), FAT32 and ExFAT file systems. Your Mac reads and writes HFS+ (also known as Mac OS Extended Journaled file system).Your Windows PC reads and writes FAT32, NTFS and ExFAT file systems.Unless you started out with a file system that they both can read and write. And the one your Mac reads and writes are different.

The one your Windows PC reads and writes by default. There are different sorts of file systems. A hard drive or an ultra fast SSD (Solid State Drive) has a file system on it.Ī file system is how your Windows computer or Mac stores and finds your documents on that external drive. So, What Is The Issue? Why Doesn’t My External Hard Drive Just Work?Įach drive, whether internal or external. So that both computers can use that external drive’s storage without you losing any data. Without reformatting your original hard drive. Then have your share documents on that drive. Both a Mac and a PC can read an ExFAT drive. This allows you to use Disk Utility on that drive to format it to ExFAT. It interprets what is on the external hard drive so that your Mac or PC can read and write to the drive. You get a piece of software that sits on your Mac. Options For Having An External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without Reformatting 1.

And What Do You Do With The Spare External Hard Drive When You're Done?.

Options For Making An External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without Reformatting.

How Much Do You Want To Spend On The Solution? Which Computer Are You Planning To Use Your External Hard Drive Most On?

Before You Decide How You're Going To Fix Your External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without Losing Any Files.

So, What Is The Issue? Why Doesn't My External Hard Drive Just Work?.

Options For Having An External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without Reformatting.

Usb compatible with mac and pc