How To Download and Install NTFS Driver On a Mac [10 Ways]

In an ideal world, all tech items would work seamlessly and be appropriate with one another from the get-go. However we don’t dwell in an ideal world. So, if it is advisable use an NTFS disk along with your Mac, you’ll want to put in a driver.

Earlier than Beginning: Do You Actually Want Your Disk to Use NTFS?

Earlier than going via all the effort, ask your self: do you actually want to make use of NTFS? There are fairly a couple of options you’ll be able to take into account.

For those who’re new to macOS and are available from a Home windows laptop, it’s potential that your earlier disks had been formatted as NTFS. Nevertheless, throughout that transition, that doesn’t want to stay the case.

There are a couple of conditions the place it’s possible you’ll certainly want to make use of NTFS disks. To search out out whether or not that is your case, test under.

1. Use the NTFS Disk Learn-Solely

The primary chance is that you simply’re solely accessing recordsdata on the disk, and gained’t want to put in writing something to it. In that case, the default macOS NTFS assist will probably be sufficient. That’s as a result of Macs don’t want to put in further drivers to learn NTFS disks, solely to write to them.

So, if you happen to simply must, e.g., copy recordsdata from a thumb drive or exterior HDD/SSD, you’re all set. There’s no want to put in something.

2. Use a macOS-Native File System

For those who’re coming from Home windows and need to use your earlier exterior disks, there’s an alternative choice. You’ll be able to merely convert them to a format native to Mac, like APFS.

There isn’t a means to try this with out shedding the information within the drive, however there’s a workaround. You merely copy the recordsdata to your Mac (or one other disk writable by macOS), format it, then copy it again.

The downside right here is that you simply gained’t be capable to share the drive with somebody who doesn’t use a Mac. For those who’re solely going to make use of it your self, nonetheless, that is the best choice.

3. Contemplate Utilizing ExFAT

To maintain the drive simply shareable between completely different Working Methods (OSes), you could have two choices: FAT32 or ExFAT. The previous limits file sizes to 4GB, although, so it’s probably not an choice for most individuals. ExFAT, alternatively, could be learn and written by macOS, Home windows, and Linux alike.

Limitations of ExFAT

Nevertheless, ExFAT remains to be a format developed by Microsoft. Subsequently, it has some limitations on different programs.

The primary one is you can solely resize ExFAT partitions on Home windows. You’ll be able to create them on macOS or Linux, however, after that, these OSes can’t change their dimension. For those who don’t want a number of partitions, this isn’t a difficulty, however for giant disks, it might grow to be an issue ultimately.

The second limitation is that ExFAT doesn’t assist some macOS options. You gained’t be capable to use an ExFAT disk reliably, e.g. with the libraries in Pictures or Closing Reduce Professional.

Lastly, the efficiency of ExFAT disks beneath macOS could be subpar. There was a difficulty in macOS Ventura, e.g., that made such drives terribly gradual — the repair took weeks to reach.

Write NTFS on macOS Natively

This various isn’t talked about a lot, however there’s a technique to natively mount NTFS disks in macOS. The problem is that that is nonetheless experimental, and there isn’t any assure it’ll work flawlessly.

4. Experimental NTFS Driver for Mac

To allow the experimental NTFS driver in your Mac, you don’t want to put in something. You’ll have to take care of Terminal instructions, although. Do the next:

1. In Terminal, kind sudo nano /and many others/fstab and press Return. You’ll have to enter your account’s password. (In newer macOS variations you would possibly want to make use of a special command, vifs, as a substitute of nano)
2. This can open the file programs desk. In macOS, this file is often empty by default, because the OS doesn’t record its native drives there.
3. Add the next line to the top of the file: LABEL=[NAME] none ntfs rw,auto,nobrowse
   Substitute [NAME] along with your NTFS disk’s identify
4. Save utilizing both nano’s (Ctrl+X, then Y, then Return) or vi’s (press Esc, x, then Return) saving command.
5. Restart your Mac.

NOTE

Since macOS’s native NTFS driver is formally “experimental”, it could current all kinds of points. Formally, this methodology is taken into account unsafe and with a substantial probability of ultimately leading to information loss.

Use a Third-Occasion NTFS Driver on Your Mac

Safer outcomes could be achieved with third-party NTFS drivers for macOS. There are fairly a couple of options on the market:

5. macFUSE

macFUSE is an implementation of FUSE, a expertise that (amongst different issues) permits mounting NTFS disks in unsupported OSes. Simply obtain the driving force on the undertaking’s web page, set up it, and also you’ll be capable to mount NTFS in your Mac.

The key downside of macFUSE is its efficiency. Learn speeds are OK, however writing to NTFS disks is considerably gradual.

6. Paragon

Paragon is likely one of the better-known NTFS drivers for macOS. It presents a companion app just like Disk Utility, so its interface could also be acquainted to you. Paragon is among the many best-performing NTFS drivers, delivering nice learn and writing speeds.

A single-user lifetime license of Paragon NTFS prices $30. You’ll be able to attempt it for 10 days freed from cost earlier than making the acquisition.

7. iBoySoft

iBoySoft is one other respected NTFS driver for macOS. I’ve been utilizing it for the previous few months, after shifting from macFUSE, and don’t have any complaints about it.

Effectively, there’s one: the companion app is a bit complicated, at first. Nevertheless, after you set it up, you’ll be able to simply overlook the app exists. You’ll be capable to merely entry your NTFS disk as if it had been a community drive. It can even seem on Finder’s sidebar.

You should purchase iBoySoft NTFS in 3 ways. The yearly subscription prices $20, whereas a lifetime license goes for $50. It’s also possible to get it as a part of a Setapp subscription, which begins at $10/month.

8. EaseUS

One other paid NTFS driver you’ll be able to set up in your Mac is made by EaseUS. The companion app has arguably the most effective interface amongst all options, being easy and simple to make use of.

The month-to-month subscription is kind of costly, at $15. It’s also possible to get a lifetime license for $50. Each choices provide a 30-day money-back assure, and there’s a 7-day free trial as properly.

9. Mounty

Mounty is a free NTFS driver for macOS. The interface is mainly a menu bar icon that, when clicked, shows a drop-down menu. When clicked, you’ll be able to mount and unmount NTFS disks from it.

My expertise with Mounty wasn’t so good. The app generally didn’t detect my inside drive, although all Home windows protections had been disabled. Additionally, I couldn’t get it to mount NTFS partitions as learn/write on login it doesn’t matter what I attempted. For those who don’t want superior options, nonetheless, Mounty is an efficient — and free — choice.

10. Tuxera

Lastly, there’s Tuxera. Its interface is just like Mounty’s, working from the menu bar. The NTFS disks seem on Finder like every natively supported drive.

A Tuxera lifetime license prices $15 and permits you to set up the NTFS driver on as much as three Macs. There’s additionally a 14-day free trial.

Shifting recordsdata between drives must be less complicated than it’s. In all my years of utilizing a number of OSes concurrently, I used to be by no means capable of finding an ideal resolution for that.

NTFS drivers for macOS cowl most wants, however it’s possible you’ll favor utilizing ExFAT or, who is aware of, various strategies. There’s all the time the potential for community drives and even cloud storage.