Do I need NTFS for Mac? The external Hard drives to which I back up are both AFPS format. I am running a Mac Studio with latest version of Tahoe
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: NTFS
Mac Studio (M4 Max, 2025)
NTFS is shorthand For [Windows] New Technology File System. if you don't read Windows drives, you don't need NTFS. MacOS CAN already read most native NTFS drives. But it can not create new NTFS drives, or write files onto NTFS Drives, unless you have added royalty-paying software that extends MacOS to write those files.
When you buy a new drive, it might come pre-initialized in Windows NFTS format, and include Drivers that the drive-maker encourages you to Install. "For your convenience" those Drivers will simulate a MacOS volume on the still fundamentally NTFS drive.
DON'T Just Install those! Instead, ERASE (by the Physical Volume) any large Drives using Mac Disk Utility to GUID partition scheme and APFS volume(s). This will allow you to access the drive in MacOS and Recovery at all times -- especially after a crash when the NTFS Driver will not be loaded (and therefore the drive may not be fully available.)
Microsoft considers NTFS as its Proprietary property, and has threatened to sue anyone who uses NTFS without permission into oblivion (unless they pay royalties). Apple considers that nonsense, and has instead developed their own Modern full-featured File System, Apple File System (APFS).
if you use a small drive for File Exchange with a Windows machine, such as a USB Thumb drive, EXFAT format works just fine.
NTFS is shorthand For [Windows] New Technology File System. if you don't read Windows drives, you don't need NTFS. MacOS CAN already read most native NTFS drives. But it can not create new NTFS drives, or write files onto NTFS Drives, unless you have added royalty-paying software that extends MacOS to write those files.
When you buy a new drive, it might come pre-initialized in Windows NFTS format, and include Drivers that the drive-maker encourages you to Install. "For your convenience" those Drivers will simulate a MacOS volume on the still fundamentally NTFS drive.
DON'T Just Install those! Instead, ERASE (by the Physical Volume) any large Drives using Mac Disk Utility to GUID partition scheme and APFS volume(s). This will allow you to access the drive in MacOS and Recovery at all times -- especially after a crash when the NTFS Driver will not be loaded (and therefore the drive may not be fully available.)
Microsoft considers NTFS as its Proprietary property, and has threatened to sue anyone who uses NTFS without permission into oblivion (unless they pay royalties). Apple considers that nonsense, and has instead developed their own Modern full-featured File System, Apple File System (APFS).
if you use a small drive for File Exchange with a Windows machine, such as a USB Thumb drive, EXFAT format works just fine.
Both APFS (Apple) and NTFS (Windows) are proprietary file systems. If you don’t need to access Windows storage devices you don’t need NTFS and should not use it on a regular basis with your Mac Studio.
macOS 26 Tahoe has a built-in ability to read devices formatted with NTFS, but not write to them. If you want to be able to write to NTFS devices you’ll need to purchase a third party utility that enables it.
No.
(264824)
Also, connecting over a network to a remote (or on your Home Network) system based on NTFS Drives effectively 'launders out" the specifics of the remote computer's File System, and just presents you with the Files, not NTFS-specific anything.
Therefore, NO additional NTFS or other Drivers are required if accessed over a Network.
Do I need NTFS for Mac if my external hard drives are APFS?
