How to choose a flash drive file system for Mac

Types of file systems and their features

MS-DOS (FAT) - this is how macOS calls the FS, known to Windows users as FAT / FAT32. It is compatible with any computer, and is also supported by consoles and home appliances like camcorders or even old media players.

For all its versatility, MS-DOS (FAT) has an important drawback: you cannot write files larger than 4 GB to a USB flash drive formatted in this file system.

ExFAT - a newer file system, which is supported in the macOS environment since version X 10.6.5, and in Windows since XP SP2. Obviously, the lack of compatibility with earlier versions of operating systems can be considered a disadvantage of this format. Also, not all USB devices support ExFAT. Well, the plus is that it is able to work with files larger than 4 GB.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) provides maximum compatibility for flash drives with macOS and is the default file system for hard drives on Mac computers. There are no restrictions on the size of the recorded file when using Mac OS Extended (Journaled). At the same time, this FS is not supported by Windows and many USB devices.

You can also see in the list of available filesystems Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled) … It differs from the previous one only in case sensitivity. For example, the files hello.txt and Hello.txt in such a file system will be considered different. If you don't need it, choose the regular Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

NTFS is another FS that you may encounter. Drives formatted in it have no file size restrictions and are compatible with Windows. But in macOS, files recorded on such a flash drive can only be viewed without the possibility of recording. Also, some USB devices do not support NTFS at all.

Which file system to choose

As you can see, the choice of the drive file system depends on what devices you will be using it with. If only with Mac and other Apple technology, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

For Mac and Windows PCs, ExFAT is great.

If you want to make the flash drive compatible with the maximum number of USB devices and do not plan to write files larger than 4 GB to it, choose MS-DOS (FAT).

How to change the file system

To change the file system of a drive, format it using Disk Utility. Remember, this procedure destroys all data.

But first check the current file system of the flash drive. To do this, just run the "Disk Utility" and select the drive in the left pane. After that, the screen will display detailed information about the flash drive, including the type of its FS, which can be seen next to the name of the drive.

If the current file system does not suit you, click on the "Erase" button on the top panel. In the window that appears, select a new file system and click "Erase" again. After a few seconds, the utility will change the file system of the flash drive.