Copy files to windows ntfs on mac (2023 complete guide)

Summary: A guide to copying files to NTFS on Mac, including running NTFS for Mac, using Terminal, and formatting the NTFS hard drive. Among them, using iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is the easiest way to transfer files from Mac to external NTFS hard drives.

copy files to ntfs on mac

You connect your NTFS hard drive to your Mac computer and prepare to move some files to it, only to find that you can't copy files from your Mac to the external hard drive. The Windows NTFS hard disk is write-protected on your Mac.

So how to copy files to NTFS on Mac? If this problem bothers you, follow this article. In this tutorial you will learn how to move files from Mac to NTFS hard drive step by step. Then you can use external NTFS hard drives to freely transfer files between Windows and macOS.

Table of Contents:

Why you can't copy files from your Mac to an external NTFS hard drive

If you can't add files to an external hard drive on your Mac, you usually need to check if the external hard drive is OK, if the connection between the drive and your Mac is OK and if the file permission of the disk is set in read/write mode. If you have an external NTFS hard drive, the first thing you need to do is check its file system compatibility.

This is because NTFS (New Technology File System) was developed by Microsoft and is used for Windows. It is not fully compatible with macOS. Windows NTFS is read-only on Mac by default.

And copying files from your Mac to an external NTFS hard drive is what we call in macOS the act of writing to NTFS. This is not allowed for you. Here's why you can't copy files from your Mac to an external hard drive formatted with NTFS.

Have you learned the reasons? Go tell more people who are also interested in it.

How to copy files to NTFS drives on Mac

Since the external NTFS disk or USB drive is read-only on the Mac, you need to take some steps to configure the Windows NTFS disk to be fully read-write accessible on your Mac. Here we have summarized three efficient methods to help you transfer files from Mac to WD My Passport. Then you can copy files from your Mac to external NTFS drives.

How to copy files to NTFS on Mac:

  1. Format the NTFS drive to FAT32 or exFAT
  2. Use NTFS for Mac (easy, fast and without formatting)
  3. Use Terminal

1. Format the NTFS drive to FAT32 or exFAT

To move files from your Mac to the read-only NTFS drive, you can assign a macOS-compatible file system to it by formatting NTFS for Mac. As we know, macOS supports FAT32, exFAT and APFS. FAT32 and exFAT are compatible with both macOS and Windows.

So if you want to use your hard drive cross-platform, you can reformat your NTFS drive to FAT32 or exFAT using Disk Utility on Mac.

However, reformatting the NTFS drive will erase all data on it, resulting in permanent data loss. If you already have a backup copy of the NTFS drive, you can do this.

Here is how to format your NTFS drive on Mac to FAT32 or exFAT:

format NTFS drive on Mac

  1. Connect your NTFS drive to your Mac.
  2. Open Disk Utility (open Finder> Applications> utilities).
  3. Select the NTFS drive in the left sidebar and then click the upper Delete button.
  4. Enter a name for the drive, select MS-DOS (FAT) or exFAT as the format and choose GUID Partition Map as the scheme.
  5. Click on Erase.
  6. Wait until the erase process is complete. Do not perform any actions on your Mac during the process.

If you have not backed up your NTFS hard drive, you should not do this. Alternatively, you can use a professional NTFS for Mac software to help you make the NTFS drive on Mac writable without formatting it.

2. Use NTFS for Mac (easy, fast&) without formatting)

If you don't want to reformat your NTFS drive because it contains a large number of important files, you can use NTFS for Mac tool to read and write your NTFS drive on Mac.

Here is the video about howIf you have not backed up your NTFS hard drive, you should not do so. Alternatively, you can use a professional NTFS for Mac software to help you make the NTFS drive on Mac writable without formatting it.e to run the NTFS for Mac utility to get your Mac to support reading and writing to NTFS drives. Watch it now, then add files to your NTFS drive on Mac.

read-write NTFS on Mac

There are several brands of NTS for Mac applications, but not all of them are as powerful as they claim to be. While iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is one of the most reliable, well-designed and easy-to-use.

This NTFS for Mac software is trusted by Apple and supports automatic mounting of your NTFS drive as soon as you connect it to your Mac or Apple Silicon Mac. Then you can copy files from your Mac to the NTFS drive quickly and easily, just like on a Windows computer. You can also edit, delete, and rename the files stored on the NTFS drive on your Mac.