

It is also widely supported by memory storage technology companies and third-party operating systems like OS X and Linux. Microsoft introduced exFAT in 2006 it’s an optimized version of FAT, providing better performance advantages over FAT32. Now you’ll be able to save and copy files to your thumb drive on both Windows and OS X. In the Format list box, select ExFAT, enter a Volume Label if you want, then click Erase.

Select your thumb drive in the Disk Utility window, then click the Erase tab. Launch Disk Utility press Command+Space then type: disk utility.


If you only use a Mac computer, you can format your thumb drive to work on Windows systems.Ĭonnect the thumb drive to your Mac. In the File System list box, choose exFAT, type in a Volume Label if you want, and then click Start.Ĭlick OK to the format warning and wait until the process is complete. Right-click your flash drive and then select Format. Prepare a Thumb Drive for Both Windows and OS X or macOS Prepare a Thumb Drive for Both Windows and OS X or macOS On Windows, connect your thumb drive. Before you start, though, make sure your thumb drive is formatted so it can work on both Windows and macOS. If you’re working in a mixed environment, where you might need to work on files between both systems, a handy solution is to use a thumb drive. This makes it difficult to move data between the two unless you have them networked together. Take a look online to make sure the files you're trying to transfer to the Mac are compatible with macOS.MacOS uses the HFS+ file system, while Windows uses the NTFS file system that shares little in common. If your drive shows up on a Mac, but it appears to be empty, it could be a problem with the types of files you're trying to transfer. Make Sure the Contents of the Drive Work With macOS If it doesn't work anywhere, then you can be certain there's a problem with the drive. Try using a different drive or a different port instead.Īlternatively, try using your USB drive with a different computer to see if it works with that. If you use your drive with both PCs and Macs. If your USB flash drive or external hard drive doesn't show up in Disk Utility, then there is probably a physical problem with the drive or the USB port on your Mac. exFAT is a lightweight file system compatible with all versions of Windows and modern versions of macOS. Click the First Aid button in Disk Utility to fix any issues with the drive, then try to access it in Finder again. If your USB drive is in ExFAT, FAT32, APFS, or Mac OS Extended format then it should work on your Mac. So you'll need to reformat your drive if it uses NTFS format.
