This is due to the fact that FAT32 is an older file system. This means that if you’re looking to transfer a video file that’s over 4GB in size, you will not be able to. However, one of the main differences between FAT32 and ExFat is that the former will only support file sizes of up to 4GB. MS-DOS FATĪlso known as FAT32 on some systems, this is another option that you can choose if you want to format a hard drive that will be compatible across Windows and Mac. This is the option that we told you that you should choose if you wish to ensure that your hard drive will be compatible (which means that it can read and write) on both Windows and Mac computer systems.

Once completed, you should see the new file type of your hard drive (note that prior to formatting it said NTFS).ĭuring the process of formatting your hard drive, under the Format section you would have noticed that there are quite a few different options for you to choose from, so the question is, what are the differences between the file formats and which should you choose? ExFAT.

Click Erase and depending on how much you have stored on it, it could take seconds or minutes to complete.

Click the Erase tab at the top of the screen.

Select the drive from the left side of the window.Launch the Disk Utility app which can be found in Applications > Other.Plug in your external hard drive or USB flash drive to your Mac computer.The process to format an external hard drive or USB flash drive for your Mac is pretty easy and straightforward. How To Format An External Hard Drive For Mac However, if you’re looking to ensure full compatibility between Windows and Mac, check out the steps below. We’re sure that some of you have encountered situations where you plug in an external hard drive or USB flash drive to your Mac computer, only to find that it won’t read or you can make changes to it due to it being formatted only for Windows. This can make it a bit tricky if you’re a Mac user, especially if you’re looking to buy an external hard drive where sometimes, some models might come preformatted for Windows use. Most accessory makers tend to build accessories for the more dominant platforms, which is why a lot of computer peripherals tend to be more focused towards Windows users.

Format external hard drive mac