USB flash drives (a.ok.a. “thumb” drives) could seem passé in a world the place AirDrop and cloud storage clear up the file-transfer drawback. However they’re nonetheless fairly helpful for handing over recordsdata to a different consumer when your Macs usually are not close by, for shifting very massive recordsdata, and extra. You’ll be able to even use them to offer a PC consumer a file out of your Mac and vice versa.
While you get a brand new flash drive, you may plug it in and it’ll present up in your Desktop, no matter how the drive is formatted. (It’s possible you’ll be requested to permit the accent to connect for those who’ve arrange macOS’s System Settings for Privateness & Safety > Equipment that method.) Nonetheless, you must think about reformatting that drive earlier than you employ it. There are different codecs accessible that may very well be higher suited to your wants.
On this article, we’ll go over the totally different codecs and why you’d decide one over the others. When you be taught in regards to the codecs, you may decide one and format your USB flash drive appropriately. In case you are out there for an exterior SSD gadget, learn our Greatest Picks for Exterior SSDs.
What’s a file system format?
Earlier than we cowl the totally different file system codecs, it’s vital to know what a file system format is within the first place. It’s mainly the best way a pc manages recordsdata on a storage gadget. Completely different working techniques (macOS and Home windows, for instance) assist totally different file system codecs, and every format gives its personal options.
There are 4 totally different codecs you need to use on a USB flash drive. The kind of file format you decide relies upon totally on what computer systems you intend to make use of the drive with. Some codecs can be utilized on totally different working techniques, whereas others can be utilized solely on one OS. It’s vital to choose a format that most accurately fits how you intend to make use of the USB flash drive.
For Mac-only storage units: APFS
APFS is the Apple File System, which is at the moment the default format. It was created with flash drives and SSDs in thoughts. These kind of storage units use chips that may put on out over time, although that is dependent upon how usually knowledge is written to the chips. For many customers, an SSD or flash drive will final past your potential to make use of it. To assist forestall put on and tear, APFS is designed with writing effectivity in thoughts to extend a tool’s well being.
APFS gives different options, equivalent to sturdy encryption, area sharing, snapshots, and extra. It additionally gives on-demand disk area allocation for a partition. Macs with inside SSDs should be formatted with APFS.
Whereas APFS was made for SSDs and flash drives, it may be used with laborious drives, however a couple of experiences state that you could be expertise barely slower efficiency. You need to think about using Mac OS Prolonged as a substitute (see beneath).
These USB-A flash drives want a USB-C adapter for use on most trendy Macs.
Jacqueline Macou / Pixabay
APFS was launched in macOS 10.13 Excessive Sierra, so Macs operating an OS older than that will be unable to acknowledge an APFS-formatted drive. For these older Macs, you have to use Mac OS Prolonged (see beneath).
Drives formatted with APFS can be utilized solely on Macs operating macOS 10.13 Excessive Sierra or later. APFS drives can’t be used with Home windows PCs. Study extra about APFS.
For older Macs and Mac-only laborious drives: Mac OS Prolonged
Earlier than there was APFS, there was Mac OS Prolonged, also called HFS+ (Hierarchical File System +). It was created at a time when laborious drives have been the dominant type of storage, internally or externally. It was launched in Mac OS 8.1 in 1998, when it changed HFS (Hierarchical File System), the unique Mac file format.
HFS+ lacks among the options of APFS that have been created to enhance effectivity on SSDs, so HFS+ could affect an SSD’s or flash drive’s pace. Additionally, this lack of effectivity impacts the damage and tear on flash reminiscence.
Since Mac OS Prolonged was created for laborious drives, it’s finest used for such, even on immediately’s Macs. Any laborious drive, SSD, or flash drive that might be used on Macs with macOS 10.13 Excessive Sierra or older should use Mac OS Prolonged. Storage units for Time Machine should be formatted with Mac OS Prolonged.
Storage units formatted with Mac OS Prolonged can be utilized solely on a Mac. If you’d like to have the ability to join a storage gadget to a Home windows PC, you have to use exFAT or MS-DOS (FAT).
For Mac and Home windows: exFAT or MS-DOS (FAT)
If you wish to use your USB flash drive with each Macs and Home windows computer systems, you’ve gotten two file codecs to select from: exFAT or MS-DOS (FAT). “FAT” stands for File Allocation Desk, and exFAT is a more moderen model, whereas MS-DOS (FAT) is older.
MS-DOS (FAT)’s main limitations are that it can’t retailer recordsdata bigger than 4GB, and its most partition measurement is 8TB. Nonetheless, MS-DOS (FAT) drives can be utilized on all variations of Home windows. ExFAT has a most file measurement and partition measurement of 128 petabytes, however it might probably’t be used on Home windows variations older than Vista.
Which one to make use of? Use MS-DOS (FAT) except you’re employed in video, massive databases, photos, or the rest that creates massive recordsdata, or you’ve gotten a flash drive that’s bigger than 8TB and you don’t want to divide it into a number of partitions. The truth is, your USB flash drive might be already formatted with MS-DOS (FAT)–most are. In any other case, use ExFAT.
In case you are utilizing a Home windows PC to format a flash drive, you’ll discover a third alternative, NTFS. Macs can learn NTFS drives, however they will’t write to them with out particular third-party software program. Apple’s Disk Utility can’t format drives as NTFS.
For different units: MS-DOS (FAT)
If you have to use the flash drive with one other gadget, equivalent to a TV, use MS-DOS (FAT). For instance, you may need to switch a video out of your Mac to your TV. Otherwise you downloaded recordsdata wanted to improve a tool with a USB port. Since MS-DOS (FAT) is so common, likelihood is these units are suitable with it.
Decide a partition scheme
Okay, so that you’ve found out which file format system to make use of. However wait! There’s yet one more factor to determine: the partition scheme, or “Scheme” because it’s referred to within the Disk Utility app.
A partition in storage parlance is a piece of a storage gadget. For instance, you probably have an 8TB drive, you may resolve to format it into one partition of 8TB, and it will seem in your Mac as one 8TB drive. Or you may resolve to partition that drive into, say, two 4TB partitions, and you then would see two 4TB drives in your Mac. The scheme tells the pc how the recordsdata are organized.
Within the Disk Utility app, there are three schemes from which to decide on:
- GUID Partition Map: for all Intel and M-series Macs. Select this one if you don’t plan on utilizing the drive with a Home windows PC. Later variations of Home windows can use this scheme, however you’re higher off utilizing…
- Grasp Boot File: this scheme works on Home windows PC and Macs.
- Apple Partition Map: use this provided that you’re going to make use of the drive on an outdated Energy PC Mac.
The best way to format a USB flash drive
Formatting a USB flash drive (or any storage gadget) may be carried out with the Disk Utility app, which is present in Purposes/Utilities. These are the steps to format the drive.
- Time to finish: 5 minutes
- Instruments required: macOS (Sequoia proven right here; the steps are comparable in older variations)
- Supplies required: USB flash drive or different exterior storage gadget
Disk Utility
Foundry
In Disk Utility, choose your USB flash drive within the Exterior part of the left column. Click on the Erase button.
Identify, Format, and Scheme
Foundry
- Give your drive a reputation within the Identify subject.
- Click on to increase the menu underneath Format to pick out your format kind.
- Click on to increase the menu underneath Scheme to pick out your partition scheme.
Erase the drive
Foundry
Click on Erase if you find yourself able to format. You’ll not see a affirmation window, so solely click on Erase if you find yourself certain you’re able to go. A standing window will seem when your drive is prepared for use.
Foundry
You too can format a drive for those who set the Finder to point out storage units on the Desktop. Management-click the gadget’s icon and choose Erase Disk, after which a window will seem asking for the identify, format, and any choices you need to choose (see picture above). You don’t have to choose a partition scheme when utilizing this technique.
The best way to verify a drive’s format
To see what format a drive is utilizing, you will discover out within the Disk Utility app. You too can Get Information on a tool (choose it within the Finder and press Command+I) and verify the itemizing underneath “Format.”
Foundry
