Need to read Mac drives in Windows?

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

Why Tin can't Windows Read Mac Drives?

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

External hard disks and USB drives are generally formatted with the Windows FAT32 file system for maximum compatibility. Virtually devices, including Macs, can read and write from FAT32 devices.

All new Macs volition be formatted with APFS. Older Mac drives are probable still formatted with the HFS+ file system. Windows can't read either file arrangement by default.

We'll show you how to access your Mac-formatted APFS or HFS+ drive on Windows.

How to Read APFS on Windows

Firstly, let's look at how to read the newer Apple File Organization format on Windows. All these apps will allow you to read drives from any updated Apple tree device, non just Macs.

i. MacDrive

macdrive home screen

MacDrive has been one of the become-to apps for a long time. The beginning version was released fashion dorsum in 1996. If you're prepared to spend some money, you don't need to await elsewhere.

The app works with APFS drives and HFS+ drives.

Unlike some options, MacDrive lets you read and write data to your Mac-formatted bulldoze directly from Windows.

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

Yous volition as well exist able to see your APFS or HFS+ drive directly within File Explorer, allowing easy integration with the rest of the Windows operating system.

Other useful features include the ability to create and partitioning Mac disks directly from your PC, a powerful deejay repair characteristic, and robust security tools.

The standard version costs $49.99. There'southward also a Pro version. Information technology adds several extra features, including automatic file defragmentation, support for RAID setups, and a manner to create Mac ISO files.

A 5-day gratuitous trial is available.

Download: MacDrive for Windows ten ($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 access to APFS-formatted partitions, read and write access to compressed and cloned files, and read-but support for encrypted volumes.

Information technology supports disk auto-mounting at showtime-upwards only doesn't have MacDrive's sectionalization tools.

Bank check Out Paragon'southward Wide Range of Solutions, Here

MacDrive has one large advantage over Paragon'southward app: HFS+ back up. Paragon APFS for Windows only supports APFS-formatted drives. If you accept some older Mac drives lying around that are still running HFS+, you would need to purchase Paragon HFS+ for Windows separately. MacDrive, therefore, is a more than economical choice.

Ane license—which costs $49.95—works on iii 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 concluding recommendation for reading APFS drives on Windows is UFS Explorer Standard Recovery. Once once more, it'south a paid pick. 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 every bit NTFS, Fatty, 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 between lots of different operating systems during your solar day.

UFS Explorer Standard Recovery too comes with RAID back up as standard. The app has a born RAID builder, and then y'all tin can customize it for your array.

There is a costless version of the app with no time limits, but it will only let you copy files smaller than 256KB in size.

Download: UFS Explorer Standard Access for Windows 10 (€59.95)

How to Read HFS+ on Windows

If your Mac-formatted bulldoze is yet running HFS+, utilise 1 of these three methods instead.

1. Install Apple tree HFS+ Drivers

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

Download the correct Windows driver package, then 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 to a higher place likewise demonstrates the process.

Afterwards restarting, your Mac-formatted drive should show upwards under This PC. This method only gives y'all read admission to the drive. If you would like to edit or delete files, try i of the alternative methods beneath.

two. HFSExplorer

HFSExplorer

HFSExplorer is completely free. You lot can use information technology to access Mac file systems from Windows without paying a dime. The developer hasn't updated it since October 2015 due to the arrival of APFS, but it still works on older systems.

HFSExplorer requires Java. Nosotros generally recommend confronting having Java installed, merely it's necessary here unless you lot desire to spend money. You besides need to run the app as an Admin.

This tool is simple to use. Connect your Mac-formatted drive to your Windows system, open up HFSExplorer, and click File > Load File Organisation From Device. HFSExplorer can automatically locate any connected devices with HFS+ file systems and open them. Yous can then extract files from the HFSExplorer window to your Windows drive.

Notation that HFSExplorer is read-just, 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 application, and you must copy them elsewhere.

Download: HFSExplorer for Windows x (Free)

3. Paragon HFS+ for Windows

paragon hfs

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

Different HFSExplorer, Paragon HFS+ for Windows provides full read/write access to Mac drives and promises high performance. Information technology even integrates HFS+ file systems with Windows Explorer or File Explorer on Windows. Whatsoever Windows program can read from or write to the Mac drive.

The app costs $19.95, only it likewise offers a 10-24-hour interval free trial. If you need to recover files from a bulldoze, 10 days is plenty of time to install this file system driver, re-create your files over, and uninstall information technology.

Paragon HFS+ doesn't need Java to work.

Download: Paragon HFS+ for Windows 10 ($19.95)

Format the Mac Drive for Windows

If y'all have a Mac drive lying around and you lot no longer have a Mac, you lot're not stuck with the Mac file system forever. Subsequently recovering the files from your drive with one of the tools above, you can so format the drive and catechumen information technology to a standard FAT32 sectionalization that will work with most devices.

Formatting will erase all the files on your bulldoze, and then make certain you have backed upwards your files. To format the drive, apply the dialog that appears when you connect the drive to your reckoner.