If you prefer working with the command line for its efficiency, you can also format your drive using the Terminal app. Method 2: Format Your Drive on Mac with Terminal Then, click Erase.ĭisk Utility will let you know once the formatting process is complete.
Name your drive, select the ExFAT format, and select the GUID Partition Map scheme. Select your drive from the left sidebar and click Erase. Connect your external hard drive securely to your Mac and launch Disk Utility (Finder > Applications > Utilities). It’s super user-friendly with a highly visual GUI that allows you to partition, repair, and format your drives with a few clicks. Method 1: Format Your Drive on Mac With Disk Utilityĭisk Utility is Mac’s all-in-one disk toolkit. We strongly recommend that you back up your data before proceeding. The method you choose in the sections below will depend on whether you want a more visual tool or you prefer to operate with the command line.įormatting your external hard drive will lead to data loss. MacOS provides you with all the tools you need to properly format your external hard drive. However, they aren’t compatible with Windows and other non-Mac operating systems. While FAT32 is still supported by many devices, ExFAT is newer and more future-proof.įor its system drives, Macs use either the APFS (macOS High Sierra and above) or HFS+ format. 
You can’t create individual partitions larger than 32 GB on a FAT32 drive.ExFAT is more efficient at organizing data and has a superior read/write performance.In other words, you can’t store a 20+ GB 1080p video on a FAT32 drive. FAT32 has a maximum individual file size limit of 4 GB.The points below will also illustrate why you should be using ExFAT instead of FAT32. You may often encounter the FAT32 file system out in the wild because it’s still commonly used, so we’ll quickly break down the differences between the two. Like its older cousin, FAT32, ExFAT is universally compatible with all mainstream devices (so ExFAT will make your external hard drive compatible with Mac and PC). The best hard drive format for Mac and Windows is ExFAT. What is the Best Format for Mac and Windows How do I make my external hard drive compatible with Mac without losing data?.Can I use the same external hard drive for PC and Mac?.
Is exFAT compatible with Mac and Windows?. How to Make External Hard Drive Compatible with Mac and PC without Formatting. How to Recover Data from Formatted Hard Drive. Method 3: Format Your Drive on Windows With Command Prompt. Method 2: Format Your Drive on Windows with Disk Management. Method 1: Format Your Drive on Windows with File Explorer. How to Format External Hard Drive on Windows. Method 2: Format Your Drive on Mac with Terminal. Method 1: Format Your Drive on Mac With Disk Utility. How to Format External Hard Drive on Mac. What is the Best Format for Mac and Windows.
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