The Apple File System (APFS) is the document machine used with Mac gadgets operating macOS 10.13 High Sierra and later, whilst the older Mac OS Extended document machine is to be had for older variations of macOS. You can nonetheless use both document machine in your arduous drives and hooked up garage gadgets, with each having their very own professionals and cons.
If you'll be able to't come to a decision between APFS vs Mac OS Extended in your force, you must imagine your use case first. The more recent APFS layout is healthier for some varieties of drives, together with SSDs, whilst Mac OS Extended is superb for older drives and macOS variations. Here's a run-through of the professionals and cons of each to assist you make a decision.
When to Use the Apple File System (APFS)
A new file system has been introduced with High Sierra called APFS. When upgrading to the new Mac OS, the file system is automatically converted from HFS+ to APFS. All applications that do not understand APFS (not just AutoCAD) will need to be updated for compatibility. The current understanding seems to indicate that 'all SSD' machines will have at least their main/root file system converted to APFS on the install of High Sierra. That means HFS+ is still a viable boot file system (as it was during testing the beta on an external rotational drive).
Most customers aren't focused on the kind of document machine their force makes use of—they simply be expecting it to paintings. That's precisely what you get with the now-default Apple File System (APFS) that Mac gadgets were the usage of since macOS 10.13 High Sierra used to be introduced in 2020. It's extensively utilized with different Apple working techniques together with iOS.
Open disk utility on your Mac OS 10.13 High Sierra. Connect your external drive into your USB port. Click on 'Show all devices' 4. Highlight the main drive (left side window pane) and then click on the Erase tab. Make sure format is 'Mac OS Extended Journaled' and ensure that the scheme is set to 'GUID Partition Map' 6. Apple File System (APFS) is the default file system in macOS High Sierra for Mac computers with all-flash storage. APFS features strong encryption, space sharing, snapshots, fast directory sizing, and improved file system fundamentals.
APFS gives numerous pace and optimization enhancements in comparison to HFS+, in addition to enhancements to information dealing with. For instance, document corruption is considerably lowered in comparison to Mac OS Extended.
You'll additionally realize that copying and pasting recordsdata on an APFS force works nearly straight away, because of enhancements in the best way macOS handles document metadata with APFS drives in comparison to the older HFS+.
The greatest drawback to the usage of APFS is that Macs with older macOS variations (macOS 10.12.6 Sierra and older) can't learn, write, or another way get admission to drives that use it. If you've gotten an older Mac, you'll wish to stay the usage of Mac OS Extended or use another like ExFAT as a substitute.
If you again up your Mac the usage of Time Machine, you gained't be capable of use APFS, both. macOS continues to make use of the HFS+ document machine for Time Machine drives in the intervening time. If you try to use an APFS-formatted force, macOS will wish to layout it to HFS+ ahead of you'll be able to continue.
Along with APFS and Mac OS Extended (also referred to as HFS+), you additionally produce other document techniques that can be utilized for exterior drives, together with cross-platform choices like ExFAT. For maximum customers, alternatively, APFS is the one document machine they'll want or wish to use—however provided that they're (handiest) the usage of trendy Mac gadgets.
Choosing Mac OS Extended (HFS+) for Hard Drives
While Mac OS Extended (HFS+) is now not the default document machine for macOS installations, it hasn't been totally deserted through Apple, and it's nonetheless an invaluable possibility for macOS customers underneath sure stipulations.
As we've discussed, HFS+ is the default document machine of selection for macOS Time Machine backup drives. You'll wish to use HFS+ should you plan on formatting a 2d arduous force or moveable flash force to be used as a Time Machine backup—APFS drives gained't paintings.
You'll additionally wish to imagine Mac OS Extended should you're the usage of older and more recent Macs in combination, as older variations of macOS gained't reinforce APFS. Other than capability, alternatively, there are nonetheless a couple of respectable the reason why you'd make a selection HFS+ over APFS—the most important explanation why relies on the kind of force you employ.
Many of the rate and function improvements that APFS brings depend on the usage of a high-speed SSD or moveable flash reminiscence force. If you're the usage of an older, mechanical force with a disk platter, the ones improvements might appear in large part minimum or non-existent.
With that during thoughts, and for cross-compatibility, chances are you'll come to a decision to make use of HFS+ over APFS. You can layout a force with HFS+ the usage of the macOS Disk Utility app, which you'll be able to release from the Launchpad (Other > Disk Utility).
Using ExFAT on macOS and Windows
While you'll be able to handiest use an Apple document machine like APFS and Mac OS Extended in your major machine force, any other document machine may be price bearing in mind for exterior drives—ExFAT.
ExFAT is an older document machine from Microsoft, supposed as a substitute for the even older FAT32 document machine used with Windows machine drives ahead of the transfer to NTFS in Window XP. It gets rid of the 4GB document measurement restrict and the 2TB partition measurement restrict of FAT32 drives and is most often thought to be a greater choice for flash garage.
If you're enthusiastic about the usage of ExFAT, you'll most likely have a unmarried goal in thoughts—sharing recordsdata throughout platforms. ExFAT must handiest truly be used for drives that you simply plan on the usage of with each macOS and Windows gadgets, because it's the one document machine that each working techniques reinforce natively.
It is conceivable for Windows to learn APFS and HFS+ drives, however it calls for exterior tool to take action. Likewise, macOS can learn more recent Windows NTFS drives, however no longer write to them.
For homeowners with Windows and macOS gadgets, the usage of ExFAT for an exterior force is a superb possibility however there are options, equivalent to putting in place your individual cloud garage or sharing recordsdata between your gadgets over your native community as a substitute.
APFS vs Mac OS Extended: Which Is Best?
There's no winner within the APFS vs Mac OS Extended struggle, because it relies on the force you're the usage of. Newer macOS installations must use APFS through default, and should you're formatting an exterior force, APFS is the speedier and more sensible choice for many customers.
Mac OS Extended (or HFS+) continues to be a just right possibility for older drives, however provided that you propose on the usage of it with a Mac or for Time Machine backups. If you wish to have a cross-platform possibility, imagine the usage of ExFAT in your force as a substitute—each Windows and macOS can learn those drives with none further tool.
Disk Utility User Guide
Disk Utility on Mac supports several file system formats:
Apple File System (APFS): The file system used by macOS 10.13 or later.
Mac OS Extended: The file system used by macOS 10.12 or earlier.
MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFAT: File systems that are compatible with Windows.
High Sierra Apfs
Apple File System (APFS)
Apple File System (APFS), the default file system for Mac computers using macOS 10.13 or later, features strong encryption, space sharing, snapshots, fast directory sizing, and improved file system fundamentals. While APFS is optimized for the Flash/SSD storage used in recent Mac computers, it can also be used with older systems with traditional hard disk drives (HDD) and external, direct-attached storage. macOS 10.13 or later supports APFS for both bootable and data volumes.
APFS allocates disk space within a container (partition) on demand. When a single APFS container has multiple volumes, the container's free space is shared and is automatically allocated to any of the individual volumes as needed. If desired, you can specify reserve and quota sizes for each volume. Each volume uses only part of the overall container, so the available space is the total size of the container, minus the size of all the volumes in the container.
Choose one of the following APFS formats for Mac computers using macOS 10.13 or later.
APFS: Uses the APFS format. Choose this option if you don't need an encrypted or case-sensitive format.
APFS (Encrypted): Uses the APFS format and encrypts the volume.
APFS (Case-sensitive): Uses the APFS format and is case-sensitive to file and folder names. For example, folders named 'Homework' and 'HOMEWORK' are two different folders.
APFS (Case-sensitive, Encrypted): Uses the APFS format, is case-sensitive to file and folder names, and encrypts the volume. For example, folders named 'Homework' and 'HOMEWORK' are two different folders.
You can easily add or delete volumes in APFS containers. Each volume within an APFS container can have its own APFS format—APFS, APFS (Encrypted), APFS (Case-sensitive), or APFS (Case-sensitive, Encrypted).
Mac OS Extended
Choose one of the following Mac OS Extended file system formats for compatibility with Mac computers using macOS 10.12 or earlier.
Mac OS Extended (Journaled): Uses the Mac format (Journaled HFS Plus) to protect the integrity of the hierarchical file system. Choose this option if you don't need an encrypted or case-sensitive format.
Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted): Uses the Mac format, requires a password, and encrypts the partition.
Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled): Uses the Mac format and is case-sensitive to folder names. For example, folders named 'Homework' and 'HOMEWORK' are two different folders.
Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted): Uses the Mac format, is case-sensitive to folder names, requires a password, and encrypts the partition.
Windows-compatible formats
Choose one of the following Windows-compatible file system formats if you are formatting a disk to use with Windows.
MS-DOS (FAT): Use for Windows volumes that are 32 GB or less.
ExFAT: Use for Windows volumes that are over 32 GB.
Apfs Format On Windows
