Demand to read Mac drives in Windows?

Unfortunately, it's not a straightforward process; you can't just connect the Mac drive and expect information technology to work. Here's everything you need to know to get information technology working.

Why Tin't Windows Read Mac Drives?

Windows and macOS use dissimilar file systems. Windows uses the NTFS file system for its internal drives, whereas Apple replaced HFS+ with its successor—Apple File System (APFS)—in early 2017. Today, APFS is used on Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs.

External hard disks and USB drives are more often than not formatted with the Windows FAT32 file organisation for maximum compatibility. Near devices, including Macs, can read and write from FAT32 devices.

All new Macs will be formatted with APFS. Older Mac drives are likely even so formatted with the HFS+ file organisation. Windows can't read either file system by default.

We'll evidence y'all how to access your Mac-formatted APFS or HFS+ bulldoze on Windows.

How to Read APFS on Windows

Firstly, let'due south look at how to read the newer Apple tree File System format on Windows. All these apps will allow y'all to read drives from any updated Apple device, not just Macs.

1. MacDrive

macdrive home screen

MacDrive has been one of the go-to apps for a long time. The first version was released way back in 1996. If you're prepared to spend some coin, you lot don't need to look elsewhere.

The app works with APFS drives and HFS+ drives.

Unlike some options, MacDrive lets you lot read and write information to your Mac-formatted drive direct from Windows.

The app is focused on the freshly redesigned Deejay Management Window. It acts every bit a hub for all the Mac drives connected to Windows.

You will too be able to see your APFS or HFS+ drive directly inside File Explorer, allowing easy integration with the rest of the Windows operating system.

Other useful features include the ability to create and sectionalization Mac disks direct from your PC, a powerful disk repair feature, and robust security tools.

The standard version costs $49.99. In that location'due south also a Pro version. It adds several actress features, including automatic file defragmentation, back up for RAID setups, and a mode to create Mac ISO files.

A five-twenty-four hour period gratis trial is available.

Download: MacDrive for Windows 10 ($49.99)

2. Paragon APFS for Windows

paragon

Paragon APFS for Windows is another paid app. It is the main competitor of MacDrive.

The app provides read and write admission to APFS-formatted partitions, read and write access to compressed and cloned files, and read-merely support for encrypted volumes.

It supports disk car-mounting at first-upwardly but doesn't have MacDrive's partition tools.

Check Out Paragon'due south Wide Range of Solutions, Here

MacDrive has one big reward over Paragon's app: HFS+ support. Paragon APFS for Windows only supports APFS-formatted drives. If you accept some older Mac drives lying around that are still running HFS+, you lot would demand to purchase Paragon HFS+ for Windows separately. MacDrive, therefore, is a more than economical option.

Ane license—which costs $49.95—works on 3 Windows PCs.

Download: Paragon APFS for Windows 10 ($49.95)

3. UFS Explorer Standard Access

UFS Explorer Standard Access exploring mac drive windows

Our third and final recommendation for reading APFS drives on Windows is UFS Explorer Standard Recovery. Once again, it's a paid option. The app will cost you €59.95.

UFS Explorer Standard Recovery is the most versatile app on this listing. It can read the two formats we care about—APFS and HFS+—equally well as NTFS, FAT, FAT32, exFAT, SGI XFS, Linux JFS, Unix/BSD, UFS/UFS2, and VMware VMFS.

As such, this is the app you should choose if you find yourself hopping betwixt lots of unlike operating systems during your day.

UFS Explorer Standard Recovery also comes with RAID support as standard. The app has a built-in RAID builder, so you tin can customize it for your array.

At that place is a free version of the app with no time limits, only it volition only let yous copy files smaller than 256KB in size.

Download: UFS Explorer Standard Access for Windows x (€59.95)

How to Read HFS+ on Windows

If your Mac-formatted bulldoze is still running HFS+, use ane of these three methods instead.

one. Install Apple HFS+ Drivers

If you simply need read access, you can install the Apple HFS+ drivers for Windows. Be certain to remove Paragon or MacDrive earlier proceeding.

Download the correct Windows driver package, and so follow these steps:

  1. Copy the ApplsHFS.sys and AppleMNT.sys files to C:\Windows\System32\drivers
  2. Merge the Add_AppleHFS.reg file with your Windows registry.
  3. Restart your organisation.

The video higher up also demonstrates the process.

After restarting, your Mac-formatted drive should evidence up under This PC. This method only gives you read access to the drive. If you would like to edit or delete files, try ane of the alternative methods below.

2. HFSExplorer

HFSExplorer

HFSExplorer is completely free. Yous tin can use it to access Mac file systems from Windows without paying a dime. The developer hasn't updated it since Oct 2015 due to the arrival of APFS, but it nonetheless works on older systems.

HFSExplorer requires Java. Nosotros more often than not recommend confronting having Java installed, only it'due south necessary here unless you want to spend coin. You also demand to run the app as an Admin.

This tool is unproblematic to employ. Connect your Mac-formatted drive to your Windows system, open HFSExplorer, and click File > Load File System From Device. HFSExplorer tin automatically locate whatsoever continued devices with HFS+ file systems and open them. You lot can then extract files from the HFSExplorer window to your Windows bulldoze.

Annotation that HFSExplorer is read-only, so you can't modify or delete files on your Mac drive. It also doesn't integrate with Windows File Explorer—files are bachelor in the HFSExplorer awarding, and you must copy them elsewhere.

Download: HFSExplorer for Windows 10 (Free)

3. Paragon HFS+ for Windows

paragon hfs

Paragon HFS+ for Windows is a paid application, but it distinguishes itself with additional features.

Unlike HFSExplorer, Paragon HFS+ for Windows provides full read/write admission to Mac drives and promises high operation. Information technology even integrates HFS+ file systems with Windows Explorer or File Explorer on Windows. Any Windows program tin read from or write to the Mac drive.

The app costs $nineteen.95, merely it also offers a ten-day free trial. If you lot demand to recover files from a drive, 10 days is enough of time to install this file arrangement commuter, re-create your files over, and uninstall it.

Paragon HFS+ doesn't need Coffee to work.

Download: Paragon HFS+ for Windows 10 ($nineteen.95)

Format the Mac Drive for Windows

If you take a Mac bulldoze lying around and you no longer take a Mac, y'all're non stuck with the Mac file system forever. After recovering the files from your drive with one of the tools above, you can and so format the drive and convert it to a standard FAT32 partition that will work with most devices.

Formatting will erase all the files on your bulldoze, so make sure you have backed up your files. To format the drive, utilise the dialog that appears when you connect the drive to your computer.

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