What is the Apple File System (APFS) | Compared to Mac OS Extended, NTFS

What is the Apple File System?

Apple File System, abbreviated as APFS, is a file system developed by Apple Inc. APFS improves upon the previous Mac OS Extended Journaled file system with enhancements for solid-state storage, encryption, snapshots, and data integrity.

Most Mac users consider APFS format the best option for SSD and flash drives. The Apple File System scores high on reliability due to its encryption features, which lower the risks of errors during formatting.

Here are some of the key advantages of APFS:

• Improved Security: The Apple File System offers more secure data encryption with multi-key encryption, which is particularly helpful when sharing or transferring files. This improvement benefits users when sharing their files.
• Faster Encryption Speeds: Faster encryption for processing or formatting makes copying and pasting large files much simpler and quicker.
• Crash Protection: System crashes can be frustrating and may stop important processes that shouldn't be interrupted. The Apple File System enhances crash protection compared to the older Mac file system, helping your Mac run smoothly even after a crash. So, dealing with how to fix a Mac that keeps crashing won't be an issue for you anymore.
• Reduced Risk of File Corruption: With the Apple File System, the risk of file damage during backups or repairing corrupted Mac files is almost negligible. This optimized file system regularly updates itself.

Apple File System History

Before Apple introduced the Apple File System, the default file system for Mac computers was Mac OS Extended, also known as HFS Extended or HFS+. Here's a brief table outlining the history of the Apple File System, including its release dates alongside the accompanying macOS versions.

There are a few things worth calling out about the introduction of the Apple File System:

- On March 27, 2017, iOS 10.3 was released, quietly converting iPhones and iPads to the first version of the Apple File System. At WWDC two months later, Apple announced that APFS would be coming to macOS 10.13 High Sierra in September of that year. - After a promising beta period with APFS, it was discovered that there were numerous fundamental issues with Fusion Drives. Apple decided to drop support for them, opting instead for an SSD-based boot partition, while snapshot functionality proved unreliable. - Within less than two weeks of the 10.13 release, a supplemental update patched vulnerabilities, including changes to upgrade to APFS. Snapshots were improved in 10.13.1 (October 31, 2017). - It wasn't until macOS 10.13.4 on March 29, 2018, that Fusion Drive issues were resolved, lasting until the upgrade to Mojave on September 24, 2018. - In macOS Catalina (macOS Catalina), APFS changed the role of extended volumes, forming system volume groups. From then on, users had separate system and data volumes. - With macOS 10.15, APFS fixed a bug that prevented the transfer of large amounts of data to RAID disk volumes. Apple released a new APFS reference version, encouraging third-party software installations. - On November 12, 2020, with the release of macOS Big Sur, macOS supported Time Machine backups on APFS volumes for the first time. This update brought significant changes: system volumes became signed and sealed, enabling booting from snapshots. It also marked the first support for Apple Silicon Macs.

Apple File System Structure

The Apple File System is structured with multiple volumes within a container. A container is the primary object for storing data, and it requires at least 512 MB to hold one volume, 1024 MB for two, and so on.

Every filesystem structure in the Apple File System (APFS) format, except for allocation files, begins with a 32-byte block header that starts with a checksum and contains general information about the entire block. Other information in the header includes the copy-on-write version of the block, the block ID, and the block type.

This is what the Apple File System looks like:

• Container Superblock
• Volume Superblock
• Node
• Space Manager
• Allocation Information File
• B-Tree
• Checkpoint

Each container holds at least one volume or file system and has its own namespace: a collection of files and directories. With encryption built into the Apple File System, users can protect their data with multiple encryption keys.

Apple File System on Mac, Windows, and Linux

Does the Apple File System work on a Mac? You bet. When Apple introduced the Apple File System with macOS Sierra, it didn't handle Unicode the way HFS+ did, and it wasn't compatible with Time Machine or Fusion Drives. Devices that can use the Apple File System include those running macOS, iOS, tvOS, and watchOS.

Apple File System on Mac

The Apple File System (APFS) improves read and write speeds on macOS by using the TRIM command for better space management and performance. Its key features include:

- **Partition Scheme:** The Apple File System uses the GUID Partition Table (GPT) scheme, which includes one or more Apple File System containers. - **Cloning:** Allows the operating system to create efficient file replicas on the same volume without consuming additional storage space. - **Snapshots:** The Apple File System supports snapshots, enabling read-only instances of the file system at a specific point in time. - **Encryption:** It supports single-key or multi-key full-disk encryption. - **Increased Maximum Number of Files:** The Apple File System supports 64-bit node numbers, allowing for over 9 quintillion files on a single volume. - **Data Integrity:** Checksums are used to ensure metadata integrity. - **Crash Protection:** It writes new records rather than overwriting existing metadata records in-place, a method known as write-through logging. - **Compression:** The Apple File System supports transparent compression of individual files using Deflate, LZVN, or LZFSE algorithms. - **Space Sharing:** It allows the creation of multiple types of logical drives within the same container, with available space shared among all volumes within the block device.

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Apple File System on Windows/Linux

However, since there are no default programs to open the format on a Windows PC or Linux, the Apple File System doesn't work on these platforms. If you want to read an APFS-formatted drive on Windows/Linux, you can use some third-party software.

Apple File System versus Mac OS Extended Format

Mac systems have used Mac OS Extended as the default file system since 1998, and it's the preferred disk format for macOS users. However, with the release of macOS High Sierra in 2017, Apple File System replaced Mac OS Extended as the optimized disk format for SSDs, while Mac OS Extended is only used for hybrid and mechanical drives.

Mac OS Extended is still a popular file system among Mac users. Why? The reason for not using the Apple File System is well-known compatibility issues with earlier versions of macOS.

Clones in APFS are more efficient than those in the Mac OS Extended format, because modifications are written elsewhere, and both the original file and the new clone can share the unmodified blocks.

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In addition, APFS supports multiple volumes within a single container, all of which share free space. By contrast, Mac OS Extended supports only a single volume per partition and does not allow free space to be shared across containers.

Here are the pros and cons of the Apple File System.

Advantage:

1. More stable and reliable
2. Enhanced security with full-disk encryption
3. Superior storage management system
4. Improved data protection features

Disadvantages:

Not compatible with Time Machine

You can read this article for more details about the Apple File System and Mac OS Extended.

APFS vs Mac OS Extended [A Beginner's Guide]

If you're confused with the file system options when using Disk Utility on your Mac, this article is for you.

Apple File System versus NTFS

In 1993, Microsoft developed a journaling file system called NTFS, for “New Technology File System,” which became the default file system for Windows, supplanting the earlier File Allocation Table (FAT).

Both Microsoft and Apple aim to provide the best file system for their users. Below is a comparison table of NTFS vs APFS:

Aside from these key differences, both APFS and NTFS support file names up to 255 characters long and transparent encryption of data. Each file system has its own unique advantages and disadvantages.

If you need to share the drive with others, Windows prefers NTFS. For Mac users, the Apple File System (APFS) is an excellent choice due to its seamless compatibility.

Conclusions

The Apple File System (APFS) is a file system developed by Apple Inc., serving as an optimized version of the Mac OS Extended (HFS+). APFS enhances data security and reduces the risk of crashes and corruption. However, it also has some drawbacks compared to HFS+, such as limited compatibility with the Time Machine feature.

Frequently Asked Questions about Apple File System

When people search for “what is Apple File System,” they might get confused by other questions related to the Apple File System. Here are some common queries people often have:

1. What file system does Apple use?

Apple File System (APFS) is a new file system designed for macOS, iOS, and other Apple devices.

2. Is Apple's file system better than NTFS?

Whether APFS or NTFS is better largely depends on your use case, needs, and expectations. For instance, if you need to work between Windows and macOS, NTFS is recommended. On the other hand, the Apple File System is a great choice for Mac users since it offers faster operation speeds, takes up less disk space, and reduces fragmentation.

3. What is the best Mac disk format?

For Macs, if your version of macOS supports it, the best file system is Apple File System (APFS). If not, formatting the drive as Mac OS Extended is a good alternative.

4. Should I use the Apple File System on an HDD?

Yes, you can use the Apple File System (APFS) on an HDD, but it is not recommended. APFS is primarily designed and optimized for SSDs and flash storage devices, where it performs better and more efficiently than on an HDD.