External drives · Using drives with PCs, iPads and other Macs

How do I set up one external drive with a part for my Mac and a part a Windows PC can use?

Q: How do I set up one external drive with a part for my Mac and a part a Windows PC can use?

Partition it. In Disk Utility, choose View → Show All Devices, select the drive, click Partition, and create two partitions: one APFS for your Mac, one exFAT for sharing with Windows. Use the GUID Partition Map scheme. Partitioning an existing drive may erase it, so copy its files off first. Each partition has a fixed size, unlike APFS volumes, so leave room on both sides. Windows only sees the exFAT partition; your Mac sees both. Storage Studio should use the APFS partition. See splitting a drive for Storage Studio and other uses.

Short answer: In Disk Utility (View → Show All Devices), select the drive, click Partition and create an APFS partition for your Mac and an exFAT one for Windows, using GUID Partition Map. Back up first; partition sizes are fixed. Point Storage Studio at the APFS part.

Partition it. In Disk Utility, choose View → Show All Devices, select the drive, click Partition, and create two partitions: one APFS for your Mac, one exFAT for sharing with Windows. Use the GUID Partition Map scheme. Partitioning an existing drive may erase it, so copy its files off first.

Each partition has a fixed size, unlike APFS volumes, so leave room on both sides. Windows only sees the exFAT partition; your Mac sees both.

Storage Studio should use the APFS partition. See splitting a drive for Storage Studio and other uses.

Last reviewed October 1, 2026

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How do I set up one external drive with a part for my Mac and a part a Windows PC can use?

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