NTFS vs APFS: What's the Difference? [2024 Update]

Terabytes of data are stored on hard disks every day. But did you know that you need a file system to store data on a hard disk?

Yes, a file system is the only way to store, manage, and organize various types of data on a hard disk. Regardless of the operating system you use, you need a file system to store files on connected disks.

Windows and Mac are leading operating systems, each with its dedicated file system, known as the New Technology File System (NTFS) and Apple File System (APFS). Users are highly interested in NTFS and APFS. In this article, we will delve into the rivalry and highlight the differences, advantages, and disadvantages between the two.

What is NTFS?

NTFS is a journaling file system developed by Microsoft. It was first introduced with Windows NT 3.1 in 1993 and is now the default file system for the Windows NT family of operating systems, superseding the previous File Allocation Table (FAT) file system. FAT had certain limitations, such as restrictions on the size of individual files and partitions, as well as a lack of data protection features in case of power failures.

NTFS overcomes these limitations and also provides several advantages for modern requirements.

NTFS (New Technology File System) offers several appealing features, such as support for metadata, advanced data structures for improved performance, reliability, and disk space utilization, along with numerous extensions. Here are some key advantages and disadvantages of NTFS: Advantages: 1. **Security**: NTFS allows for granular permissions and access control, enabling encryption of individual files or folders for enhanced data protection. 2. **Large file and volume support**: NTFS can handle very large files and volumes, surpassing limitations of earlier file systems like FAT32. 3. **Stability**: Thanks to its logging and error-checking mechanisms, NTFS often recovers data after system crashes or power failures. 4. **Compression and sparse files**: NTFS supports file compression, conserving disk space. It also supports sparse files, where only the actually used parts of large files occupy disk space. 5. **Disk quotas**: Administrators can set disk usage quotas for users or groups, aiding resource management. Disadvantages: 1. **Compatibility issues**: Not all operating systems support NTFS, such as older Windows versions or certain Linux distributions that may require additional drivers for reading or writing to NTFS volumes. 2. **Complexity**: NTFS's complexity can make it more difficult to understand and troubleshoot compared to other file systems. 3. **Potential performance impact**: While NTFS improves performance in many aspects, its advanced features might negatively affect older hardware or low-performance systems. 4. **Recovery difficulty**: If an NTFS volume becomes corrupted, recovery can be more challenging than with simpler file systems like FAT32, requiring specialized tools and knowledge. 5. **Additional system resource consumption**: Features like logging and permission management consume more system resources, which might not be ideal for lightweight devices or low-power systems. In summary, NTFS provides robust functionality and reliability for most modern computer systems but might not be suitable for all environments, particularly those requiring broad compatibility or low resource demands.

Advantages of NTFS (New Technology File System):

• Data Security: NTFS provides file encryption, which helps safeguard files and enhance data security.
• Advanced Data Handling: As hard drive capacities grow annually, NTFS handles large volumes smoothly and effectively, even beyond 2 terabytes.
• Partition Management: NTFS shines in partitioning and isolation by setting permissions for individual users. Different users can have distinct levels of access to specific files or directories.
• Data Compression: NTFS allows compression of files and folders of any size to their fullest extent. Direct access to these compressed items is possible without needing external decompression tools.
• Disaster Recovery: With log files and checkpoint data, the file system can restore all information following a system failure.

Disadvantages:

• Compatibility: This is the most obvious drawback of NTFS. As a leading mobile operating system, Android does not support NTFS, which is a significant shortcoming. In addition, NTFS-formatted drives don't work properly on Mac computers – you need third-party software to handle them. Also, other digital devices like DVD players and digital cameras don't support NTFS storage devices.
• Performance and bandwidth: These two factors can vary significantly with the NTFS file system. Users might find changes in speed and bandwidth unpredictable.

What is APFS?

APFS is the latest file system and the successor to the Mac OS Extended format. It was first introduced in macOS High Sierra 10.13 in September 2017 and has been the default file system for macOS since then.

It was built specifically for the latest flash/SSD storage types, but it still works with older hard disks. APFS offers several formats, such as APFS, Encrypted, Case-sensitive, and Case-sensitive Encrypted.

APFS boasts several noteworthy features in terms of data safety, overall efficiency, and speed. Here are the main pros and cons of APFS that you should be aware of.

Advantages:

• Data Security: Apple places great emphasis on data security, and the new APFS offers bulletproof encryption. APFS supports multiple encryption modes per container volume, such as unencrypted, single-key, and multi-key, where file data is encrypted with a separate key and sensitive data with another.
• Data Protection: APFS includes snapshot functionality, which records the current state of your hard drive. In case of issues like accidental file deletion or modification, hardware failure, or catastrophic loss, this feature helps revert to the same state.
• Space Efficiency: Apple's new file system maximizes space efficiency by avoiding duplicate data. When moving files, APFS doesn't copy the data but updates metadata and shares the data at different locations on the disk.
• Performance: APFS supports TRIM, accelerating overall data write operations. Additionally, Apple employs I/O QoS (Quality of Service) to prioritize tasks and address critical processes first.
• Data Integrity: APFS ensures data integrity through three methods: Error Correction Codes (ECC) to detect and correct transmission errors; a Copy-on-Write scheme; and Fletcher's checksum algorithm for metadata operations.

Disadvantages:

Like any other file system, APFS has its drawbacks. It lacks several features you get with other file systems, including:

• Checksums for user data
• Byte-addressable non-volatile random-access memory
• Data compression
• Data deduplication

And all of these characteristics have clear advantages.

Comparison between NTFS and APFS

Microsoft and Apple always strive to provide the best services to their users in every aspect, and this is no different when it comes to file systems. As you know, a file system is a crucial component of any operating system, and both tech giants offer the best in class with NTFS and APFS, respectively. A comparison between NTFS and APFS involves several factors. We'll clarify many points through the following table:

Aside from these key differences, both file systems support filenames up to 255 characters long. Transparent encryption of data is a notable feature of both.

Final Award

Both file systems have their unique features and limitations, and your choice largely depends on your use case, requirements, and expectations. If you need to share drives with others, Windows users typically opt for NTFS. For Mac users, APFS is an excellent choice due to its seamless compatibility.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Should I install NTFS for Mac?

If you need to work with NTFS-formatted disks, you should install NTFS for Mac.

2. Is APFS the best file system for macOS?

APFS (Apple File System) is best for your Mac, because it's the default file system, and it works seamlessly with Apple's digital device ecosystem.

3. Can APFS be read on Windows?

Third-party tools, such as Paragon Software, can help you read APFS on Windows.