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.

Disk format windows and mac