Forum Discussion

Luciansb's avatar
Luciansb
Iron Contributor
Mar 18, 2026

Can I access mac formatted hard drive on Windows?

I’m trying to access mac formatted hard drive on windows and not sure what the safest way is. I have an external drive that was used on a Mac, but now I need to open it on my Windows laptop to copy ...
configuration
Tomasstes's avatar
Tomasstes
Bronze Contributor
Mar 18, 2026

You are correct when you access Mac formatted hard drive on Windows pc: Windows cannot read Mac-formatted drives on its own. When you plug the drive in, Windows doesn't recognize the file system and may ask if you want to format it. You must click "Cancel" if this happens, as formatting will permanently erase all your photos and files.

What I Recommend to access Mac formatted hard drive on Windows

1. First, determine your drive's format: Connect it to Windows. If Disk Management shows it as "HFS+" or "Mac OS Extended," HFSExplorer would work . If it shows as "APFS," you need a different approach.

2. If it's HFS+: HFSExplorer is genuinely free, open-source, and read-only . It requires Java but has been reliable for years .

3. If it's APFS: Your only free options are:

  • Find a Mac to transfer files to exFAT
  • Use a free trial of commercial software and copy everything within 5-15 days. 
  • After 15 days, the free trial ends. However, this gives you ample time to copy all your photos and files. Once your data is safely transferred, you no longer need the software.

 

4. For future cross-platform drives: Format external drives as exFAT, which both Windows and Mac can read/write natively.