Узнайте, как подружить Mac и ПК.
macOS и Windows имеют массу отличий, одно из главных — файловая система. И если на Mac NTFS-диски можно хотя бы читать, то Windows диски, отформатированные в HFS+, не видит вообще. Но если вам очень надо, то есть несколько обходных путей.
Ситуации, когда это может понадобиться, бывают разными. Самая распространённая — это доступ к вашим файлам из Windows, установленной через Boot Camp (по умолчанию доступно только чтение файлов). В таких случаях либо ставят драйвер HFS+, добавляющий поддержку файловой системы Apple в Windows, либо используют специальные утилиты, которые уже умеют работать с HFS+. Мы рассмотрим оба варианта плюс ещё один, бонусный.
Способ 1. Работаем с HFS+ через драйверы
Драйверы хороши тем, что добавляют поддержку HFS+ на системном уровне, а значит, Mac-диски будут отображаться в «Проводнике» и других приложениях. Драйвер загружается при старте Windows, и разница между файловыми системами попросту перестаёт существовать: вы можете работать с дисками любых форматов.
Главное преимущество драйверов — это поддержка как чтения, так и записи файлов. Кроме того, этот способ обеспечивает максимально возможную скорость передачи данных. В качестве минуса можно упомянуть высокую цену: все популярные драйверы, обеспечивающие стабильную работу, довольно дороги.
Paragon HFS+ for Windows
Самый популярный драйвер с полной поддержкой HFS+ на дисках любого типа (GPT и MBR) и набором дополнительных утилит. Отличается высокой производительностью при передаче файлов большого объёма по различным интерфейсам, включая SATA и USB. Совместим с Windows 10.
Лицензия стоит относительно недорого — 790 рублей. При этом есть 10-дневная пробная версия.
Попробовать Paragon HFS+ for Windows →
MacDrive
Более мощный драйвер с дополнительными возможностями. MacDrive умеет всё то же, что и драйвер от Paragon, но при этом позволяет открывать резервные копии Time Machine и копировать файлы из них на Windows-диски. Также драйвер работает в виртуальных машинах и позволяет монтировать Mac-диски в режиме Target Disk Mode для загрузки на других компьютерах.
MacDrive стоит дороже — целых 50 долларов. Пробная версия тоже есть, но на 5 дней.
Попробовать MacDrive →
Способ 2. Работаем с HFS+ через утилиты
Работа с Mac-дисками через специальные приложения предоставляет более ограниченную поддержку HFS+. Доступ к файловой системе при этом будет возможен только в них, а в «Проводнике» диски даже не будут отображаться. Обычно приложения позволяют только просматривать и копировать файлы, но не записывать.
Утилиты для работы с HFS+ стоят гораздо дешевле, причём встречаются даже бесплатные. Этот способ подойдёт тем, кому нужно только чтение файлов. Кроме того, с помощью не требующих установки утилит можно просматривать файлы с Mac-дисков на компьютерах, где нельзя установить драйвер или стороннее ПО.
HFSExplorer
Простая и, что немаловажно, бесплатная утилита, которая позволит просматривать файлы с дисков HFS+ в среде Windows. HFSExplorer открывает содержимое Mac-дисков в виде дерева каталогов, где можно выбрать нужные файлы. Для просмотра их нужно скопировать на диск Windows. Также есть возможность создания образов дисков HFS+ для последующей работы уже с ними.
Утилита HFSExplorer не так удобна, как драйверы, и умеет только просматривать файлы, зато не стоит ни копейки.
Скачать HFSExplorer →
TransMac
Как и HFSExplorer, TransMac не устанавливает драйверы в систему, а открывает доступ к дискам HFS+ внутри своего окна. Более того, приложение вообще не нужно инсталлировать, благодаря чему его можно использовать на рабочем компьютере или в гостях. При этом доступны не только чтение, но и запись данных. Есть даже поддержка изменения и форматирования разделов на дисках HFS+.
Утилита будет полезна всем, кто по каким-либо причинам не хочет (или не может) установить драйверы, но нуждается в полноценной поддержке HFS+.
Стоимость лицензии — 59 долларов, ознакомительный период — 15 дней.
Скачать TransMac →
Бонус
Если вы не хотите тратиться и заморачиваться с установкой драйверов или дополнительных утилит, можно поступить по-другому: воспользоваться Live-USB-дистрибутивом Linux. Загрузившись с него, вы получите доступ ко всем вашим дискам, включая HFS+ и NTFS, а затем сможете просмотреть или скопировать любые файлы на них. Так умеет, например, Ubuntu.
Установочный образ обычно имеет и Live USB, поэтому всё, что вам останется сделать, — это скачать образ и записать его на флешку.
When you format your Mac, you’ll probably have to reformat it first before you can use it on a Windows computer. This may not be a big problem as most software is compatible with Mac-formatted drives. However, if you are using your Mac to store or retrieve data on your PC, you may want to format the drive first before you attempt to use it. This way, you can still use the software you’ve purchased for your Mac, but your PC won’t be able to access it.
One common question is, “Can Windows Read Mac OS Extended Journaled??”. While NTFS and HFS are incompatible file systems, macOS uses HFS (hfs). Consequently, Windows can read and write files from Mac OS Extended Journaled drives. While NTFS and HFS are both incompatible file systems, exFAT is compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems.
Will Mac OS Extended Work on PC?
The answer is yes. The new Mac operating system supports the NTFS file system, which is compatible with both Mac and PC computers. The new Mac operating system features case-sensitivity for file names and folders. It is also encrypted and requires a password. The only downside to Mac OS Extended is that it can’t be used on Windows computers. However, it does work on some Mac models. Continue reading to learn more about this new Mac operating system.
Macs using the NTFS file system can read the journaled files stored in the Mac OS Extended file system. However, Windows PCs can’t read the Extended file system, which is also known as HFS+. However, you can install third-party tools to enable Windows to read Mac files. Those tools are available online. You can download free trials of these programs and install them on your Windows PC.
Can Windows Read a Mac Hard Drive?
The question “Can Windows read a Mac hard drive?” arises when you want to transfer data from a Mac to a PC. The good news is that it is possible to do so without formatting your drive. Windows will, however, prompt you to format the drive before using it. This can damage your data. However, there is freeware available that will let you read the contents of your Mac drive on your PC.
First, the question of whether Windows can read a Mac hard drive has been answered in the affirmative. The answer depends on the file system of the Mac drive. NTFS and FAT32 are compatible with Windows while HFS+ are not. Fortunately, there are third-party applications that allow you to read or convert a Mac hard drive to Windows without losing any data. Nevertheless, this software can be expensive and may not work properly if you have permission to install it on your computer.
Another way to read a Mac drive is to use HFS Explorer, a free program. However, it can be challenging to repair a Windows drive if the repositories are corrupt. This problem can be even more difficult if Windows files are missing or corrupted. The free program is easy to use and requires Java, which is a prerequisite for installing a Mac-formatted drive.
How Do I Open a Mac OS File in Windows?
You may be wondering how to open a Mac OS Extended Journaled file on your Windows computer. It’s possible, but you’ll need to format the drive first. If it’s a Mac, you may have to format it first, but most software is compatible with both formats. If you’re unsure, you can always download software for Mac from third-party developers.
The Mac OS Extended file system is the same as the one used by Apple computers. This means it’s compatible with the Windows file system. This means you can open Mac files with Windows by using a third-party tool. It’s important to note that Mac files are formatted differently on Windows. This means that you need a third-party tool that supports both file systems.
Using the right software can also help you open a Mac OS Extended Journaled file in Windows. If you’ve formatted the drive on a Mac, it will display an Apple icon in the Windows Explorer window. This way, you can open it with Windows software. Then, you’ll be able to view all Mac files in the Windows interface. However, it’s worth noting that Windows does not support HFS+.
What Mac Formats Can Windows Read?
Currently, Windows cannot read Mac drives natively. However, a third-party program can read these drives and offer to re-format them. Until early 2017, Macs only used the HFS+ file system, but Apple has since changed this to the more common APFS. In addition, external hard drives are typically formatted in the FAT32 file system, which is compatible with the vast majority of devices.
If you have a Mac with an NTFS file system, you will be able to convert it to a Windows-compatible format. This is because exFAT is a universal file system and does not support journaling. Once the files are converted, they will be permanently converted. If you need to convert a Mac drive to NTFS, you can use a $20 third-party program called Paragon NTFS.
The only Mac formats that Windows cannot read are FAT32 and NTFS. However, you can get third-party applications that read both file systems. For instance, you can restore a Time Machine backup from a Mac to Windows with the help of one of these applications. Another common file system used by Macs and Windows is exFAT. Some manufacturers sell a “Mac” drive preformatted with HFS+, which is compatible with both OSes.
Can Windows 10 Read Mac OS Extended Journalet files? Yes, as long as you format the Mac drive first. Macs formatted with binary files cannot be read by Windows. The only way to open a Mac file on Windows is to format it with a third-party tool. But if you’re desperate for that information, here are some third-party solutions you can try:
Firstly, you have to know that Mac OS Extended uses a different file system than Windows. If you don’t have an older Mac, you’ll need to format it before using it on a PC. Most software is designed to read Mac-formatted drives, so there’s no need to worry. You can continue using the Mac’s software as usual. If you’re using a Mac with a Windows PC, you can use the software that works well with Mac-formatted drives.
To make sure you have the right file system, first ensure your hard drive is formatted in HFS+ or FAT32. If you’re using a Mac, be sure to select HFS+ or NTFS+ as the file system. Windows won’t read HFS+, so you’ll need to format it with exFAT. You can also use a third-party tool called HFSExplorer to convert it to HFS+.
Can Windows Read exFAT?
Before attempting to format a Mac hard drive, you should first understand that it is not compatible with NTFS. While it can be useful for Windows machines, Macs cannot natively write to NTFS files. To make things easier, Apple provides a free tool called Disk Utility, which ships with macOS. If you have an old Mac, you may have used the older HFS+ file system for formatting. Thankfully, Windows is compatible with exFAT files.
If you have a Mac that has an Extended or Journaled file system, the answer is yes. Although Windows is not able to read Mac OS formatted drives, it can read FAT32/exFAT. If you want to use a Mac and Windows PC, you can download the tool and install it on your PC. You can also use it to restore Time Machine backups to Windows.
HFSExplorer is another utility that is compatible with macOS-formatted drives. It automatically detects the connected drive, loads the file system and shows the contents graphically. If you can’t install this free tool, you can purchase an inexpensive third-party application to do the job. You can download it here. Once you have installed it, launch HFSExplorer. Once you’ve installed the software, you’ll be able to view all of the data on your HFS+ drive.
Is exFAT Compatible with Mac And Windows?
As the name suggests, exFAT is a file system which works on both Mac and Windows computers. Users of both platforms can access the data stored in them, and they can access this format in either read or write mode. The advantage of exFAT over FAT32 is that it doesn’t have a maximum file size limit and does not require complex ACLs or file attribution systems, which can be problematic for users of different operating systems. ExFAT also supports USB flash drives and is a great choice for frequent file sharing.
Open Disk Utility from the Applications menu on your Mac and select your USB flash drive. You will see the drive in the External category. Click on it and select the file system you want to use: exFAT or the default GUID Partition Map (GPT). You will then be prompted to confirm your choice. After this, you can remove the disk from your Mac. Alternatively, you can format your hard drive with Windows using the same steps as for Mac.
Learn More Here:
1.) Windows Help Center
2.) Windows – Wikipedia
3.) Windows Blog
4.) Windows Central
Hi I just bought a new 2TB HDD and i formatted it to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). However when I tried to open it on my PC with Windows 8 it was detected but not loaded. Is there any way that I can read and write this HDD on Windows 8?
Thanks.
Posted on Jan 2, 2015 8:56 AM
Jan 2, 2015 9:01 AM in response to JW_JW
Install software such as MacDrive on the PC.
(119361)
Jan 4, 2015 2:29 PM in response to JW_JW
Format the hard drive ExFat. ExFat can be read and written to by both Windows and OSX.
This thread has been closed by the system or the community team.
You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.
how to open mac os extended journaled hdd in windows 8?
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#1
when i plug in my external thats programmed to my mac, on a windows based computer i cant seem to read the hard drive. is there a program or somthing where i can detect it and transfer files between it?
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#4
read write.
but is there any freeware programs? just in case i want to do it on several of my friends computers just to back up their stuff
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#6
Format A Hard Drive Using Disk Utility (which is in your /Applications/Utilities folder)
Choose the appropriate format:
HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Don’t use case-sensitive)
- Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
- Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! backups of Mac OS X system files. [*]To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive [*]To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
- Maximum file size: 8EiB
- Maximum volume size: 8EiB
- Mac OS X: Mac OS Extended format (HFS Plus) volume and file limits
- You can use this format if you only use the drive with Mac OS X, or use it for backups of your Mac OS X internal drive, or if you only share it with one Windows PC (with MacDrive installed on the PC)
NTFS (Windows NT File System)
- Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
- Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X [*]To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X, here are some alternatives:
- For Mac OS X 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install Paragon (approx $20) (Best Choice for Lion and later)
- For 32-bit Mac OS X, install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
- For 64-bit Snow Leopard, read this: MacFUSE for 64-bit Snow Leopard
- Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx $36).
- Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and Lion, but is not advisable, due to instability.
- AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
- Maximum file size: 16 TB
- Maximum volume size: 256TB
- You can use this format if you routinely share a drive with multiple Windows systems.
exFAT (FAT64)
- Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
- Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
- exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
- AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
- Maximum file size: 16 EiB
- Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
- You can use this format if it is supported by all computers with which you intend to share the drive. See «disadvantages» for details.
FAT32 (File Allocation Table)
- Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X. [*]Maximum file size: 4GB.
- Maximum volume size: 2TB
- You can use this format if you share the drive between Mac OS X and Windows computers and have no files larger than 4GB.
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#7
i bought it a few weeks ago and it works great for me.
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#9
Second for MacDrive..it is good and i used it in bootcamp
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#10
Mac Drive…Bad…
My hard drive finally went kaput on my mac, and it is in the mac hospital getting a replacement. I knew this was going to happen soon, so earlier this year I purchased an external to put everything on. However, I formatted it for Mac use only (I know that was stupid). At the apple store the genius recommended MacDrive. I came home installed it, worked beautifully, however, my internet browsers all pooped. Nothing will connect. I reset my router, restarted everything still no joy. So, I decide I’ll go to my Windows XP machine and do it, maybe that will be better. Wrong, it was the only computer left working in the house and as soon as I installed MacDrive, the browsers stopped connecting again. So, I uninstalled it off my Windows8 laptop and my browsers started connecting again. I would be leary of it.
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#11
My hard drive finally went kaput on my mac, and it is in the mac hospital getting a replacement. I knew this was going to happen soon, so earlier this year I purchased an external to put everything on. However, I formatted it for Mac use only (I know that was stupid). At the apple store the genius recommended MacDrive. I came home installed it, worked beautifully, however, my internet browsers all pooped. Nothing will connect. I reset my router, restarted everything still no joy. So, I decide I’ll go to my Windows XP machine and do it, maybe that will be better. Wrong, it was the only computer left working in the house and as soon as I installed MacDrive, the browsers stopped connecting again. So, I uninstalled it off my Windows8 laptop and my browsers started connecting again. I would be leary of it.
MacDrive only enables Windows to read and write to HFS+ formatted drives. You can’t boot from that drive from Windows or run OS X apps in Windows. That’s not what MacDrive is intended for. There is no need to avoid it if you use it as designed. MacDrive has nothing to do with your Windows browsers. Like many others, I’ve used it for years on a number of computers with none of the issues you described. I recommend further troubleshooting to determine the true source of your browser issues.
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#12
macdrive, hfs-explorer
hi there,
i had a look at both software ‘solutions’ however, none of them helped me accessing data on an apple formatted external hard drive. anything i missed? any ideas? did one of these programs actually really work?
running out of ideas = (
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#13
hi there,
i had a look at both software ‘solutions’ however, none of them helped me accessing data on an apple formatted external hard drive. anything i missed? any ideas? did one of these programs actually really work?
running out of ideas = (
Yes, they both work very well. What happened when you tried them? Did you install them properly? Did you reboot after installing them? Was the drive mounted properly? Did you verify what exact format was used on the drive? Did you check to see if the drive had any errors or corruption? More information would certainly help us help you.
If you connect a drive formatted in Mac to a Windows PC, you’ll be prompted to format it before use. That is to say, you are not allowed to view anything saved on it before formatting. But the question is: if you click Format disk, your data will be ruined. This post from MiniTool will introduce several useful ways to help you with that; please read carefully.
Can You Read Mac Drive on Windows
Many people doubt that whether they can read Mac drive on Windows. Some took action: they removed the drive from Mac and connected it to a Windows PC properly. But after connecting the Mac-formatted drive to Windows, a prompt window will pop up automatically on the screen, saying that they need to format the disk before use.
Don’t Format the Drive
You should click Cancel instead of Format disk when seeing this prompt. Why? That is simply because the formatting action will damage your data saved on that drive. Is there any other way to read a Mac-formatted drive on Windows? Sure, it is; some effective ways used by other users will be shown to you later on this page.
What Does Formatting a Hard Drive Do
Some users said they clicked on the Format disk button by mistake when seeing the prompt window mentioned above; they were wondering if there’s any way to help them recover a formatted hard drive. Luckily, the answer is yes.
What does disk formatting mean?
Formatting a hard disk/drive refers to delete all the file & folders save on a drive and set a certain file system for it. The formatting action is performed to prepare a data storage device (including hard disk drive, solid-state drive, USB flash drive, and SD card) for initial use. Two of the most obvious results of formatting a hard disk are: deleting data and changing file system.
Besides, there are also other benefits of disk formatting:
- Get more space on disk.
- Solve disk problems caused by soft failure.
- Improve disk/system performance greatly.
- And so on.
Do you know how to improve Windows 10 performance effectively?
Recover Formatted Hard Drive
The first and the most important thing to do after formatting a hard drive is to recover precious data from hard drive. MiniTool Power Data Recovery can be a good data recovery assistant: it’s clean, safe, and professional. Please free download the trial edition to experience this data recovery tool first before you decide to buy it; after that, double click on the setup program to finish installing the software on your Windows computer, on which the Mac hard drives are formatted.
MiniTool Power Data Recovery TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Follow this guide to recover data from Mac formatted external hard drives:
- Click Start now at the end of installation to launch MiniTool Power Data Recovery. You can also open it by double clicking on the software icon.
- Wait for a few seconds until the disk loading process is finished automatically.
- Select Devices from the top of the software pane.
- Choose the formatted Mac drive under it.
- Double click on the target drive directly or click on the Scan button.
- The full scan will be started at once; more and more files and folders will be found during the scan. Please make sure the Mac hard drive is always connected to your computer.
- Browse the found items carefully to decide which files are needed and which are not; add a checkmark into the square box in from of all the files you want to recover. If you can’t confirm, go to view the content before recovery by clicking Preview.
- Click on the Save button in the lower right corner.
- Select a storage path in the pop-up window to store the files waiting to be recovered; please make sure it has enough free space left. (You shouldn’t select the original Mac-formatted drive as the storage location in order to avoid secondary damage.)
- Click on the OK button in the same window to confirm your selection.
- Then, wait until all the files saved on Mac hard drive have been recovered successfully to appointed place. A prompt window will show up to inform you of the recovery result.
MiniTool Power Data Recovery is also a great tool for recovering formatted SD card or broken/corrupted USB stick.
Although the formatting action cannot be canceled once it’s done, there are ways to make up for the damage it has done to your data. You can recover files easily from a formatted disk or damaged/corrupted/broken/dead drive with the help of a professional tool.Click to Tweet
After the data recovery process has been completed, you may transfer back the recovered files to the formatted disk as long as you can confirm that you’ve got back all the files you need.
[SOLVED] How To Recover Deleted Files On Mac | Complete Guide!
What about Windows 10 read Mac drive? Please read the following sections.
Can a Mac external drive be read on a PC?
A lot of people are wondering whether they can read Mac drive on Windows 10 with freeware. In fact, there is both free and paid software to help people read Mac drive on PC easily, without formatting the disk. I’ll introduce some of the useful software you can use on Windows 10 to read files and folders from Mac-formatted drive.
How to fix when some files are not showing in external hard drive?
Note: Choice 1 ~ 3 is suitable for reading HFS & HFS+; choice 4 ~ 5 is used to read APFS on Windows.
Choice 1: HFSExplorer
HFSExplorer is completely free; it’s a basic application designed to help users read Mac-formatted hard disks and disk images. HFSExplorer gives support to various file systems: HFS (the Standard file system on Mac), HFS+ (the Extended file system on Mac OS), HFSX (the Extended Mac OS file system with case sensitive file names), etc.
What Does HFSExplorer Allow You to Do
- Browse volumes on Mac by using a graphical file system browser.
- Check the volume related information.
- Extract files you need (copy files to Windows hard disk free).
- Mount & read disk images like .dmg and .sparsebundle.
- Create disk images from the volume on Mac.
The partition schemes including Master Boot Record, GUID Partition Table, and Apple Partition Map are supported by HFSExplorer.
Attention!
You need to install Java first if you don’t have it on your PC since it’s required (Sun’s Java SE runtime environment version 5.0 or greater in which OpenJDK works fine).
HFSExplorer: Launch error
No Java runtime environment found. HFSExplorer cannot function without Java.
Press “OK” to open up http://www.java.com where you can download a Java runtime environment for your system.
You should just click OK as prompted to download & install proper runtime environment when seeing the window above.
How to Use HFSExplorer to Read Mac Hard Drive on Windows
HFSExplorer is a good tool to help you read your Mac-formatted drive on your Windows PC.
- Connect the Mac-formatted drive to Windows 10 PC.
- Run HFSExplorer as administrator.
- Select File from the menu bar.
- Choose Load file system from device
- Click Autodetect to load the connected hard drive.
- Choose the files & folders you want to view in the HFS+ drive.
- Click Extract in the graphical window.
- Select a folder as the destination.
- Expand the folder to read Mac drive files on a Windows 10 PC.
Attention:
- HFS/HFS+/HSFX partitions can all be detected by using HFSExplorer.
- You can also Select a device or Specify device name manually in step 5.
If the connected external hard drive is not showing up on PC, you can’t detect it in step 5. You must make it appear in Windows first.
Is there any other hard drive reader for Windows? Of course, yes; please move on.
Choice 2: Apple HFS+ Drivers
Another way to access HFS + files in Windows 10 for free is installing Apple HFS + drivers.
Tip: The Apple HFS + drivers only give you read access to the files in Mac-formatted drives.
Steps to Read Mac Drives on PC with Apple HFS + Drivers
First, you should make sure you don’t have Paragon or MacDrive (the hard drive readers I will talk about later) on your Windows computer. If you do, please remove them now.
Second, you should download the correct Windows driver package to your local drive.
Third, you should configure your Windows as follow.
- Go to the default download path (Downloads folder) to extract the downloaded zip file.
- Find AppleHFS.sys and AppleMNT.sys files.
- Copy them by pressing Ctrl + C (you can also do it by right clicking & choosing Copy).
- Go to this path: C:\Windows\System32\drivers.
- Copy them by pressing Ctrl + V (you can also right click on any blank area & choose Paste).
- Navigate to the downloaded folder to find Add_AppleHFS.reg file.
- Open the .reg file to bring up a Registry Editor prompt window.
- Click on the Yes button and then click OK.
- Restart your computer to make changes take effect.
Fourth, you should connect the Mac-formatted drive to your PC -> open File Explorer (also called Windows Explorer) -> locate that drive under This PC -> access files you want.
Tip: You may find the File Explorer has stopped working or not responding when trying to open it; please don’t be nervous since this problem can be fixed.
Choice 3: HFS+ for Windows
Though the Paragon HFS+ for Windows is a paid hard driver reader, you’ll love it after using.
What Can Paragon HFS+ for Windows Do for You
- The speed is fast and the performance is stable.
- The Mac file systems are integrated into Windows File Explorer.
- It provides full read and write access to Mac drives formatted with HFS, HFS +, and HFSX (just like other drives in Windows).
- It allows Windows programs to read from or write to the Mac-formatted drive on Windows.
- There are additional features that worth the cost.
How Much Does It Cost
The Paragon HFS+ for Windows is sold on the official website for $19.95 with a single seat license; $49.95 with one license worked on 3 PCs.
If you don’t want to spend money in reading Mac drive on Windows, you should download the trial edition; it is free for use for 10 days. You can access, copy files from or to the Mac drive during this period; it’s enough.
Choice 4: MacDrive
If your Mac drive is formatted with APFS (Apple File System), you won’t be able to read Mac hard drive on Windows because there are no free apps designed for it. But you have many choices of paid applications to access & edit Mac drive files on Windows; MacDrive is a popular one designed by Mediafour.
Merits of MacDrive
- It is used to help users read data from and write data to Mac disks from Windows directly.
- You can read both APFS and HFS+ drives in File Explorer.
- It allows you to create and partition Mac disks on your Windows.
- A graphical interface is offered for Mac-formatted drives verification, format, and repair.
- It’s a trusted solution which can date back to 1996.
The only drawback of MacDrive seems to be the selling price is higher than some similar tools. You need to pay $49.99 for the Standard version or $69.99 for the Pro version.
Is it worth the price? Yes, if you have such needs; it also includes unique features like support for Mac-formatted RAID disks.
Choice 5: Paragon APFS for Windows
Paragon also designed an APFS for Windows app for reading APFS Mac drive on Windows; it is considered as one of the main competitors of MacDrive.
Features of Paragon APFS for Windows
- It provides read and write access to Mac drives formatted with APFS.
- It also allows you to access and edit compressed and cloned files (you can only access the encrypted volumes without making any changes).
- It gives support to auto-mounting at start-up; the partition tools of MacDrive are not included in this app.
The biggest disadvantage of Paragon APFS for Windows when compared to MacDrive is the HFS+ support. The biggest advantage of Paragon APFS for Windows over MacDrive is the price – it costs only $49.95 for one license worked on 3 PCs.
Of course, there are many other tools available for you to read Mac drives on Windows (10/8/7, etc.).
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Choice 6: Format Drive to exFAT
You can format your Mac hard drive to exFAT, which supports both Windows and Mac OS X. In this way, you can get full read and write access to exFAT drives on Windows without any additional third-party software.
The only thing you need to worry is that the data on Mac drives will be removed. So you need to turn to MiniTool Power Data Recovery as mentioned in part 1 to recover the files you need after formatting.
How to format a hard drive? Basically, there are three ways.
- Right click on the drive in File Explorer -> choose Format.
- Open Disk Management -> right click on the target drive -> choose Format.
- Format Partition with MiniTool Partition Wizard – a professional disk manager.
Though you’ll be asked to format the Mac hard disk first when you connect it to a Windows PC, there are still useful ways to help you view the content without formatting – using the hard drive reader. Some of the best freeware to read Mac drive on PC are introduced here to help more people with the problem.Click to Tweet
Final Thoughts
Though you can’t access a Mac-formatted drive on a Windows computer directly, there are useful ways and tools to help you read Mac drive on Windows easily. Please just follow the steps mentioned above and choose the tool depending on your needs.
