Diskferry

Format a drive for both Mac and Windows (exFAT)

If a drive has to move between a Mac and a PC regularly, the simplest setup is a format both read and write without extra software. Apple's own answer is exFAT: Disk Utility lists "MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFAT" as the formats "compatible with Windows", and says to use "ExFAT ... for Windows volumes that are over 32 GB" (Apple Disk Utility guide, checked 30 October 2026).

Formatting erases the drive. Copy everything off first, and check the copies. If the drive is already a Mac drive and you are on Windows, copy the files off with verification before you go on.

Format as exFAT on a Mac

  1. Open Disk Utility (Applications, Utilities).
  2. Choose View, Show All Devices, and select the drive itself, not a volume under it.
  3. Click Erase. Format: ExFAT. Scheme: GUID Partition Map.
  4. Click Erase and wait. Copy your files back.

Windows can also format a drive as exFAT (File Explorer, right-click the drive, Format), which the Mac then reads and writes too.

When to keep a Mac format instead

  • Time Machine needs a Mac format; it cannot back up to exFAT.
  • Mac-only workflows that rely on APFS features such as snapshots or encryption.
  • Working on Windows from a Mac drive every day. Then a read-write driver such as MacDrive or Paragon is an alternative to reformatting; see Diskferry compared.

Always eject the drive before unplugging it, on both systems.

Questions

exFAT or NTFS for a drive I share?

exFAT. It is the format Apple lists as compatible with Windows for drives over 32 GB, and both systems read and write it without extra software. NTFS is the Windows format and needs extra software on a Mac for full use.

Can I convert a Mac drive to exFAT without erasing it?

No. Changing the format means erasing. Copy the files somewhere safe first.

Last updated 30 October 2026. Still stuck? Support replies in person.

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