Select 'Get Info' from the list of options opened.Ī new window will open. Now open the Finder and look for your USB device. You don't need to do anything special to know your flash drive's file system. Before you format a flash drive it is suggested to know what file system your flash drive is in. HFS filesystem is modified into HFS plus (Modernly called as MacOS Extended). HFS stands for Hierarchical File System.Īpple introduced this file system in 1985 to replace the existing Macintosh File System or MFS. Here, pop-ups the question: How to format a flash drive on a mac? If you want to use your flash drive solely for MacOS, it is highly recommended to format your flash drive. Extra work is needed to use NTFS on MacOS. The latter one, NTFS is mostly used on the Windows operating system and not an optimal option for MacOS. Fat32 can store files only up to 4 GB of size. If you want to make your drive compatible with Mac and Windows, you need to format it with a common file system for Mac and Windows.Īlthough the first one, Fat32 is completely compatible with both MacOS as well as Windows, it has some limitations.

NTFS is the default file system for Windows operating system and HFS for Mac operating system. Two file systems compatible with Mac and Windows. MS-DOS (FAT) is also compatible with Mac and PC, but you can only transfer files smaller than 4GB. ExFAT is compatible with both PC and Mac. APFS (Apple File System) is only for newer Macs running macOS 10.13 or later. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is the best option for most Mac users since it is compatible with all Macs. Step 1: Locate your USB stick under This PC, right-click on it and select the Format option. For example, in Windows XP 'My Computer' is equivalent to 'This PC' on Windows 10. The screenshots may look slightly different. If you are on an earlier operating system like Windows 7, XP, etc. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) file system is how it's referred to on your Mac. HFS+ and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) file system are one and the same thing. This means your new My Passport is formatted to HFS+ (Hierarchical File System).

The other type of WD My Passport hard drive comes in a ‘for Mac' version. That's the reason why most of the flash drives in the market are available in Fat32 or NTFS formats which are the most preferred format for windows.įile types There are currently 87 file extension (s) associated to the Mac OS X application in our database. In contrast, only 27.4% of users use MacOS, obviously for their apple computer.

Majority of 49.4% of desktop and laptop computer users in the world use Windows operating system. Not only this, we will help you pick the best file system for your usb flash drive that you are planning to use on a Mac. This simple guide will teach you How to Format a Flash Drive on Mac.

No mac os extended journaled encrypted