If you're searching for the best methods to format internal hard drives on a Mac, you've come to the right place. Formatting the internal hard drive may become necessary when selling your Mac or encountering issues like malware, corrupted files, or storage problems. So, what should you do in such situations?

To eliminate data from your Mac's internal hard drive, simply follow the comprehensive guide outlined below. We will discuss the optimal format for the Mac's internal hard drive, as well as various methods for formatting the Mac hard drive. This guide caters to both beginners and professionals, enabling them to embark on their internal hard drive formatting journey. Let's begin with the recommended format.

internal hard drive in mac

What is the Best File System Format for a Mac Internal Hard Drive?

It is essential for Mac users to be aware of certain specifics when dealing with their Mac's internal hard drive. A key aspect to consider is the various drive formats, which determine the compatibility of a hard drive with a Mac system. Therefore, both beginners and professionals should comprehend the optimal format for Mac internal hard drives.

So, let's delve into the details of the top four hard drive formats:

1. Apple File System or APFS: Introduced in 2017, APFS was initially used in macOS Sierra. Designed with flash storage and Solid-State Drives (SSDs) in mind, which are commonly found in devices like Mac Mini, iMac Pro, iMac, MacBook Pro, and MacBook, APFS enables rapid data sharing between files and can instantaneously duplicate files within seconds. However, a drawback of APFS is that it may not be the most suitable format for external hard drives.

2. Hierarchical File System or HFS: This is the default formatting option that comes with formatting the internal hard drive on a Mac. The macOS Extended (Journaled) is an enhanced version of HFS+, and it is followed by the macOS Extended (Case Sensitive) option.

    2.1 MacOS Extended (Journaled): This format ensures the safe storage of media on the drive and protects files from corruption. However, it is compatible only with Mac systems. 2.2 MacOS Extended Case Sensitive: It includes all the primary features of MacOS Extended (Journaled) and adds a case-sensitive file system. The potential issue with this format is that it might result in duplicate files due to accidental human errors, as different filenames differing only in case may be treated as separate files.

3. New Technology File System or NTFS: This is the widely employed internal hard drive format for Windows devices. NTFS is optimal for Windows, but it does have one notable concern: It creates read-only drives, preventing users from modifying or adding content to the drive.

4. Extensible File Allocation Table (exFAT): This is the ideal internal hard drive format for both Windows and Mac devices. It resolves device issues by eliminating file size and volume size restrictions. However, the downside of exFAT is that it can lead to corrupted files, necessitating frequent file backups.

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NTFS or exFAT for HDD, SSD, M.2, NVMe

The dialog box displaying these two choices won't explain their differences. However, you don't need to worry anymore.

disk management

Thus, users can easily opt for the best format for their Mac's internal hard drive. APFS was the first built-in format, with macOS Extended (Journaled) and macOS Extended (Case Sensitive) being excellent options. For Windows, users can choose NTFS, while exFAT serves as the cross-platform file exchange format.

How to Format an Internal Hard Drive on a Mac?

  1. Solution 1: Format the Internal Disk with Disk Utility
  2. Solution 2: Use Terminal to Format Internal Hard Drive for macOS

The various Mac internal hard drive formats, such as APFS, HFS, NTFS, exFAT, and so on, are relatively straightforward to comprehend. Upon examining their specifics, users can choose the appropriate format according to their device's requirements. Now, let's proceed to the detailed steps for formatting an internal hard drive on a Mac. The top two methods for this purpose are:

Method 1: Format the Internal Disk using Disk Utility

Disk Utility is a complimentary Mac computer application. It enables users to easily access and format storage devices, startup disks, SSDs, the primary hard drive of a Mac, USB flash drives, and more. The crucial thing to remember is that before formatting, you should have a backup of your data, as this process will erase all the existing data on the drive. To format the internal hard drive on a Mac using Disk Utility, follow these simple steps: 1. **Open Disk Utility**: Click on the "Finder" icon in the Dock, then go to "Applications," followed by "Utilities." Locate and launch "Disk Utility." 2. **Select the Drive**: In the left sidebar of Disk Utility, find and select the internal hard drive you wish to format. Be careful not to choose the wrong drive, as formatting will delete its contents. 3. **Erase the Drive**: Click on the "Erase" tab at the top of the window. You'll see options for "Name," "Format," and "Scheme." 4. **Set Name and Format**: Enter a new name for your drive in the "Name" field if desired. For the "Format" field, choose the file system you want to use (e.g., macOS Extended (Journaled), APFS for newer Macs). The "Scheme" usually defaults to "GUID Partition Map," which is suitable for most cases. 5. **Confirm Formatting**: Review your selections, then click "Erase" or "Format" to proceed. A warning message will appear, reminding you about data loss; click "Erase" again to confirm. 6. **Wait for Formatting**: The formatting process will begin, and it may take some time depending on the size of the drive. Do not interrupt the process. 7. **Completion**: Once the formatting is done, your internal hard drive will be ready for use with a clean slate. Close Disk Utility, and you can now install macOS or transfer your backed-up data to the formatted drive. Remember, always back up important data before formatting to avoid any potential loss.

Step 1. Begin by starting your Mac from macOS Recovery by pressing and holding "Command + R" immediately to open the "Utilities" window.

Step 2. In the macOS Recovery Utilities window, click on "Disk Utility" and then proceed by clicking "Continue."

selecting disk utility

Step 3. Locate the data volume with the hard drive name and select it.

Step 4. Click "Edit" followed by "Delete APFS Volume" from the menu bar, or click the "delete button (-)" in the Disk Utility toolbar.

Step 5. Choose "Delete" from the pop-up.

selecting delete

Step 6. After deleting the volume, select the hard drive name in the sidebar and click the "Erase" button, then enter the new name.

Step 7. Choose the APFS format option, or you can opt for the default recommended Mac format. After that, select "Erase."

Step 8. Exit the Disk Utility in the "Utilities" window and reinstall macOS if you want to restart this menu.

Method 2: Format Internal Hard Drive for Mac Using Terminal

The second method is to format the internal hard drive on a Mac using the Terminal. The Terminal application provides access to the command line interface. Here are the quick steps to accomplish this: 1. Open the Terminal: You can find it in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder, or simply search for "Terminal" using Spotlight (press Command + Space). 2. Type the command: In the Terminal window, type the following command, replacing "disk_name" with the actual name of your hard drive: ``` diskutil eraseDisk ExFAT "NewVolumeName" /dev/diskX ``` - "ExFAT" can be replaced with any file system you prefer (e.g., "MacOS Extended (Journaled)" or "APFS"). - "NewVolumeName" should be replaced with the desired name for your formatted volume. - "/dev/diskX" should be replaced with the identifier of the target hard drive. You can find the correct identifier by running `diskutil list` in Terminal and identifying your disk. 3. Confirm the action: After typing the command, press Enter. A prompt will appear asking for your confirmation to proceed with the formatting. Type "yes" and press Enter again. 4. Wait for the process to complete: Formatting may take some time, depending on the size of your hard drive. Do not interrupt the process. 5. Verify the format: Once completed, you can verify the new format by opening Disk Utility (found in the Utilities folder) and checking the list of volumes. Remember that formatting will erase all data on the hard drive, so make sure to back up any important files before proceeding.

Step 1. Open the terminal application using Launchpad, Spotlight, or located in the Applications/Utilities/ folder.

**Step 2.** The `diskutil` command is used with various flags and `eraseDisk` verbs depending on the disk selection you want to make. The basic syntax for this is:

"diskutil eraseDisk FILE_SYSTEM DISK_NAME DISK_IDENTIFIER" translates to: "diskutil eraseDisk FILE_SYSTEM DISK_NAME UUID" In this command, replace: - FILE_SYSTEM with the desired file system format (e.g., HFS+, APFS, etc.) - DISK_NAME with the new name you want to give to the disk - DISK_IDENTIFIER with the unique identifier of the disk you want to erase (usually shown as diskX, where X is a number).

Step 3. The various commands for formatting an internal hard drive on a Mac, based on the four different disk formatting options, are:

    3.1 Formatting internal hard drive to MacOS External Journaled (JHFS+) from terminal in Mac OS X ```perl diskutil eraseDisk JHFS+ DiskName /dev/DiskNodeID ``` 3.2 Formatting internal hard drive to MacOS Extended (HFS+) from terminal in Mac OS X ```perl diskutil eraseDisk HFS+ DiskName /dev/DiskNodeID ``` 3.3 Formatting internal hard drive to MS-DOS (FAT32) from the command line in Mac OS X ```perl diskutil eraseDisk FAT32 DiskNameGoesHere /dev/DiskNodeIDHere ``` 3.4 Formatting internal hard drive to ExFAT from the command line in Mac OS X ```perl diskutil eraseDisk ExFAT DiskName /dev/DiskNodeID ```

Step 4. It is easy to select the common file format in the disk after completely erasing, from options such as JHFS+, HFS+, FAT32, ExFAT, and so on.

Final Verdict can be translated into English as "Ultimate Judgment" or "Final Decision."

No more hassle in formatting the internal hard drive on Mac devices after reading the article above. Mac users might need to format their internal hard drive due to storage problems, malware, or准备出售系统等。首先要做的是从APFS, HFS, NTFS, exFAT等中选择最适合Mac内部硬盘的格式。

We've discussed the top two methods for formatting the internal hard drive on a Mac, which include using Disk Utility or the Terminal. Users can easily follow the step-by-step instructions for these methods, aided by accompanying images. Simply go through the guide outlined above to learn all the details about formatting the internal hard drive for your Mac.