

However, it isn’t a journaled file system. exFAT: This file system supports both Mac and Windows.Also note, unlike Mac, Windows does not support either reading or writing to hard drives formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled).Īpart from NTFS and Mac OS Extended, there are a few other file systems that aren’t as common as these two. Simply put, it is possible to copy folders and files from an external Seagate drive on Mac but the opposite is not supported. So, I was able to read files from my Seagate drive on Mac OS but was NOT able to write on it. With my old Windows laptop, the external drive was formatted as NTFS. NTFS is the one for Windows and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is for macOS. Therefore, the Seagate Backup hub comes in two different models. How to Backup MacBook Pro to an External Hard DriveĪ file system is a process that defines the way data is stored, retrieved, and managed on storage disks.Then follow the instructions before it’s complete. And click on the Erase button.Ĭonfirm your selection when asked in the pop-up window. Here, you can change the name of the drive and choose the file system from the drop-down menu.įor the format option, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Step 4: Format the DriveĬhoose the Seagate external drive from the left column and click on Erase. If you can not find it there, click on View on the same window and choose Show All Devices. On the Disk Utility Window, look for Seagate Drive on the left side of the screen.

Step 3: Locate the Seagate External Drive You will find the Disk Utility app inside the Utility folder. Click on Go and then choose Utilities from the menu. To open the Disk Utility window, go to the Finder menu bar on the top of your MacBook. If you are using the USB-C adapter, connect the Seagate drive to the adapter and the other end of the adapter to your MacBook. Step 1: Connect the Deviceįirst, make sure the Seagate external hard drive is connected to your MacBook. Just a few minutes and you can start using your drive on Mac for read-and-write operations (more below). How to Format a Seagate External Drive on Mac?Īs I promised, you won’t need to spend hours completing the formatting process. Those who already have a Seagate drive with supported cable can skip this purchase.

If you have the same problem, just get the USB-C adapter offering Thunderbolt compatibility. This is because my new MacBook only had Thunderbolt-3 ports (USB-C) while the cable that came along with the external drive had a Type A USB connector.

In my case, however, I had to buy a Type A to Type C USB Adapter with Thunderbolt-3 compatibility. All you need is your Mac computer and the Seagate external device. Thankfully, you do not need a lot of extra devices to get through with the formatting process. How to Format a Seagate External Drive on Mac?.
