File System Comparison: ExFAT vs. Mac OS Extended [Everything You Need to Know]

When you get a new external hard drive or SD card, you might need to format it before you can use it. When you format a storage device, the system will ask you to choose a file system. If you're new to this, you might be confused about what that means and which one to pick.

An Overview of File System Formats

A file system is the way that your system enables your storage devices to store and organize files. The main difference between all file systems lies in the way data is stored on the hard disk. Additionally, they differ in terms of filenames, file permissions, and other attributes.

There are four compatible file system formats on a Mac or macOS: APFS, Mac OS Extended, MS-DOS (FAT), and exFAT. According to Apple, APFS is the “default file system for macOS High Sierra and later, with support for strong encryption, space sharing, snapshots, fast directory sizing, and improved file system fundamentals.” MS-DOS (FAT), meanwhile, goes by another, more familiar name: FAT32.

This article focuses on helping you distinguish between two less common formats, exFAT and Mac OS Extended. Keep reading if you want to know more about their features.

ExFAT

ExFAT stands for “Extended File Allocation Table,” and it was introduced in 2006, added to older versions of Windows like Windows XP and Vista. To understand ExFAT, you need to know about FAT32.

FAT32 is an older file system that is compatible with both Windows and macOS, which is its main advantage. Its major downside is that it doesn't support file transfers larger than 4 GB, which is why most storage devices formatted in this way tend to be USB flash drives.

exFAT was developed to address the issue of transferring large files that couldn't be moved with the FAT32 format. Like NTFS, exFAT has much larger limits for file and partition sizes, so you can store and transfer files larger than 4 GB.

In short, exFAT is a file system that is compatible with both Windows and macOS, and it does not have a limit on the size of files that can be transferred.

Mac OS Extended Format

For Mac OS Extended, it has a more well-known name – HFS+. It's the longest-standing file system for all Mac computers since 1998. In earlier versions of macOS, HFS+ was the default file system for all disks. Starting with macOS High Sierra, Apple introduced a new file system called APFS, which stands for Apple File System. It's optimized for SSDs and other flash drives.

When formatted as “Mac OS Extended,” you'll see two options: “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” and “Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled).” In most cases, you should choose the standard format (Journaled), unless you need a case-sensitive system.

[Mac Tutorial] How to Format SD Card on Mac

If you're familiar with Windows computers, you'll know that in the Windows system, users can manage external hard drives entirely in Disk Management. On a Mac computer, users can actually manage disks and external hard drives as well. In this article, we'll show you how to format an SD card on a Mac.

Which one to choose: ExFAT vs Mac OS Extended format

Actually, there is no telling which one is better – it's more a matter of what suits your device best. You can format your SD card or HDD according to the advice below.

For USB flash drives/SD cards:

When formatting a USB drive or SD card, the recommended format is ExFAT and FAT32 [MS-DOS (FAT)]. Choose ExFAT for SD cards with a capacity of 64GB or greater, and MS-DOS (FAT) for cards with 32GB or less.

For hard disk drives:

When formatting an external hard drive, such as an HDD or SSD, the recommended format is Mac OS Extended, and you should choose Mac OS Extended (Journaling).

Step 1: Select the drive to scan

In the main “Data Recovery Wizard” utility window, all the disks connected to your Mac will be listed. Select the disk from which you want to recover lost/deleted files and click on the “Search for Lost Files” button.

Note: Before data recovery, it is recommended that you click “Disk Backup” on the left sidebar to back up your Mac to prevent further data loss. After the backup, the software can recover data from the Mac backup, and your computer can write new data again.

Select the location and Scan for Lost Mac Data

Step 2: Select the data/files you lost

Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will scan the disk volume you select immediately, and show the scanning results in the left pane. If you are looking for certain files, you can sort the result to locate the needed files.

Step 3: Recover Lost/Deleted Data

Once you find the files you want, preview them and then click “Recover” to start restoring your deleted or lost Mac files.

How to Format an External Hard Drive on a Mac

On a Mac, there's a built-in disk management utility called “Disk Utility.” You can use this to mount, erase, and format any external hard drive. Here's how to format a drive using Disk Utility.

Step 1: Connect the external drive to your Mac and launch Disk Utility.

Step 2: On the left, find and select your hard drive. Click the “Erase” option.

Step 3: A window will pop up asking you to enter a name for the disk and select a file system format. Choose the appropriate format for your device.

Click “Erase” and wait for the process to finish.

Conclusions

That's all there is to know about ExFAT and Mac OS Extended. In short, both formats are compatible with macOS. If you need to format a USB drive or an SD card, ExFAT is the better choice. For hard drives, it's best to stick with Mac OS Extended. Alternatively, on macOS High Sierra and later, you can choose to format the disk as APFS.

ExFAT and Mac OS Extended FAQs 1. What is the ExFAT file system? ExFAT (Extended File Allocation Table) is a file system developed by Microsoft, primarily designed for exchanging large files between different devices. It doesn't include specific Mac OS features but is compatible with Windows, macOS, and many other operating systems. 2. What is the Mac OS Extended file system? Mac OS Extended (also known as HFS+ or Hierarchical File System Plus) is Apple's default file system for Mac computers. It supports file permissions, extended attributes, and a journaling file structure, but may not be suitable for non-Apple devices. 3. Which file system should I choose to format my external drive? It depends on your needs. If you need to share the drive between Windows and Mac, ExFAT is a good choice due to its wide compatibility. If the drive will mainly be used with a Mac and requires advanced features like file permissions, then Mac OS Extended might be more appropriate. 4. Which is better for storing large amounts of videos, ExFAT or Mac OS Extended? For large media files like videos, ExFAT is typically more suitable since it has no file size limitations. Mac OS Extended may encounter issues with large files, especially when they exceed 4 GB. 5. How do I format a disk as ExFAT on a Mac? On a Mac, open "Disk Utility," select the disk to format, and choose "ExFAT" from the "Format" dropdown menu. Click "Erase" to complete the formatting. 6. Does ExFAT support Time Machine backups? ExFAT does not natively support Apple's Time Machine backups. If you need to use Time Machine, choose the Mac OS Extended (journaled) format. 7. What are the differences in read/write speeds between the two? Read/write speeds usually depend on the hardware rather than the file system. However, in some cases, Mac OS Extended may perform better in data recovery and consistency due to its journaling file system. 8. Is Mac OS Extended fully supported on Windows? Not entirely. While third-party software can allow Windows to read and write to HFS+ formatted disks, not all Windows systems are compatible, and it can be unstable. 9. How can I access a Mac OS Extended-formatted disk on Windows? To access a Mac OS Extended disk on Windows, you'll need to install a compatible driver like Paragon HFS+ for Windows or similar software. 10. Can I switch an existing ExFAT disk to Mac OS Extended? Yes, but you'll need to back up your data first, then erase and reformat the disk as Mac OS Extended using Disk Utility. Note that this will delete all data on the disk.

Now that you're familiar with the differences between exFAT and Mac OS Extended, keep reading if you still have questions.

1. Is exFAT suitable for macOS?

Does exFAT work on a Mac? Yes, the exFAT file system is compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs. If your disk is formatted with exFAT, you can easily transfer data between Windows and macOS without having to reformat each time.

< strong > 2. Why can't Mac read exFAT formatted drive?

Here are the reasons why exFAT is not showing up on Mac:

• Corruption issues
• Missing driver software
• Faulty cable
• Plugging/unplugging problems
• Operating system issues

3. Is exFAT slower than Mac OS Extended?

Yes, but it's more stable; it doesn't crash the way that Windows PCs do. In fact, in two-and-a-half years of using a MacBook, it has never crashed.

< strong > When should you use Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?

If you want to encrypt your hard drive and protect your data on a Mac, macOS Extended is a better choice.