NTFS for Mac is macOS Big Sur compatible and already available for Apple Silicon
Full read-write access granted!Microsoft NTFS is one of the primary file systems of Windows. If you work on a Mac computer and need to read or write files from HDD, SSD or a flash drive formatted under Windows, you need Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software.
Write, edit, copy, move and delete files on Microsoft NTFS volumes from your Mac! Fast, seamless, easy to use. Mount, unmount, verify, format or set any of your Microsoft NTFS volumes as a startup drive.
New! Ready for macOS 11.0 Big Sur
Write files to Microsoft NTFS drives on your Mac
Can’t write, copy, edit or delete files on Microsoft NTFS-formatted drives from your Mac? It’s because macOS has limited support for Windows volumes — that is, you can only read data, but can’t write or delete anything. Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software provides blazing fast, unlimited read/write access to Microsoft NTFS hard drives, SSDs or thumb drives formatted for Windows computers!
- A no-brainer upgrade for those installing macOS 10.14 Mojave, Paragon NTFS for Mac remains the best cross-platform utility money can buy, especially now that it plays nice with Apple’s new dark mode.MacWorld US, Editors’ Choice 2018
www.macworld.com - Whether you’re a hardcore Boot Camp user or just need to occasionally write to Windows-formatted media, this update keeps things working at peak performance…MacWorld US, Editors’ Choice 2018
www.macworld.com - Running a Mac and having NTFS formatted external disks, you definitely need NTFS for Mac. It is well priced <…> and enables read and write access to your NTFs drives no matter what size. The speed at which you can read and write the data on these drives is the best of any competitor if there really is one. Anyone who needs to use Mac and Windows computers, needs this app for easy data transfer. The interface is best of any application found, and the application itself offers additional drive tools for taking full control. The latest version also supports Mojave and APFS format to complete a perfect application. It is without real competition and deserves a full 5 star award. This utility makes your external storage usable on any computer system Windows or Mac. So your data remains interchangeable and is fully adapted for macOS MOJAVE.MacSoftReview
www.macsoftreview.com
September 2018 - Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is a great upgrade to an exceptional cross-platform utility that’s easily worth the money, especially if you own the previous version 14, in which case this one’s free.
The user interface is tastefully designed, with buttons for mounting, unmounting, verifying, or erasing the selected volume. Dual-boot users also have the option to reboot into a compatible mounted Mac or Windows startup volume. There’s even a lovely color-coded space indicator like the one introduced with Mac OS X El Capitan, displaying content by Audio, Video, Apps, Images, and Other categories.MacWorld, USA, August 2017,
macworld.com - Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software, the excellent third-party file system driver that enables writing to Windows-formatted volumes at native speeds.MacWorld, USA, June 2017,
macworld.com - Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is the best such software solution: reliable, fast, and now affordable as well…
Fast, seamless, and easy to use, Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is required for those who need to write to Windows volumes. And now it’s more affordable than ever.MacWorld, USA 2016,
macworld.com - A very specialized product that does its job in a very unobtrusive way. You just install it and it works. When you plug an NTFS disk into your Mac, it just mounts on the desktop like any other disk, and when you copy a file to it, it just works, no muss, no fuss. This utility is also invaluable if you find yourself in a situation where you need to format a disk as NTFS, and it performs this task with an equal lack of dramaApple Press, DVMUG
- Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is an essential installation for anyone working with Macs and PCs, as it helps to break down the barriers that exist between the two operating systemsMac World UK,
macworld.com - It’ll install cleanly and easily on macOS 10.12 Sierra and “just work”, so it’s a good optionHow-to-Geek
- Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software does exactly what we expect from it, by offering a seamless NTFS disk management. It’s good performances even allow working directly on the Windows partition, including for heavy applications such as video or photo processing.mac4ever.com
- WOW….Ive been struggling with the whole MAC/Windows NTFS issue for some time and have a number of external drives that I need to swap between Mac/PC all the time. I’ve always had a headache with NTFS drivers etc. I bought and downloaded your Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software today and WOW. Amazing. Everything just works. Brilliant product. Worth every penny. Thank you.Robinson Philip
- It is pretty fast with NTFS transfers (slightly slower than OSX extended partitions obviously) and I’ve never had any problems mid-transfer or anything. For me, it’s always done what it said on the box, and now with V14 it’s got El Capitan compatibility, so no complaints here. If you’re looking for a way to have plug-and-play NTFS drives on your mac, there really isn’t a better alternative to Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software. Highly recommended for all Mac users!M. Doyle
- If you have a Mac and you need to access volumes that are formatted NTFS, this is the best solution out there. Why Apple hasn’t just baked in support for NTFS after all these years still remains a mystery. I’ve been using Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software for several years now and have never had any problems with it.H. Jaynes
With Tuxera NTFS for Mac, you can use Apple’s Disk Utility or Tuxera Disk Manager to format NTFS drives. Find out how here. Can I format it for Mac on PC? Need to reformat WD hard drive for Mac. If you connect your WD hard drive without reformatting, you’ll be unable to copy files to the disk as Mac read only supports NTFS file system. In such a case, it’s necessary to reformat WD hard drive to make it compatible with Mac operating system. Mac OS X is able to.
Blazing Fast
Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is up to six times faster than any of its closest commercial competitors!
Fully Compatible
Supports macOS Big Sur
and older macOS
See Specifications
and older macOS
See Specifications
Powerful Features
Safe data transfer, hassle-free work, easy to use, seamless user experience
How it Works
Simple as 1-2-3
Install
Download and install Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software onto your Mac.
Done!
Microsoft NTFS volumes connected to your Mac are available in the Finder.
All operations just a click away!
If you need more than just a blazing fast and reliable Microsoft NTFS driver, our lightweight menubar and full-featured Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software apps are always at your service.
Access all of your Microsoft NTFS drives and perform the most common volume operations like mount, unmount and verify.
Quickly restart your Mac in Windows from the menubar (assuming it’s installed on your mounted Microsoft NTFS drive).
Seamless User Experience
If you’ve ever used Apple’s Disk Utility, you already know how to use Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software. If you haven’t, it will only take a few moments to get acquainted.
Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software takes the best of Apple’s Disk Utility and moves it to the next level, augmenting Microsoft NTFS volume operations and advanced mount options.
Mounting is entirely under your control with advanced options
Mount in Read-Only: select this option if you need to access sensitive data without modifying any files.
Do not mount automatically: select this option if you want to manually control access to a volume.
Outstanding performance at blazing fast speed
Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software
is the fastest file system driver on the market:
is the fastest file system driver on the market:
6x times faster*
than competing solutions
*Tested on 2016 MacBook Pro with SSD drive, view benchmarks here.
Fresh review: check out the video review by European Motion Picture Association.
Latest award: 5-star review of the Mojave-ready edition.
Features
Features | Benefits |
---|---|
Supported Operating Systems |
|
Supported File Systems | All Microsoft NTFS versions are supported (from Windows NT 3.1 to Windows 10). |
Write Access | When a volume is mounted in write mode, you can do everything with the files and folders it contains: read, edit, delete, rename, create new. |
Automount | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software mounts supported volumes automatically at startup, so you don’t need to worry each time you restart the operating system or power your computer on. However, this feature can be disabled at any time in the program interface. |
Volume Management | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software easily formats, checks integrity and repairs corrupted volumes. |
Internationalization | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software supports all alphabets supported by your operating systems, including those that use non-Roman and non-Latin characters, so you will never face the problem of not getting access to file names on volumes mounted in non-native OS. |
Compatible with Apple Boot Camp | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is fully compatible with Apple Boot Camp software and provides direct read and write access to Mac partitions from Windows installed on Boot Camp. |
Compatible with 3rd party software | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is compatible with popular virtualization and encryption applications including VMware Fusion and Workstation, Parallels Desktop, TrueCrypt and its forks. |
Paragon Technology Center
Want to learn more about the technology behind Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software? Check out the Paragon Technology Portal!
Frequently Asked Questions
Could I try your product for free before buying? | |
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I’m a user of a Seagate or Western Digital device with pre-installed NTFS for Mac. How can I get my update? | |
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Does it work with macOS 11.0 Big Sur? | |
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How can I get the update if I have bought the previous version of Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software? | |
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What operations do you mean saying “Full read/write access”? | |
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What data transfer rate I will get using Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software? | |
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What versions and features of the Microsoft NTFS file system are supported? | |
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Is BootCamp supported? | |
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What should I do if I have OS X 10.9 but Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software doesn’t support OS older than 10.10? | |
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Can I re-activate my license on another Mac? | |
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How many times can I re-activate my license? | |
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It doesn’t work! My Microsoft NTFS drive is not recognized by macOS, even after installing Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software. | |
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I frequently work with NTFS, HFS+, APFS-formatted partitions on my Mac and Windows PC. Can I get a discount, if I buy all drivers at once? | |
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Ensure multi-platform access - activate required file system drivers based on your IT park, regardless of OS, in any proportion.
Resources
Current Version | Download Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software |
Product Documentation | Download Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software One Pager |
Need help? | Contact Support or file a support ticket |
Latest review | European Motion Picture Association (EURMPA) reviews Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software. Watch the videos! |
Mac Copy To Ntfs
NTFS for Mac build for Apple Silicon
Apple has announced a two-year transition to ARM-based processors known as “Apple Silicon.” Since the new Apple Silicon-based Mac computers are just around the corner, we proactively took on this project. We are delighted to offer Mac users our new NTFS for Mac build for Apple Silicon, which is available for download below.
This offer may be of particular interest for Developer Transition Kit users. If you currently participate in the Universal App Quick Start Program or are just planning to enroll, right now you can download and begin using the new NTFS for Mac build for Apple Silicon on your DTKs.
Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software speaks
fluently many languages:
English
Deutsch
Русский
Español
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简体中文
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fluently many languages:
English
Deutsch
Русский
Español
Français
Italiano
Čeština
简体中文
繁體中文
한국어
Svenska
Suomi
Magyar
Polski
By Juno | Posted to NTFS for Mac Tips, updated on September 3rd, 2020 |
It's important to know how to format an external hard drive for your Mac and PC before you use it to free up space and transfer files between computers. If you don't format the external hard drive correctly, it won't work to the utmost extent. For instance,Windows uses NTFS, while Mac uses HFS+ or APFS. Out of the box, Windows can't read or write to HFS+/APFS drives and Macs can't write to NTFS drives either.
Though the default hard disk file system (also known as format) of Windows and Mac are different, there should be some ways to format an external drive for both Mac and PC. After reading this post, you'll know what is the best file system for your camera's SD card and what is the best format for your Mac and PC. More importantly, you will know how to format flash drives for Mac and PC and make hard drives compatible with macOS and Windows.
- Table of contents
- 1. Common File Systems for Mac and PC
- 2. How to format external hard drives for Mac and PC?
- 3. How to partition an external hard drive for Mac and Windows PC?
- 4. Make external hard drives compatible with Mac and PC without formatting
Common File Systems for Mac and PC
The file system is one of the most important part for an external hard drive because it manages how your files are stored and retrieved. So, every hard disk needs a proper file system, including desktop drives and portable storage devices like external hard drives, USB flash drives and SD cards. However, different file systems have different advantages and disadvantages. So before you know how to format a hard drive, you should know the pros and cons of each file system.
1. FAT32
FAT file system includes three major file system variants but the majorly used one is FAT32. FAT32 is commonly used in floppy disks, SD memory cards, USB flash drives, digital cameras, as well as many portable and embedded devices.
Pros
- Works universally with all versions of Mac, Windows, Linux, game devices, as well as other devices supporting a USB port.
Cons
- Doesn't support a file size larger than 4GB and a drive partition size larger than 32GB on Windows.
- Doesn't support the drive partition larger than 2TB on macOS.
2. exFAT
exFAT is a good option for external hard drives (e.g. Seagate Backup Plus Slim), especially for large-capacity removable storage devices. It also is frequently used in flash memory drives such as USB flash drives and SD cards. exFAT is easily often implemented in firmware that has low memory and low power requirements, such as cameras, mobile phones, media players, etc.
Anytrans download for pc. Pros
- Supports the largest partition and file sizes by today's standards.
Cons
- Not compatible with too much old operating systems.
- Not a good option for drives less than 32GB because it can't maximize space utilization.
3. NTFS
NTFS is a proprietary journaling file system developed by Microsoft. It is used as the default file system of Windows system hard drive (e.g. Windows 10). NTFS does well in data security based on its encryption, access permission control, and log file.
Pros
- Improved performance, reliability, and disk space use.
- Performs better in protecting data security, data management.
- Compatible with all versions of Windows and latest hardware.
Cons
- Read-only in macOS and the disabled-by-default write support for NTFS in macOS is unstable.
4. Mac OS Extended (HFS+)
HFS Plus or HFS+ is a journaling file system developed by Apple Inc. It's the startup disk’s default file system before macOS High Sierra. It also frequently used as Time Machine backup external hard drives of WD, Seagate, etc.
Pros
- Supported by all versions of Mac OS X and macOS.
- Has journaling, compression, and encryption features.
Cons
- Has no access permission control.
- Perfoms slow or crash in dealing with a large number of files.
- Harder for data recovery when an HFS+ hard drive is corrupted.
5. Apple file system (APFS)
APFS is the new proprietary file system of Apple. It has been known to increase read/write speeds on solid-state drives (SSDs), as well as increase storage space due to the way in which it calculates the available data on disk.
Pros
- Allows full-disk encryption with single or multi-key encryption for added security.
- Efficient in management of free storage space
Cons
- Not good for Time Machine backup due to no support for hard links to directories.
- Can only be used on macOS 10.13 and above.
After knowing their unique specifications, it becomes easier to choose the best file system for your storage device. For instance, you would know why exFAT is better for camera SD cards, or why NTFS is better for external backup drive on Windows 10. In a word, you can format or reformat your external hard drive per your requirement, either for Mac and PC.
Ntfs File System Mac
Warning: Formatting will erase data on this drive. So, if you have important files on this external hard drive, make sure you have a backup. However, if you have formatted this drive and lose files, you can recover lost data from formatted external hard drive with iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac.
How to format external hard drives for Mac?
To format external hard drives on Mac, you'll need the built-in disk management tool called Disk Utility. Then, you need to choose the best file system for your external hard drive when erase it.
Tips: Remember to back up the files on the external hard drive if you have saved anything important on it.
• Guide to format external hard drive on Mac computer.
How to format external hard drives for Windows computer?
Similarly, you can also format your drive on Windows computers with a utility called Disk Management.
Tips: To prevent data loss during formatting, make sure you haven't saved important files on the drive. If you have, backup them first.
• Guide to initialize and format external hard drive on Windows computer.
How to format an external hard drive for Mac and PC?
Sometimes, users need to use the same external hard drive interchangeably on Mac and PC. To make it compatible with both macOS and Windows, you need to reformat the external hard drive.
Whether you are using an APFS/HFS+ or a Windows NTFS formatted external hard drive on Mac, you can reformat the external hard drives for both Mac and PC. File systems like FAT32 and exFAT can make the external HDD compatible with both Macs and Windows PCs.
Warning: Reformatting will wipe files off the external hard drive. So, you should make sure you have backed up your files on the external hard drive before you continue any steps.
When should you choose FAT32 file system?
FAT32 works with almost any operating system as well as video game consoles, Android USB expansions, media players, and other devices. However, FAT32 can only support files up to 4 GB in size. So, If all your files on the external hard drive are smaller than 4 GB, and the drive itself is smaller than 2 TB, then FAT32 is a better choice for you to use the hard drive on Mac and PC.
When should you choose exFAT file system?
Similarly, exFAT is also a widely compatible file system. The difference is that exFAT has no limitations on file size and hard drive size. So, when the external HDD you want to used for both Mac and PC is larger than 2 TB, exFAT is the best choice.
After you choose the best format for your drive, you can format or reformat the external hard drive in Disk Utility as it was introduced. Then the external hard drive will work both for Mac and PC.
When should you choose NTFS file system?
Some users would prefer to the features of Windows NTFS file system. However, naturally, Disk Utility can't format external hard drive to NTFS. Fleetwood mac hypnotized mp3 download. If you want an hard drive that you can only read on Mac but have full access on Windows, NTFS is the best choice. You can also use iBoysoft NTFS for Mac to reformat the external hard drive with NTFS on Mac.
- Step 1: Download and install iBoysoft NTFS for Mac on your Mac.
- Step 2: Connect the external hard drive to your Mac and launch this software.
- Step 3: Find Disk Management in its main menu and click on it.
- Step 4: Locate the volume you want to reformat, select it, and then click on Erase to NTFS.
What to do if you can’t format the external hard drive on Mac?
Usually, to format the external hard drive as FAT32 or exFAT, you are advised to do this on a Mac computer via Disk Utility. But if you have formatted the external hard drive under the Windows system, it would cause some inconvenience. You can't add or re-partition volumes of the external hard drive again on Mac. In this case, your only choice is to backup your files and reformat the whole disk.
How to partition an external hard drive for Mac and Windows PC?
Except for having the whole external hard drive formatted, you can also split this disk with two partitions. One is formatted with the file system that is compatible with macOS, another partition is compatible with Windows conversely. By this means, you can use all the advantages each format has on the respective system.
Warning: Still, you need to back up files on this drive before you begin to create two separate partitions to work for Mac and Windows PC.
For some Mac models, the partition option would be greyed out in Disk Utility. So, we suggest that it's better to use a PC to partition an external hard drive for macOS and Windows. Here are the steps to partition an external hard drive for Mac and Windows PC, which is a little tricky.
Step 1: Connect the external hard drive to your PC and then launch Disk Management.
Step 2: Check if the external hard drive is initialized or not.
If the drive is not initialized, you need to initialize the external hard drive with Master Boot Record (MBR). Then you can create two new partitions. You need to format one of them as NTFS for Windows use and format the other as your wish.
If the external hard drive is initialized, you need to right-click the disk to check if it's an MBR external hard drive.
Format Usb To Ntfs Mac
- If you see Convert to GPT Disk in the context menu, be it greyed out or lighted, it’s an MBR hard drive. Then you can create two or more partitions. And you need to prepare one partition for NTFS file system, and reformat with any file system.
- If you see Convert to MBR Disk in the menu, it's an GPT hard drive. In this case, you need first backup files, delete the existing partitions, then click the Convert to MBR Disk button. Then, you can create two new partitions. You need to format one partition as NTFS for Windows use, and then format the other randomly.
Step 3: Up to now, there should be at least two partitions on the external hard drive. And one of them (the NTFS one) is ready for Windows use. Then, you need to safely remove the external hard drive and plug it into a Mac.
Step 4: Open Disk Utility and select the other partition (not the NTFS one) under the name of your external hard drive.
Step 5: Click Erase on the top, choose Mac OS Extended format when it asks, and chose Erase to finish.
Up to now, the external hard drive will have two partitions. One is HFS+ formatted for Mac, and the other is NTFS formatted for Windows.
By creating two separate partitions, you can use this external hard drive on both Mac and Windows. You won't be able to write to the Mac partition from your Windows computer, and vice versa. Thus, it's a good solution for people who need to swap between two operating systems but with separate work.
Make external hard drives compatible with Mac and PC without formatting
Many famous external hard drives like Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Touch and WD My Passport are pre-formatted with NTFS. However, the NTFS file system is a hassle for users who need to use the same external hard drive on both Mac and Windows. The external hard drive is not letting you add files if you use an NTFS external HDD on Mac. It will be read-only and you can't write to this drive normally in this case.
Many users don't know this and use the external hard drive directly. And when they want to reformat the hard drive to use it interchangeably, only to find that files on the drive are erased as well.
Then, can you solve external hard drive read-only without formatting?
Definitely! If you want to use NTFS formatted external hard drives on Mac, software like iBoysoft NTFS for Mac that might be helpful.
iBoysoft NTFS for Mac - professional NTFS driver for Mac
iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is a professional NTFS for Mac software, which can automatically mount NTFS drives in read-write mode on Mac. It supports macOS Catalina 10.15/Mojave 10.14/High Sierra 10.13/Sierra 10.12 and Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11/Yosemite 10.10/Mavericks 10.9/Mountain Lion 10.8. With this useful tool, you'll have full access to NTFS drives on Mac and make your external hard drive interchangeable between Macs and PCs without formatting. Also, you can mount and unmount NTFS drives from the Mac menu bar with advanced and optimized options.
What's more, iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is also a handy tool to manage NTFS external drives. You can use it to easily mount, unmount, repair, erase NTFS external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, memory cards, CF cards, pen drives, etc. on Mac.
Tutorial to mount NTFS external hard drive on macOS with read-write mode with iBoysoft NTFS for Mac
Step 1: Free download, install, and launch iBoysoft NTFS for Mac on your computer.
Step 2: Connect your NTFS external hard drive to Mac, and iBoysoft NTFS for Mac will automatically mount it.
Step 3: Write to NTFS external hard drive after the disk has been mounted in read-write mode successfully.
If you want to use HFS+ or APFS formatted external hard drives on Windows, you can also attempt to install HFS+ for Windows software or APFS for Windows software on your PC to get read and write access to this external hard drive.
Conclusion
To sum up, it is easy to format an external hard drive for both Mac and Windows PC. You can either choose to format the whole disk as exFAT/FAT, or you can create two separate partitions of HFS+ and NTFS if you prefer. But compared with formatting, an NTFS for Mac driver like iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is a better and feasible solution.