How to Read Mac Files in Windows
Windows tin't normally read Mac-formatted drives, and will offering to erase them instead. But 3rd-party tools fill up the gap and provide admission to drives formatted with Apple'south HFS+ file system on Windows. This too allows you to restore Time Auto backups on Windows.
If you know you're going to use a drive on both Mac and Windows, you should utilise the exFAT file system, which is compatible with both. But if you lot didn't foresee that, you may have formatted your drive with Apple's HFS Plus, which Windows tin't read past default. In fact, some manufacturers sell "Mac" drives pre-formatted with this Mac-only file arrangement.
Don't Format the Bulldoze! (Nevertheless)
When yous connect a Mac-formatted drive to Windows, you'll be informed that "you need to format the deejay in drive X: before you lot tin can use it." Don't click the "Format deejay" button or Windows will erase the contents of the drive–click "Cancel"!
This bulletin appears because Windows doesn't understand Apple's HFS+ file system. That's fine, because other applications do. Just don't format the bulldoze until y'all become the important files off the drive.
Of course, if the drive doesn't accept any important files on it, you can become ahead and format information technology. Only be admittedly sure there's cipher you need earlier you practice.
Option Ane: HFSExplorer Is Free and Bones
RELATED: How to Restore Files From a Time Automobile Backup on Windows
If yous only need to get a couple files off the bulldoze, we recommend HFSExplorer. It's the only completely free way to admission a Mac-formatted drive. It does crave Coffee, however, so you lot'll have to install that first. Then, install HFSExplorer similar yous would any other Windows programme.
HFSExplorer isn't fancy, though, and doesn't have a lot of features. You tin can't employ information technology to write to Mac-formatted drives, and it doesn't install a file organization commuter that integrates into File Explorer. But you can open HFSExplorer, read a Mac-formatted bulldoze, and copy the files to your Windows PC without paying a dime. It can besides mount Mac .dmg disk images to get at the files inside them.
This awarding'south read-only nature isn't necessarily a bad affair. It ensures that no bug in the third-party driver can damage your Mac-formatted drive and the files on it. You can gear up read-only way in other applications, too–merely, if you're not going to use their write back up, there's less reason to pay for them.
To utilize HFSExplorer, connect your Mac-formatted drive to your Windows PC and launch HFSExplorer. Click the "File" card and select "Load File System From Device." It volition automatically locate the connected drive, and you tin load it. You'll see the contents of the HFS+ drive in the graphical window. Just select the files or folders y'all want, click "Extract," and choose a folder. They'll be copied to the location you lot choose on your PC.
Option Two: Paragon HFS+ is $20, Simply Offers Write Access and Better Integration
Paragon'due south HFS+ for Windows is a scrap fancier, simply it'll price you. This tool installs a file system driver that allows y'all to access a Mac-formatted drive like any other drive in File Explorer, or any other Windows awarding with an open or save dialog. It boasts improved speed, and we wouldn't exist surprised if it were faster than HFSExplorer. And, unlike HFSExplorer, it offers full read/write access to Mac-formatted drives, and so you lot can write to them from inside Windows. Just install it, and Mac drives will show up similar whatever other drive.
If you lot need to work with Mac-formatted drives on a regular basis and you desire the operating system integration, speed, and write access, Paragon HFS+ is a great pick and will be worth it for you. But, if you lot merely demand to go some files off a Mac-formatted bulldoze occasionally, this is overkill and you can save $20 by sticking with HFSExplorer.
Paragon does offer a 10-24-hour interval free trial of HFS+ for Windows, and then y'all can give information technology a try and see if information technology works for you. And, if you simply need to go files off of a Mac-formatted drive once, you lot can only apply the trial and be done with the application by the fourth dimension it expires.
Option Three: Mediafour MacDrive Costs $50 to $70, But Includes More Features
Mediafour'due south MacDrive is similar to Paragon's HFS+ for Windows, but with more than features and polish. It'south noticeably more expensive than Paragon HFS+ too, at $50 for the Standard version and $70 for the Pro version.
For almost people, this software won't really exist worth it. Just information technology offers a few unique features, like support for Mac-formatted RAID disks. It also offers a graphical interface with support for verifying, repairing, and formatting Mac-formatted drives. Paragon'southward HFS+ gets out of your mode and doesn't provide a graphical interface–it just enables access to HFS+ drives in File Explorer and other applications.
If yous need all these tools, go for information technology–this is the virtually full-featured solution for working with Mac-formatted drives on Windows. Merely you probably don't need all these tools.
Mediafour does offering a 5-day free trial of MacDrive–both the Standard and Pro versions–and then yous can requite it a try and come across if those features are worth it for you.
Choice 4: Format the Drive as exFAT–But Warning, This Will Erase Your Data!
RELATED: What's the Difference Between FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS?
Once you lot've gotten all the data off the Mac-formatted drive, you'll probably desire to format it with the exFAT file system. Both Windows and Mac OS X have full read-write support for exFAT drives without any additional third-political party software. FAT32 has some serious limitations–individual files can merely be upwards to 4GB in size each, for example–only exFAT doesn't.
Rather than utilise a Mac-formatted drive, you lot should get the important files off of it and use exFAT-formatted drives for moving information between Macs and PCs.
To format the drive in Windows, right-click information technology in the File Explorer window and select "Format." Cull the "exFAT" file system in the list and click "Start." Think, this will erase all the files on the drive! Be absolutely sure you have your files off the drive and that you've selected the correct drive you want to format!
When you lot're done, the drive should piece of work on both Windows PCs and Macs with no problem.
By the style, this works keen for Windows users likewise–Macs can't natively write to the Windows NTFS file system, although they can read files from NTFS drives. Then no matter what your chief platform, exFAT is probably the way to go.
Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/252111/how-to-read-a-mac-formatted-drive-on-a-windows-pc/#:~:text=To%20use%20HFSExplorer%2C%20connect%20your,drive%20in%20the%20graphical%20window.
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