Forum Discussion
How can I read mac drive on windows 11 pc?
I have an external hard drive from my old Mac (probably HFS+ or APFS) that I need to access on my Windows 11 PC. I just need to copy files off and I don't need to write to it. What's the current bes...
Dokany + SSHFS is an effective method for reading Mac drive on Windows 11, especially if you want to access files remotely or mount the drive over a network connection.
Here's how it works:
- Dokany is a Windows library that allows you to create virtual file systems.
- SSHFS (SSH Filesystem) uses SSH to securely mount remote directories as local drives.
To use this setup for reading Mac drive on Windows 11:
1. Ensure the Mac is configured to allow SSH access. You might need to enable Remote Login in System Preferences > Sharing.
2. On your Windows 11 PC, install Dokany and SSHFS-Win.
3. Use SSHFS to connect to the Mac's SSH server, mounting the Mac's HFS+ drive or specific folder as a local drive on Windows 11.
4. Once mounted, you can browse and read files from the Mac drive directly within Windows.
Benefits of Using Dokany + SSHFS
- Secure remote access over SSH.
- No need to modify or install drivers directly on your Mac.
- Ability to mount and access large drives or multiple drives over the network.
- Free and open-source solution.