When it comes to choosing a partition for an external hard drive or USB flash drive that needs to be compatible with both Mac and Windows, the two main options are exFAT and FAT32. Both of these filesystem formats can be read and written to by Mac and Windows without any additional software. However, each one has advantages and disadvantages to consider.
Quick Answer
For most users, exFAT is generally the best option for a cross-platform partition that works seamlessly between Mac and Windows. exFAT combines the benefits of FAT32 – universal compatibility across devices and operating systems – with the ability to store large files over 4GB that is missing from FAT32. The main downside to exFAT is lack of journaling and robustness features found in more modern filesystems, but it’s a small tradeoff for ease of use and compatibility.
What is exFAT?
exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table) is a modern replacement for the aging FAT32 filesystem introduced over 20 years ago. It builds on FAT32’s universal device compatibility and removes many limitations:
- Supports individual files up to 16 exbibytes (EB) in size
- No realistic limit on maximum volume size (up to 128 PB)
- Free space allocation and file location is more efficient compared to FAT32
exFAT devices can be plugged into any modern Mac or Windows machine without needing to install third-party software. Both operating systems have full built-in support for reading and writing exFAT volumes.
exFAT Advantages
- No need to format – works between Mac and Windows interchangeably out of the box
- Stores files over 4GB in size (not limited like FAT32)
- Faster at writing and accessing lots of small files compared to HFS+ or FAT32
- Ideal for external drives and flash drives that are frequently accessed across Mac and Windows machines
exFAT Disadvantages
- Lacks built-in recovery tools and journaling found on more robust filesystems like NTFS and HFS+
- No file compression or encryption capabilities
- Max volume size lower than more modern filesystems (128 PB limit)
- No user permissions – all files are globally readable and writeable
What is FAT32?
FAT32 (File Allocation Table) is an older filesystem originally introduced in Windows 95 to replace the earlier FAT16. It builds on the ubiquity of FAT16 by increasing the maximum volume size from 2GB to 8TB, and the maximum file size from 2GB to 4GB.
Although very outdated by today’s standards, FAT32’s age is also its biggest advantage – it offers compatibility with practically every device imaginable from digital cameras to games consoles to media players and more. FAT32 works seamlessly on Mac and Windows with no additional software required.
FAT32 Advantages
- Universal compatibility with all versions of Windows, Mac, Linux, games consoles, cameras, etc
- Simple, lightweight implementation compared to more modern filesystems
FAT32 Disadvantages
- Individual files limited to 4GB in size
- Maximum volume size limited to 8TB
- No built-in file compression or encryption capabilities
- Limited number of files can be stored on a volume (268 million)
- Slower performance than more modern filesystems
Should I use exFAT or FAT32?
For most users today, exFAT is generally the best option for creating a universal external drive or flash drive that will be used across both Mac and Windows:
- exFAT has no practical file size or volume limits for most consumer uses
- Works interchangeably between Mac and Windows with no formatting required
- More efficient than FAT32 when dealing with lots of small files
The only exception where FAT32 may be better is if you need compatibility with legacy devices that do not support exFAT – for example older digital cameras, media players, etc. But for modern Mac and Windows machines, exFAT is almost always the better choice.
Formatting a Drive with exFAT or FAT32
To format an external drive or USB flash drive with exFAT or FAT32 on Mac or Windows, follow these steps:
On Mac
- Connect the external drive or flash drive to your Mac
- Open Finder and select the drive on the left sidebar
- Click Erase at the top of the Finder window
- For Format, select MS-DOS (FAT) or exFAT
- Give the drive a name and click Erase to format
On Windows
- Connect the external drive or flash drive to your PC
- Open File Explorer and right-click the drive
- Click Format…
- Under File System, select FAT32 or exFAT
- Give the drive a name and click Start to format
That’s all there is to it! The drive will now be formatted and ready to use as a plug-and-play storage device across Mac and Windows machines.
What about NTFS for Mac?
NTFS is the default filesystem format for Windows machines. By default it is read-only on Mac, meaning files can be accessed but not modified or deleted. However, Macs can get full read-write access to NTFS drives with the free Seagate NTFS for Mac driver.
This makes NTFS a viable cross-platform file system as well between Windows and Mac. The main advantages of using NTFS are:
- Full read-write compatibility on both Windows and Mac with NTFS driver software
- Advanced features like file compression, encryption, permissions, and disk quotas
- Better performance for file operations over exFAT or FAT32
- Journaling for improved data integrity and recovery
The tradeoffs are slightly more setup required on Mac, and potential compatibility issues with other non-Windows/Mac devices. But for advanced users NTFS is a compelling option for a shared drive between Windows and Mac.
What about HFS+?
HFS+ is the default filesystem for modern Mac machines. Like NTFS, it is read-only on Windows by default but can be given full read-write access with paid third-party software like Paragon HFS+ for Windows.
HFS+ has similar advantages to NTFS in terms of advanced features and performance vs exFAT/FAT32. However, HFS+ volumes formatted on Mac can only be manually mounted on Windows, not plug-and-play. This makes HFS+ a bit more cumbersome for casual cross-platform use compared to exFAT.
Summary
- For effortless cross-platform compatibility, use exFAT
- FAT32 is an option if you need support for legacy devices
- NTFS requires third-party software on Mac, but can be high performance and feature-rich
- HFS+ is powerful for Mac-only drives and supported on Windows with extra setup
In general exFAT strikes the best balance of compatibility, performance, and ease of use for most people sharing a drive between Windows and Mac computers.