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Zahirokin's avatar
Zahirokin
Copper Contributor
Mar 18, 2026

What is the best mac drive reader for windows 10/11

My dad needs me to backup some files from her old mac external HD but I'm on 10 pc. Windows doesn't recognize the drive as it was formatted on a Mac. Don't really wanna reformat it cuz idk what that'...
Skyler-B's avatar
Skyler-B
Iron Contributor
Mar 18, 2026

DiskIinternals Linux Reader is a tool designed to read and recover data from Linux file systems such as Ext2, Ext3, Ext4, and others, directly from Windows.

As a Mac drive reader software for Windows, this tool was actually the "world's first APFS reader for Windows for free" and has been maintained by DiskIinternals for over 15 years .

How to Use It:

Download and install DiskIinternals Linux Reader

Launch the application - it will automatically detect connected Mac drives

Browse the drive contents and extract your photos/files to a Windows folder

 

Why It's Safe:

Read-only access prevents any accidental modification or deletion of your data

No system-level drivers installed that could cause conflicts

For your dad's old Mac external drive, start with DiskInternals Linux Reader. It's genuinely free, safe (read-only), and has proven reliability over many years . If it works, you're done. If it doesn't recognize the drive for some reason, you may need to reconsider using other Mac drive reader software for Windows as backup options.