Description: This article contains some of the most frequently asked questions about formatting Hard Drives for use on Mac OS Computers from Fall 2019.

Q: Is a drive formatted for Mac better to use with my Mac than a drive that is not formatted for my Mac?
A: No. Drives used in PCs and Macs are the same mechanically. They work the same way. The difference is PCs use Windows Operating Systems and Macs use Apple Operating Systems. You may prefer a drive that is ready for use with your Mac out of the box or you may not mind the few steps necessary to format a drive for use exclusively with your Mac.

Q: Can I use the same drive with Mac and PC?
A: Yes. You can format a drive for use with both Mac and PC. However, you can only format external drives for use with both Mac and PC. The format type necessary for this purpose is exFAT. This option is also available in Disk Utilities as noted above. Once you select Erase, name the drive exFAT, and click Erase to finish. Your drive can now be used with both Mac and PC.

Q: Why do I need to format a drive for use with my Mac?
A: By default, most drives are formatted for standard Windows Operating Systems or brand new drives may not be formatted at all out of the box.

Q: Are drives available that are already formatted for use with Mac?
A: Yes. Several manufacturers have drives available formatted for use with Mac right out of the box.