Forum Discussion
Zahirokin
Mar 18, 2026Copper Contributor
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'...
Wylders
Mar 18, 2026Copper Contributor
When it comes to the Mac drive reader software for Windows, the only best method: Manually Install Apple's HFS+ Drivers.
This method installs Apple's own HFS+ file system drivers directly into Windows . These are the same drivers Apple includes in Boot Camp to let Macs run Windows while accessing Mac-formatted partitions. When installed correctly, they allow Windows to recognize and read HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) drives.
Before using the Mac drive reader software for Windows PC, uninstall any other Mac drive software to avoid conflicts .
Step 1: Download Apple's Windows Driver Package
- You'll need to obtain Apple's Boot Camp driver package (version 6.0, as newer versions may not include HFS+ drivers). The drivers were extracted from Apple's official Boot Camp 3.0 version and are available through various tech forums and archives .
Step 2: Extract the Files
- After downloading, extract the zip file. Look for these two critical files:
- AppleHFS.sys
- AppleMNT.sys
Step 3: Copy Files to System Directory
- Copy both files to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\
Step 4: Merge the Registry File
- In the extracted folder, locate Add AppleHFS.reg. Double-click it and confirm you want to merge it with the Windows Registry. Click "Yes" and "OK" when prompted .
Step 5: Reboot Your Computer
- Restart your Windows PC for the changes to take effect .
Step 6: Connect Your Dad's Drive
- After rebooting, connect the Mac-formatted external drive. Windows should now recognize it, and you can browse the files in File Explorer to copy your dad's photos to a safe location on your PC .