Can I Read a Mac Formatted Drive
Need to read Mac drives in Windows?
Unfortunately, it's not a straightforward process; you lot can't just connect the Mac bulldoze and expect information technology to work. Here's everything you demand to know to get information technology working.
Why Can't Windows Read Mac Drives?
Windows and macOS use different file systems. Windows uses the NTFS file organisation for its internal drives, whereas Apple replaced HFS+ with its successor—Apple File Organization (APFS)—in early 2017. Today, APFS is used on Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs.
External hard disks and USB drives are mostly formatted with the Windows FAT32 file arrangement for maximum compatibility. Virtually devices, including Macs, tin can read and write from FAT32 devices.
All new Macs will be formatted with APFS. Older Mac drives are likely still formatted with the HFS+ file system. Windows can't read either file organization past default.
We'll show you lot how to admission your Mac-formatted APFS or HFS+ drive on Windows.
How to Read APFS on Windows
Firstly, allow's look at how to read the newer Apple File System format on Windows. All these apps will allow you to read drives from any updated Apple device, not simply Macs.
1. MacDrive
MacDrive has been 1 of the get-to apps for a long fourth dimension. The start version was released way back in 1996. If y'all're prepared to spend some money, you lot don't demand to look elsewhere.
The app works with APFS drives and HFS+ drives.
Different some options, MacDrive lets y'all read and write information to your Mac-formatted drive directly from Windows.
The app is focused on the freshly redesigned Deejay Direction Window. It acts every bit a hub for all the Mac drives connected to Windows.
You volition also be able to see your APFS or HFS+ drive straight within File Explorer, assuasive easy integration with the rest of the Windows operating organization.
Other useful features include the ability to create and sectionalisation Mac disks direct from your PC, a powerful disk repair characteristic, and robust security tools.
The standard version costs $49.99. There's also a Pro version. Information technology adds several extra features, including automatic file defragmentation, support for RAID setups, and a way to create Mac ISO files.
A 5-day free trial is bachelor.
Download: MacDrive for Windows 10 ($49.99)
2. Paragon APFS for Windows
Paragon APFS for Windows is some other paid app. It is the primary competitor of MacDrive.
The app provides read and write access to APFS-formatted partitions, read and write access to compressed and cloned files, and read-merely back up for encrypted volumes.
Information technology supports disk auto-mounting at start-up just doesn't take MacDrive's partition tools.
Check Out Paragon's Wide Range of Solutions, Hither
MacDrive has one big advantage over Paragon's app: HFS+ support. Paragon APFS for Windows just supports APFS-formatted drives. If you have some older Mac drives lying around that are even so running HFS+, you would need to buy Paragon HFS+ for Windows separately. MacDrive, therefore, is a more than economical option.
1 license—which costs $49.95—works on three Windows PCs.
Download: Paragon APFS for Windows 10 ($49.95)
3. UFS Explorer Standard Access
Our tertiary and final recommendation for reading APFS drives on Windows is UFS Explorer Standard Recovery. Once once more, it'due south a paid pick. The app will cost you €59.95.
UFS Explorer Standard Recovery is the most versatile app on this listing. It can read the two formats nosotros care about—APFS and HFS+—equally well as NTFS, FAT, FAT32, exFAT, SGI XFS, Linux JFS, Unix/BSD, UFS/UFS2, and VMware VMFS.
Equally such, this is the app you lot should cull if you discover yourself hopping between lots of different operating systems during your day.
UFS Explorer Standard Recovery also comes with RAID support as standard. The app has a built-in RAID builder, then you lot can customize it for your array.
There is a free version of the app with no fourth dimension limits, but it will only let y'all copy files smaller than 256KB in size.
Download: UFS Explorer Standard Access for Windows 10 (€59.95)
How to Read HFS+ on Windows
If your Mac-formatted drive is still running HFS+, use one of these iii methods instead.
one. Install Apple tree HFS+ Drivers
If you simply need read admission, yous can install the Apple HFS+ drivers for Windows. Exist sure to remove Paragon or MacDrive before proceeding.
Download the correct Windows commuter packet, then follow these steps:
- Re-create the ApplsHFS.sys and AppleMNT.sys files to C:\Windows\System32\drivers
- Merge the Add_AppleHFS.reg file with your Windows registry.
- Restart your system.
The video above as well demonstrates the process.
After restarting, your Mac-formatted drive should testify up under This PC. This method only gives you read access to the drive. If you would like to edit or delete files, endeavour i of the alternative methods beneath.
2. HFSExplorer
HFSExplorer is completely free. You lot can use it to access Mac file systems from Windows without paying a dime. The programmer hasn't updated it since October 2022 due to the inflow of APFS, simply it yet works on older systems.
HFSExplorer requires Java. We more often than not recommend against having Java installed, but information technology'south necessary here unless you want to spend money. You as well need to run the app equally an Admin.
This tool is uncomplicated to employ. Connect your Mac-formatted drive to your Windows organisation, open HFSExplorer, and click File > Load File Organization From Device. HFSExplorer can automatically locate any continued devices with HFS+ file systems and open them. You can then excerpt files from the HFSExplorer window to your Windows bulldoze.
Note that HFSExplorer is read-merely, then you can't modify or delete files on your Mac drive. Information technology also doesn't integrate with Windows File Explorer—files are available in the HFSExplorer application, and y'all must copy them elsewhere.
Download: HFSExplorer for Windows ten (Free)
3. Paragon HFS+ for Windows
Paragon HFS+ for Windows is a paid awarding, but it distinguishes itself with additional features.
Unlike HFSExplorer, Paragon HFS+ for Windows provides full read/write access to Mac drives and promises loftier functioning. It even integrates HFS+ file systems with Windows Explorer or File Explorer on Windows. Whatever Windows program can read from or write to the Mac drive.
The app costs $xix.95, but it also offers a ten-day gratis trial. If yous need to recover files from a drive, x days is enough of time to install this file system driver, copy your files over, and uninstall information technology.
Paragon HFS+ doesn't need Java to work.
Download: Paragon HFS+ for Windows x ($19.95)
Format the Mac Drive for Windows
If you lot have a Mac drive lying around and you no longer accept a Mac, you're non stuck with the Mac file arrangement forever. Afterward recovering the files from your drive with one of the tools above, you lot can then format the drive and convert information technology to a standard FAT32 partition that will work with most devices.
Formatting volition erase all the files on your bulldoze, so make sure you lot have backed upwardly your files. To format the drive, use the dialog that appears when you connect the drive to your computer.
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