How to Format USB on Mac

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Last Updated: September 15, 2023

Most external hard drives and USB drives are compatible for use on Mac computers as long as you format the devices for use with Mac OS X. USB drives can be formatted on your Mac using the Disk Utility application.

Things You Should Know

Formatting a USB involves prepping the device to store information.
Most USBs are compatible with Mac if they are formatted beforehand.
When formatting USB drives on your Mac, you can use the Disk Utility application.

Steps

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” The Disk Utility window will open and display on-screen.
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The former option can help ensure that the USB drive is made fully compatible with your Mac, since most USB drives are preformatted for Windows computers by default.
Your USB drive will now be formatted and ready for use on your Mac computer.^{[1]
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Will doing this make it ONLY compatible with a Mac? Currently I can use it anywhere but it's almost full and I can't seem to delete anything.

Friedolin Baum

Community Answer

Yes, if you choose "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" in step 7, the USB drive will then only work with Mac computers.

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Question

I formatted my USB drive as OS Extended, but I need to access its contents on a Windows system. Can I change its format for cross-compatibility?

John Elia

Community Answer

You cannot change the format of the drive without erasing its contents. To ensure cross-compatibility, first access your files on a Mac (or use an HFS+ reader on Windows) and copy them, then reformat the drive as exFAT.

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Question

What format should I use for a USB drive that I want to use on both a Mac and a TV?

Alex Anderson

Community Answer

For optimal compatibility, you should format your drive as exFAT. macOS can read and write exFAT without additional software, and most modern TVs recognize it. Avoid formats like APFS or HFS+, as TVs typically cannot read them, and exFAT also supports large files, making it suitable for media playback.

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