Seagate Backup Plus is preformatted exFAT for compatibility with both Mac and Windows computers. If you use the drive with only one type of computer, you can optimize file copy performance by formatting the drive in the native file system for your operating system—NTFS for Windows or HFS+ for Macs. There are two ways you can optimize performance: Toolkit Optimize. How to re-format a Seagate external hard drive for both Mac and a PC. For some reason I lost half of my space on this hard drive once I formatted it. I know Mac operating system doesn't fully support NTFS formatted drive. But if I format the Seagate external hard drive to HFS+ file system, it will not be supported by my Windows computer. I want to know which file system I should apply for the Seagate external hard drive so that it can be compatible both with Mac and PC. Seagate Backup Plus is preformatted exFAT for compatibility with both Mac and Windows computers. If you use the drive with only one type of computer, you can optimize file copy performance by formatting the drive in the native file system for your operating system—NTFS for Windows or HFS+ for Macs. You can't open the Seagate Backup Plus drive on Mac until it's unlocked. Moreover, an NTFS for Mac software is needed to use Backup Plus Ultra Touch on Mac, as it's preformatted with NTFS. Seagate Backup Plus Slim: Seagate Backup Plus is small enough for a loaded laptop bag. It's an ideal external hard drive with easy portability and enough.
Before you are led to the introduction of free NTFS for Mac, here is some background information in case you don't know.
You can read Windows NTFS drives on Mac. But Mac can't write to NTFS drives, including create, edit, copy, paste, delete, or transfer files on NTFS drive on Mac desktops and laptops. Do you know why?
NTFS is a file system developed by Microsoft, the competitor of Apple. NTFS is used by default on Windows platform, especially for system drive. Additionally, if you use Boot Camp to create a Windows partition on your Mac, you will find you can't mount BOOTCAMP partition with read-write access either. Up to now, Mac operating systems, including macOS Catalina/Mojave/High Sierra/Sierra and Mac OS X El Capitan, only provide NTFS read support but deny NTFS write support.
You know the business, but for users, is there any way to let Mac write NTFS drives? Can you make the NTFS drive fully compatible with macOS or Mac OS X? Sure. The easiest method is to use NTFS driver for macOS software.
If you are looking for a totally free NTFS for Mac software, there are four options: Mounty for NTFS, NTFS-3G, FUSE for macOS and SL-NTFS.
Top 4 NTFS for Mac free software
Some Mac users may have upgraded to macOS Catalina and are digging around for an NTFS driver for macOS 10.15. But it's hard to find a Free NTFS for Mac that supports macOS 10.15 yet. Fortunately, iBoysoft has upgraded their software iBoysoft NTFS for Mac to be compatible with macOS Catalina.
If you are using a Mac running macOS 10.14 and earlier, you can try the NTFS for Mac below and share NTFS drives between Windows and Mac.
1. Mounty for NTFS
Mounty for NTFS is completely NTFS for Mac free software to enable write ability to NTFS drives on your Mac. It has simple design to help users mount NTFS drives with write support on Mac.
What does blocked plug in mean on a mac. As a free utility, Mounty for NTFS does have some highlights:
- Totally free.
- Fast download and installation because it is less than 1MB.
- One-time installation and no additional driver needed.
But Mounty for NTFS dose get complaints because:
- The write speed to NTFS drive is rather slow.
- It can't mount the NTFS formatted drives in read-write mode automatically.
- It can be unstable and fails to mount NTFS drives.
- It can cause data loss problems.
- It doesn't provide tech support.
- The software is not compatible with the latest macOS Catalina or Mojave.
2. NTFS-3G
NTFS-3G is an open-source project from Tuxera, so the public can download this NTFS for Mac free software to write to Windows NTFS drives on your Mac computers
Set aside its advantage for being free, NTFS-3G is complained a lot because of its poor performance. Some main drawbacks of this free NTFS for Mac are listed below:
- Complicated installation. You have to know how to use Terminal or have already downloaded FUSE for macOS, Homebrew or Xcode.
- Poor usability. Users have to use the software by command lines in Terminal instead of an interface.
- Poor compatibility. NTFS-3G only supports macOS 10.12 or earlier. It doesn't support the latest macOS 10.15 and macOS 10.14.
- Slow write speed. The file transferring is noticeably slow.
- Tuxera stops maintaining this utility.
- No technical support. As freeware, no technical support is available when issues occur.
3. FUSE for macOS
FUSE for macOS (was OSXFUSE) is another open and NTFS for Mac free software that can enable write support to NTFS drives on Mac. In fact, FUSE is a file system extension that allows user to read and write disks with the formats that are not fully supported by Apple.
FUSE for macOS is worth trying because:
- It is free of charge.
- It is compatible with Mac operating system from Mac OS X 10.6 to macOS 10.14.
- Multiple languages are available.
As a free NTFS for Mac, FUSE for macOS has some obvious limitations:
- It can be unreliable sometimes such as file size being reported as 0 bytes.
- It has no technical support when issues occur.
4. SL-NTFS
SL-NTFS means Snow Leopard NTFS. As a matter of fact, writing to NTFS drive on Apple is possible since Mac OS 10.6 without any third-party NTFS driver, but the NTFS writing support is disabled by default. Therefore, SL-NTFS is used as an interface on the Apple NTFS driver to enable writing to NTFS drives on Mac.
As a NTFS for Mac free app, SL-NTFS has some pros as followings:
- It is free.
- It is simple to install.
However, SL-NTFS has some cons to prevent people from using it.
- It has limited access to a large number of files and a large volume of data.
- It can't enable NTFS write on some NTFS external hard drives.
- It can cause conflicts if you have another NTFS enabler installed.
- It has no technical support.
Generally speaking, despite of being free, those NTFS for Mac free software have various flaws, making them very risky to use.
If you are afraid of using a risky free NTFS utility for Mac, there are two cost-effective alternatives for you. Even though they are not completely free, they can provide a lot of merits that NTFS for Mac free software on't have.
Best NTFS for Mac software
NTFS for Mac free software can be troublemakers because of their low write speed, poor compatibility, no technical support, etc. Nevertheless, you don't have to pay a fortune to get enough reliability, stability and simplicity from a cost-effective NTFS for Mac - iBoysoft NTFS for Mac or iBoysoft Drive Manager.
1. iBoysoft NTFS for Mac
iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is an ultimate NTFS for Mac solution in macOS and Mac OS X that can easily help you mount NTFS volumes on Mac desktops and laptops as regular drives in read-write mode.
iBoysoft NTFS for Mac has quite a few advantages you can take into account:
- It can mount NTFS volumes in read-write mode automatically.
- It can unmount and eject NTFS volumes with one click.
- It can repair NTFS file system errors.
- It can erase NTFS volumes for data cleanup.
- It can reformat other file system (except APFS) into NTFS.
- It is fully compatible with macOS 10.15/10.14/10.13/10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11/10.10/10.9/10.8.
- It is easy to install and use.
- Free technical support is provided.
2. iBoysoft Drive Manager
Paragon Ntfs Seagate
Another great alternative to NTFS for Mac free software is iBoysoft Drive Manager. It is a handy Mac tool that can enable full read-write access to NTFS drives on Mac and help manage multiple external drives/network drives with one click.
iBoysoft Drive Manager is a great replacement of a free NTFS for Mac because:
- It is extremely affordable and offers 7-day free trial.
- It is fully compatible with macOS 10.15/10.14/10.13/10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11/10.10/10.9/10.8.
- It is fast to write to NTFS drives and transfer files between NTFS drives and Mac.
- It is easy to install and use.
- It provides lifetime free upgrades.
- Free technical support is provided.
- Besides powerful NTFS writing support, it can manage external drives and map network drives as local drives in the Finder.
If you want to know any disadvantages that iBoysoft Drive Manager might have, I would say the only one should be - it is not free. But it is really cheap compared with other commercial NTFS for Mac programs, such as Paragon and Tuxera.
We also provide a table to help you find the most preferable NTFS driver:
NTFS for macOS | iBoysoft Drive Manager | iBoysoft NTFS for Mac | Mounty for Mac | NTFS-3G | FUSE for macOS | SL-NTFS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NTFS writing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Auto-mount NTFS in read-write mode | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Speed | Fast | Fast | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow |
Supported Mac OS | macOS 10.15/10.14/10.13/10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11 to 10.8. | macOS 10.15/10.14/10.13/10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11 to 10.8. | macOS 10.13/10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11 to 10.6. | macOS 10.13/10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11 to 10.6. | macOS 10.14/10.13/10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11 to 10.6. | macOS 10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11 to 10.6. |
Supported devices | USB drives, SD cards, HDDs, etc. | USB drives, SD cards, HDDs, etc. | USB drives, SD cards, HDDs, etc. (not all) | USB drives, SD cards, HDDs, etc. | USB drives, SD cards, HDDs, etc. | USB drives, SD cards, HDDs, etc. (not all) |
Supported file system | NTFS, APFS, FAT32, exFAT, etc. | NTFS, APFS, FAT32, exFAT, etc. | NTFS | NTFS | NTFS, APFS, FAT32, exFAT, etc. | NTFS |
Tech support | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Simple installation | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Ease of use | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Other | 1.Manage external storage media with one click. 2.Map network drive as local drives. | 1. Repair NTFS. 2.Erase NTFS volumes. 3.Reformat other file systems into NTFS. | N/A | N/A | Multiple languages are available. | N/A |
Price | $29.95 | $19.95 | Free | Free | Free | Free |
Free download | Download | Download | Download | Download | Download | Download |
Now, you have a few options in your hands. If you don't care the risks and want to try out the free NTFS for Mac programs, generally speaking, Mounty for NTFS and FUSE for macOS are better ones. However, if you care about the reliability, technical support and NTFS write speed a lot, or you are specifically looking for an NTFS driver for macOS Catalina, Mojave or High Sierra, iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is your best choice.
People also ask
Q: Is NTFS for Mac free
A: There are four NTFS for Mac free software:
- Mounty for NTFS
- NTFS-3G
- FUSE for macOS
- SL-NTFS
Q: How can Mac read NTFS for free?
A: By default, macOS Disk Utility can mount NTFS drive in read-only mode.
Q: What is the best NTFS for Mac?
A: There are three best NTFS for Mac software:
- iBoysoft NTFS for Mac
- Paragon NTFS for Mac
- Tuxera NTFS for Mac
NTFS for Mac is macOS Big Sur compatible and already available for Apple Silicon
Full read-write access granted!Microsoft NTFS is one of the primary file systems of Windows. If you work on a Mac computer and need to read or write files from HDD, SSD or a flash drive formatted under Windows, you need Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software.
Write, edit, copy, move and delete files on Microsoft NTFS volumes from your Mac! Fast, seamless, easy to use. Mount, unmount, verify, format or set any of your Microsoft NTFS volumes as a startup drive.
New! Ready for macOS 11.0 Big Sur
Write files to Microsoft NTFS drives on your Mac
Can't write, copy, edit or delete files on Microsoft NTFS-formatted drives from your Mac? It's because macOS has limited support for Windows volumes — that is, you can only read data, but can't write or delete anything. Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software provides blazing fast, unlimited read/write access to Microsoft NTFS hard drives, SSDs or thumb drives formatted for Windows computers!
A no-brainer upgrade for those installing macOS 10.14 Mojave, Paragon NTFS for Mac remains the best cross-platform utility money can buy, especially now that it plays nice with Apple's new dark mode.
MacWorld US, Editors' Choice 2018
www.macworld.comWhether you're a hardcore Boot Camp user or just need to occasionally write to Windows-formatted media, this update keeps things working at peak performance…
MacWorld US, Editors' Choice 2018
www.macworld.comRunning a Mac and having NTFS formatted external disks, you definitely need NTFS for Mac. It is well priced <…> and enables read and write access to your NTFs drives no matter what size. The speed at which you can read and write the data on these drives is the best of any competitor if there really is one. Anyone who needs to use Mac and Windows computers, needs this app for easy data transfer. The interface is best of any application found, and the application itself offers additional drive tools for taking full control. The latest version also supports Mojave and APFS format to complete a perfect application. It is without real competition and deserves a full 5 star award. This utility makes your external storage usable on any computer system Windows or Mac. So your data remains interchangeable and is fully adapted for macOS MOJAVE.
MacSoftReview
www.macsoftreview.com
September 2018Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is a great upgrade to an exceptional cross-platform utility that's easily worth the money, especially if you own the previous version 14, in which case this one's free.
The user interface is tastefully designed, with buttons for mounting, unmounting, verifying, or erasing the selected volume. Dual-boot users also have the option to reboot into a compatible mounted Mac or Windows startup volume. There's even a lovely color-coded space indicator like the one introduced with Mac OS X El Capitan, displaying content by Audio, Video, Apps, Images, and Other categories.MacWorld, USA, August 2017,
macworld.comMicrosoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software, the excellent third-party file system driver that enables writing to Windows-formatted volumes at native speeds.
MacWorld, USA, June 2017,
macworld.comMicrosoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is the best such software solution: reliable, fast, and now affordable as well…
Fast, seamless, and easy to use, Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is required for those who need to write to Windows volumes. And now it's more affordable than ever.MacWorld, USA 2016,
macworld.comA very specialized product that does its job in a very unobtrusive way. You just install it and it works. When you plug an NTFS disk into your Mac, it just mounts on the desktop like any other disk, and when you copy a file to it, it just works, no muss, no fuss. This utility is also invaluable if you find yourself in a situation where you need to format a disk as NTFS, and it performs this task with an equal lack of drama
Apple Press, DVMUG
Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is an essential installation for anyone working with Macs and PCs, as it helps to break down the barriers that exist between the two operating systems
Mac World UK,
macworld.comIt'll install cleanly and easily on macOS 10.12 Sierra and 'just work', so it's a good option
How-to-Geek
Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software does exactly what we expect from it, by offering a seamless NTFS disk management. It's good performances even allow working directly on the Windows partition, including for heavy applications such as video or photo processing.
mac4ever.com
WOW….Ive been struggling with the whole MAC/Windows NTFS issue for some time and have a number of external drives that I need to swap between Mac/PC all the time. I've always had a headache with NTFS drivers etc. I bought and downloaded your Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software today and WOW. Amazing. Everything just works. Brilliant product. Worth every penny. Thank you.
Robinson Philip
It is pretty fast with NTFS transfers (slightly slower than OSX extended partitions obviously) and I've never had any problems mid-transfer or anything. For me, it's always done what it said on the box, and now with V14 it's got El Capitan compatibility, so no complaints here. If you're looking for a way to have plug-and-play NTFS drives on your mac, there really isn't a better alternative to Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software. Highly recommended for all Mac users!
M. Doyle
If you have a Mac and you need to access volumes that are formatted NTFS, this is the best solution out there. Why Apple hasn't just baked in support for NTFS after all these years still remains a mystery. I've been using Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software for several years now and have never had any problems with it.
H. Jaynes
Blazing Fast
Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is up to six times faster than any of its closest commercial competitors!
Fully Compatible
Supports macOS Big Sur
and older macOS
See Specifications
Powerful Features
Safe data transfer, hassle-free work, easy to use, seamless user experience
How it Works
Simple as 1-2-3
Install
Download and install Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software onto your Mac.
Done!
Microsoft NTFS volumes connected to your Mac are available in the Finder.
All operations just a click away!
If you need more than just a blazing fast and reliable Microsoft NTFS driver, our lightweight menubar and full-featured Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software apps are always at your service.
Access all of your Microsoft NTFS drives and perform the most common volume operations like mount, unmount and verify.
Quickly restart your Mac in Windows from the menubar (assuming it's installed on your mounted Microsoft NTFS drive).
Seamless User Experience
If you've ever used Apple's Disk Utility, you already know how to use Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software. If you haven't, it will only take a few moments to get acquainted.
Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software takes the best of Apple's Disk Utility and moves it to the next level, augmenting Microsoft NTFS volume operations and advanced mount options.
Mounting is entirely under your control with advanced options
Mount in Read-Only: select this option if you need to access sensitive data without modifying any files.
Do not mount automatically: select this option if you want to manually control access to a volume.
Outstanding performance at blazing fast speed
is the fastest file system driver on the market:
6x times faster*
*Tested on 2016 MacBook Pro with SSD drive, view benchmarks here.
Fresh review: check out the video review by European Motion Picture Association.
Latest award: 5-star review of the Mojave-ready edition.
Features
Features | Benefits |
---|---|
Supported Operating Systems |
|
Supported File Systems | All Microsoft NTFS versions are supported (from Windows NT 3.1 to Windows 10). |
Write Access | When a volume is mounted in write mode, you can do everything with the files and folders it contains: read, edit, delete, rename, create new. |
Automount | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software mounts supported volumes automatically at startup, so you don't need to worry each time you restart the operating system or power your computer on. However, this feature can be disabled at any time in the program interface. |
Volume Management | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software easily formats, checks integrity and repairs corrupted volumes. |
Internationalization | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software supports all alphabets supported by your operating systems, including those that use non-Roman and non-Latin characters, so you will never face the problem of not getting access to file names on volumes mounted in non-native OS. |
Compatible with Apple Boot Camp | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is fully compatible with Apple Boot Camp software and provides direct read and write access to Mac partitions from Windows installed on Boot Camp. |
Compatible with 3rd party software | Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software is compatible with popular virtualization and encryption applications including VMware Fusion and Workstation, Parallels Desktop, TrueCrypt and its forks. |
Paragon Technology Center
Want to learn more about the technology behind Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software? Check out the Paragon Technology Portal!
Frequently Asked Questions
Could I try your product for free before buying? | |
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I'm a user of a Seagate or Western Digital device with pre-installed NTFS for Mac. How can I get my update? | |
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Does it work with macOS 11.0 Big Sur? | |
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How can I get the update if I have bought the previous version of Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software? | |
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What operations do you mean saying 'Full read/write access'? | |
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What data transfer rate I will get using Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software? | |
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What versions and features of the Microsoft NTFS file system are supported? | |
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Is BootCamp supported? | |
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What should I do if I have OS X 10.9 but Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software doesn't support OS older than 10.10? | |
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Can I re-activate my license on another Mac? | |
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How many times can I re-activate my license? | |
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It doesn't work! My Microsoft NTFS drive is not recognized by macOS, even after installing Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software. | |
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I frequently work with NTFS, HFS+, APFS-formatted partitions on my Mac and Windows PC. Can I get a discount, if I buy all drivers at once? | |
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Seagate Ntfs For Mac
Ensure multi-platform access - activate required file system drivers based on your IT park, regardless of OS, in any proportion.
Resources
Current Version | Download Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software |
Product Documentation | Download Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software One Pager |
Need help? | Contact Support or file a support ticket |
Latest review | European Motion Picture Association (EURMPA) reviews Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Paragon Software. Watch the videos! |
NTFS for Mac build for Apple Silicon
Paragon Driver For Mac Seagate
Apple has announced a two-year transition to ARM-based processors known as 'Apple Silicon.' Since the new Apple Silicon-based Mac computers are just around the corner, we proactively took on this project. We are delighted to offer Mac users our new NTFS for Mac build for Apple Silicon, which is available for download below.
This offer may be of particular interest for Developer Transition Kit users. If you currently participate in the Universal App Quick Start Program or are just planning to enroll, right now you can download and begin using the new NTFS for Mac build for Apple Silicon on your DTKs.
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