You can format the external hard drive or USB drive to make it compatible with both Mac and Windows machines. This thing is still unknown for many users but doesn’t worry it’s not complex.
- Formatting Usb For Mac And Microsoft Office
- Formatting Usb For Mac And Microsoft Word
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- Formatting Usb For Mac And Microsoft Windows 10
If you are techy and use Windows and Mac computers frequently, then you might need to transfer data between Mac and PC. Windows and macOS filesystems are different and you might need to format the drive every time to use on both platforms. You don’t need to format the hard drive every time you can choose a filesystem while formating the drive so the hard drive or USB drive work on both Mac and PC
So to get rid of these situations we bring here a guide that will help you to format your drive which works on both platforms and you don’t need to format and backup data every time. After cross-compatible formatting, simply unplug the drive from one machine and then plug it to another. Sounds good to you right? So let’s started, how this works.
Understand file systems for Mac and PC
There are three common file system types to format an external USB or hard drive, SSD drive, SD card and etc. FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT, let’s have a look what’s the difference between these formats.
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How to Format USB Drive in Windows or Mac. After choosing the best format for USB drive according to your needs, you might start to wonder: how do I format USB drive to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT/EXT 2,3,4/HFS+ in Windows operating system or Mac? Well, don't worry. If you need to format USB drive to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT/EXT 2,3,4/HFS+ file system, please. A Mac will format a hard drive to HFS+ which Windows cannot see, both Mac and Windows can see a NTFS formatted drive. You will need to use a 3rd party HFS+ to NTFS conversion utility that will not result in data loss, Windows itself cannot do that - there are a few available on the Web for free. Is it possible to format USB flash drive without losing data. When you encounter USB not formatted error, USB not accessible nor readable and some other problems, the best way to fix the issue is to format the USB flash drive. But most people can not do it, as formatting will cause all files lost on the device. An External Hard Drive Compatible With Both Windows & a Mac. If you have both Windows and Mac computers in your office, it's important to understand their different storage requirements before buying an external hard drive. Both operating systems use different formats for reading and writing to a.
FAT 32 Format
This format is pretty old but supported and it’s not efficient as compared to NTFS. It doesn’t support big features but offers great compatibility which means it’s compatible with all versions of Windows. It can only support 4GB file size and up to 8TB hard drivers. It’s not capable to store files larger than 4GB.
NTFS Format
NTFS is a modern format system and Windows also uses this format for itself and for other non-removable drives by default. This format is also compatible with all versions of Windows but limited to none Windows OS as FAT32.
exFAT Format
exFAT drives are faster at reading and writing as compared to FAT32. This format can store large files and it’s also lightweight. It’s compatible with all versions of Windows and the best thing it’s along with Windows it’s also compatible with macOS, Linux, and Android, etc.
- If your drive is formatted as Windows default format NTFS then its only readable to macOS. You can’t do more than that or you have to install a separate app on Mac to read write the drive.
- Drive with macOS format HFS+ cant readable to Windows.
- FAT32 format works on both Windows and Mac but the problem is you can only work with the files with Maximum size 4GB.
Learn more: Copy data on NTFS drive in macOS
FAT32 is much better than NTFS and HFS+ coz it works on both operating systems. You can also install drivers on each OS to make work your drive. So exFAT is much better than all of these formats and a simple option but this will not work on Leopard. Auto save microsoft excel mac.
Format and external hard drive on Mac
First, let’s see how to format an external hard drive or USB drive in macOS which works with both Mac and PC platforms, first plug-in your drive in macOS machine.
- Open Disk Utility on your macOS, press cmd + spacebar keys and type Disk Utility in the spotlight search. Open Disk Utility from the search results.
- On the Disk Utility interface, select an external drive click on the Erase button from top of the window (make sure and bcakup your drive before erasing it).
- Now enter the name for the external drive which will be used after formatting and also select exFAT for Format option and click on the Erase. This will format the drive as ExFAT format and your drive is now compatible with both platforms.
Format hard drive in Windows
The below steps for formatting external drive is for Windows 10 and also works the same with an old version of Windows. To format your external drive hard drive in Windows which works with both platforms, first plug-in your drive with Windows machine.
Open Disk Management tool by right-clicking on start menu icon and then select Disk Management. Now right click on the external drive and click on format option (double-check the drive name and capacity to make sure you are going to format the right drive.)
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Now enter the Volume label as you need and change the File system for exFat and click Ok. Now you are done.
Share your experience, how do you use an external hard drive on both Mac and PC. Did you format the drive as exFAT ? or use any utility that helps the system to read another type of file system. Please leave a comment below.
Related Content
On Windows 10, the ability to format a USB flash drive can come in handy in a number of scenarios. For example, you might want to reformat a new or used removable storage device to make sure it doesn't contain any malicious code. Or if a thumb drive is inaccessible because of data corruption. Maybe you received a flash drive using a file system that isn't compatible with your system configuration. Or you're planning to give the drive away and want to make sure personal information doesn't go along with it.
Whatever the reason, Windows 10 ships with several tools to format virtually any kind of storage, including USB flash drives, using File Explorer, Disk Management, Command Prompt, and PowerShell.
In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the different ways you can format a USB flash drive to quickly erase its contents or fix problems when the device isn't recognized.
Warning: Using any of the instructions outlined below will erase the contents on the drive you select. If you have any important files, you should back them up before proceeding.
How to format a USB flash drive using File Explorer
To format a USB flash drive using File Explorer, use these steps:
- Open File Explorer.
- Click on This PC from the left pane.
- Under the 'Devices and drivers' section, right-click the flash drive and select the Format option.
- Use the 'File system' drop-down menu and select the NTFS option.Quick tip: If you're planning to use the removable drive on Windows 10 as well as on macOS systems, you may want to select the exFAT option for compatibility. However, if you're also thinking about using the device on a Linux machine, FAT32 is the best option, even though you'll be limited to 4GB file sizes.
- In the 'Allocation unit size' drop-down menu use the default selection.
- In the 'Volume label' field, type a label to quickly identify the flash drive in File Explorer. For example, workFlash.
- Under the 'Format options' section, select the Quick format option.Note: The 'Quick format' option only deletes the file system table and the root folder, but the data may still be recoverable on the drive. If you don't check the option, a full format will take place, and it'll perform a scan for bad sectors and writes zeros in all sectors to delete the data. As a result, the process can take a long time depending on the size of the storage.
- Click the Start button.
- Click the Yes button.
Once you complete these steps, you can start storing documents, pictures, videos, and other files on the removable drive.
How to format a USB flash drive using Disk Management
Using Disk Management, there are at least two ways to format a removable drive. You can format the drive to rebuild the file system table and erase its content. Or you can delete the partition containing the file system and data, which can come in handy to fix problems with storage.
Formatting flash drive
To use Disk Management to format a USB drive, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Disk Management and click the top result to open the experience.
- Right-click the removable drive and select the Format option.
- In the 'Volume label' field, type a label to quickly identify the flash drive in File Explorer.
- Use the 'File system' drop-down menu and select the NTFS option. (You can also select the 'FAT32' or 'exFAT' option.)
- In the 'Allocation unit size' drop-down menu use the Default option.
- Check the Perform a quick format option.
- (Optional) Check the Enable file and folder compression option.
- Click the OK button.
After completing the steps, the flash drive will be erased and ready to use in File Explorer.
Cleaning and formatting flash drive
If you're dealing with errors and other problems, you can use these steps to clean the USB flash drive and start from scratch with a new partition and file system using Disk Management:
- Open Start.
- Search for Disk Management and click the top result to open the experience.
- Right-click the removable drive and select the Delete volume option.
- Click the Yes button.
- Right-click the 'Unallocated' space and choose the New Simple Volume option.
- Click the Next button.
- Click the Next button again.
- Select the Assign the following drive letter option.
- Use the drop-down menu to select an available letter.Quick tip: If you're assigning a letter manually, it's best to select a letter in reverse order (Z, Y, X, and so on).
- Click the Next button.
- Select the Format this volume with the following settings option.
- Use the File system drop-down menu and select the NTFS option.Note: Using this method, you can only use 'NTFS' or 'FAT32.' If you need to format the drive using 'exFAT,' you'll need to use Command Prompt or PowerShell
- In the 'Allocation unit size' drop-down menu use the Default option.
- In the 'Volume label' field, type a label to quickly identify the flash drive in File Explorer.
- Check the Perform a quick format option. (If you clear the option, a full format will take place, which can take a long time.)
- (Optional) Check the Enable file and folder compression option.
- Click the Next button.
- Click the Finish button.
Once you complete these steps, a new partition will be created, and a new file system will be configured, fixing common problems with the flash drive, including data corruption.
If you're unable to perform a format, it's likely that the removable drive is physically damaged. If this is the case, you can always purchase another USB flash drive, such as the SanDisk Extreme Go (CZ800), which comes in 64GB and 128GB variants with enough space to save large files and small backups.
Reliable storage
SanDisk Extreme Go
If you're in the market for a reliable thumb drive with enough storage for large projects and fast transfer speeds, the SanDisk Extreme Go (CZ800) is an excellent option. The USB drive offers up to 128GB of storage with transfers speeds up to 200MB/s, it's backed by the strong brand, and it even includes some nifty features like password protection, recovery, and encryption. It's also affordable, at around $31 for 128GB.
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How to format a USB flash drive using Command Prompt
Alternatively, you can also use Command Prompt to format a USB flash drive to delete the file system table and data. Or you can also use the tool to clean the drive and start fresh with a new partition and file system table.
Formatting flash drive
To perform a quick or full format of a USB flash drive using Command Prompt, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to perform a quick format of the USB flash drive and press Enter (twice):
format VOLUME: /v:FLASHDRIVE-LABEL /fs:FILE-SYSTEM /q
In the command, make sure to replace the 'VOLUME' with the correct drive letter of the storage, 'FLASHDRIVE-LABEL' with the name you want the drive to appear in File Explorer, 'FILE-SYSTEM' with one of the available file systems, including 'FAT32,' 'exFAT,' or 'NTFS' (recommended).This example is a quick format of the E drive:format E: /v:workFlash /fs:NTFS /q
- (Optional) Type the following command to perform a full format of the USB flash drive and press Enter (twice):
format VOLUME: /v:FLASHDRIVE-LABEL /fs:FILE-SYSTEM
Where did microsoft word go on my mac. This example performs a full format of the E drive:format E: /v:'workFlash' /fs:NTFS
After completing the steps, the thumb drive will be formatted with the option that you specified.
Cleaning and formatting flash drive
To clean and format a USB thumb drive with Command Prompt, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to launch the diskpart tool and press Enter:
diskpart
- Type the following command to view a list of the available drives and press Enter:
list disk
- Type the following command to select the flash drive you want to delete and press Enter:
select disk DISK-NUMBER
In the command, make sure to replace 'DISK-NUMBER' for the correct number that represents the drive you're trying to format.This example selects the flash drive listed as disk number 1:select disk 1
- Microsoft bluetooth notebook mouse 5000 mac setup. Type the following command to delete all the partitions and press Enter:
clean
- Type the following command to create a primary partition and press Enter:
create partition primary
- Type the following command to perform a quick format and press Enter:
format fs=FILE-SYSTEM label=DRIVE-NAME quick
In the command, make sure to replace 'NTFS' for your preferred file system, 'workFlash' for the name you want to give the device, and if you don't specify the 'quick' option, then a full format will be performed.This example quickly formats the removable storage using the NTFS file system:format fs=NTFS label=workFlash quick
- Type the following command to assign a drive letter and press Enter:
assign
Quick note: You can append 'letter=e' in the command to assign (in this case) 'E' as the drive letter. Otherwise, the system will assign a letter automatically. - Type the following command to terminate diskpart and press Enter:
exit
Once you complete these steps, diskpart will remove any information on the USB flash drive. It'll create a new partition and configure a compatible file system to store files from your Windows 10, macOS, or Linux machine (depending on your settings).
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How to format a USB flash drive using PowerShell
Similar to Command Prompt, you can use PowerShell to quickly format a removable flash drive to erase its content. Or you can also use the command-line tool to clean and format the device, deleting its contents and fixing issues.
Formatting flash drive
To format a USB flash drive using PowerShell commands, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to perform a quick format on the flash drive and press Enter:
Format-Volume -DriveLetter DRIVE-LETTER -FileSystem FILE-SYSTEM
In the command, make sure to replace 'DRIVE-LETTER' with the correct letter that reflects the drive you want to format, and 'FILE-SYSTEM' for FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS (recommended).This example performs a quick format of the E: drive:Format-Volume -DriveLetter E -FileSystem NTFS
- (Optional) Type the following command to perform a full format on the USB flash drive and press Enter:
Format-Volume -DriveLetter DRIVE-LETTER -FileSystem FILE-SYSTEM -Full -Force
This example performs a full format of the E: drive:Format-Volume -DriveLetter E -FileSystem NTFS -Full -Force
Microsoft office 2011 mac amazon download app. After completing the steps, PowerShell will format the removable storage with the settings you specified.
Cleaning and formatting flash drive
To clean and format a removable drive with PowerShell commands, use these steps:
- Open Start.
- Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to view the flash drive you want to fix and press Enter:
Get-Disk
- Type the following command to delete the volume and press Enter:
Get-Disk DISK-NUMBER | Clear-Disk -RemoveData
In the command, change 'DISK-NUMBER' for the correct number that represents the flash drive you're formatting.This example selects and cleans the disk number 1:Get-Disk 1 | Clear-Disk -RemoveData
- Type Y to confirm the action and press Enter.
- Type the following command to create a new partition and press Enter:
New-Partition -DiskNumber DISK-NUMBER -UseMaximumSize
In the command, change 'DISK-NUMBER' to the correct number that represents the flash drive you're formatting.This example creates a new partition using the entire space available on drive number 1:New-Partition -DiskNumber 1 -UseMaximumSize
- Type the following command to perform a quick format and assign a drive label, and press Enter:
Get-Partition -DiskNumber DISK-NUMBER | Format-Volume -FileSystem FILE-SYSTEM -NewFileSystemLabel DRIVE-NAME
In the command, change 'DISK-NUMBER' to the correct number of your storage, 'FILE-SYSTEM' for 'NTFS,' 'FAT32,' or 'exFAT,' and 'DRIVE-NAME' with the name you want the device to appear in File Explorer.This example selects and formats drive number 1 using the NTFS file system:Get-Partition -DiskNumber 1 | Format-Volume -FileSystem NTFS -NewFileSystemLabel workFlash
- Type the following command to assign a new letter to the drive and press Enter:
Get-Partition -DiskNumber DISK-NUMBER | Set-Partition -NewDriveLetter DRIVE-LETTER
In the command, replace 'DISK-NUMBER' for the correct number of your removable storage, and 'DRIVE-LETTER' with the letter you want the device to appear in File Explorer.This example sets E as the drive letter for disk number 1:Get-Partition -DiskNumber 1 | Set-Partition -NewDriveLetter E
Once you complete these steps, similar to Command Prompt, PowerShell will remove any information in the USB flash drive to fix problems, including data corruption, write protection, and unrecognized drives. Then it'll create a new partition and configure a compatible file system to store files from your Windows 10, macOS, or Linux machine (depending on your configuration).
More Windows 10 resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:
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