How can I read and write an ntfs drive on Mac?

AdamsRobinson 

Using Boot Camp is a popular method for Mac users to install and run the Windows operating system on their machines. Doing so allows Mac users to enjoy the full functionality of Windows, including full support to read and write NTFS drive on Mac.

When you install Windows on a Mac through Boot Camp, you are actually running Windows directly on the hardware, which is no different from running Windows on any ordinary PC. Therefore, all the functions that Windows natively supports, including full read and write support for NTFS, can be used on a Mac through Boot Camp.

The steps of this method mainly include:

Install Boot Camp:

Using the Mac's built-in Boot Camp Assistant, you can partition your hard drive to reserve space for the Windows system.

Install Windows:

Through the Boot Camp Assistant, you need to prepare a Windows installation disk or ISO file and follow the instructions to install the Windows system.

Switch systems:

After the installation is complete, you can choose to boot the MacOS or Windows system at startup. In the Windows system, your Mac is like a standard Windows computer, which can freely access and write to the NTFS drive connected to the computer.

The benefit of using Boot Camp is that you can take full advantage of the functions of Windows, including a variety of professional software and games. However, this method requires restarting your Mac to switch operating systems, which may not be as convenient and quick as virtual machine software (such as Parallels Desktop).

AdamsRobinson 

I have previously encountered the need to write NTFS drive on a Mac. Since the Mac system does not support direct writing to NTFS by default, I decided to try to use Apple's file sharing feature to solve this problem. By setting up file sharing, I can handle the NTFS-formatted hard drive on Windows, and the Mac can access these files over the network, thus indirectly achieving the purpose of "writing" NTFS on the Mac.

Here are the specific steps:

1. Open "System Preferences" and click the "Sharing" icon.
2. Check the "File Sharing" option in the list of shared services.
3. Under the "File Sharing" option, you can add folders to share and set who can access them.
4. In the "Users" list, you can add new users and set their access rights, such as read, write, or read-only.
   On a Windows computer, open "File Explorer" and type \\[Mac's IP address] in the address bar and press Enter.
5. If necessary, enter the username and password you set on the Mac.

With this setup, I can make changes to files on either computer and the other computer will sync the changes. The benefits of using file sharing are fast transfer speeds and intuitive operation, especially in a home network environment. However, it is key to ensure that the network is set up correctly, as incorrect settings may cause sharing to fail.

AdamsRobinson  On new macOS version, reading NTFS is a built-in feature. This means you can copy files from NTFS drive to Mac without installing other software. But NTFS write is not supported on any Mac. You have to download and install 3rd-party NTFS for Mac software to write NTFS drive on Mac, including the Apple M1, M2 and M3 Mac.

AdamsRobinson 

NTFS is a file system developed by Microsoft and is strictly copyrighted. Apple needs to pay copyright fees to fully support the read and write functions of NTFS in its operating system. Due to cost and strategic considerations, Apple may choose not to fully support the write function of NTFS.

Using network sharing to access files on a Windows machine's NTFS-formatted hard drive on a Mac is a very convenient method, especially for those who do not want to write to NTFS on Mac. In this way, Mac users can easily access and transfer files stored on Windows computers without worrying about file system compatibility issues or reformatting the hard drive.

However, this requires that both machines must be on the same network, and sometimes if the network is unstable, it may be a bit slow to access files. In general, for users who don’t want to toss hard drive format, using network sharing is a relatively simple solution.

AdamsRobinson 

I used to have an external hard drive in NTFS format, which I mainly used on Windows. But later, due to work needs, I started using Mac, and found that it was really inconvenient that Mac could only read but not write NTFS drive on Mac. So I decided to reformat the hard drive to exFAT format.

Reformatting is actually quite simple, and you only need to use Disk Utility on Mac to complete it. The advantage of exFAT is that you can read and write on Windows, and you can also freely operate files on Mac, which is very suitable for my needs of frequently transferring large files between the two systems. After formatting, I backed up the data in the previous hard drive and then transferred it back to the hard drive. The whole process went smoothly.

Although reformatting means that I need to back up all the data first, which is a bit troublesome, in the long run, it does solve the inconvenience I encountered when using Mac, and now there is no big problem with file transfer and management. If you also often need to transfer files between Mac and Windows, it may be a good choice to consider formatting the hard drive to exFAT.

AdamsRobinson 

I also encountered the problem that Mac cannot write to NTFS formatted hard disk before, which is really troublesome. Later, I used a tool called SYSGeeker NTFS for Mac. This software allows Mac to fully support reading and writing NTFS hard disks. It is very convenient and stable to use.

I got it here: (works for me)

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After installing NTFS for Mac, it is basically like handling a normal Mac formatted hard disk to operate the NTFS hard disk. You can copy and modify files at will. This solves a big problem for me because I often need to transfer large files between Windows and Mac. If you often encounter similar needs, I recommend trying this software, which should meet your needs!