Each volume uses only part of the overall container, so the available space is the total size of the container, minus the size of all the volumes in the container.Ĭhoose one of the following APFS formats for Mac computers using macOS 10.13 or later.ĪPFS (Encrypted): Uses the APFS format and encrypts the volume.ĪPFS (Case-sensitive): Uses the APFS format and is case-sensitive to file and folder names. If desired, you can specify reserve and quota sizes for each volume. The disk’s free space is shared and can be allocated to any of the individual volumes in the container as needed. macOS 10.13 or later supports APFS for both bootable and data volumes.ĪPFS allocates disk space within a container on demand. While APFS is optimized for the Flash/SSD storage used in recent Mac computers, it can also be used with older systems with traditional hard disk drives (HDD) and external, direct-attached storage. Apple File System (APFS)Īpple File System (APFS), the default file system for Mac computers using macOS 10.13 or later, features strong encryption, space sharing, snapshots, fast directory sizing, and improved file system fundamentals. Reformatting the drive will erase all data on the drive, so you should copy any data you want off the drive prior to formatting. These steps can be used for both internal and external drives. Instructions for how to format your external drive so that it will be fully usable in MacOS. Safekeep all of your music, photographs, movies and more. Backup your Mac with a portable or desktop hard drive. Either head to Applications Utilities, or tap Command + Space and start typing. If you are using a Mac, you can run the built-in Disk Utility to quickly format a hard drive or external hard drive under Mac OS. For Windows, it offers quick format feature when you right-click the hard drive on the computer. MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFAT: File systems that are compatible with Windows.īoth Windows and Mac OS offer built-in disk formatting tool. Mac OS Extended: The file system used by macOS 10.12 or earlier.

The overall best external hard drive for Mac or PC.ĭisk Utility on Mac supports several file system formats:Īpple File System (APFS): The file system used by macOS 10.13 or later.

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