---
id: external-drives.partition-a-drive-for-a-windows-pc
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/partition-a-drive-for-a-windows-pc
category: "External drives"
subcategory: "Using drives with PCs, iPads and other Macs"
question: "How do I set up one external drive with a part for my Mac and a part a Windows PC can use?"
alt_questions:
  - "Partition external drive for Mac and Windows"
  - "APFS and exFAT on the same drive"
  - "Split drive between Mac and PC"
  - "one drive two formats mac windows"
  - "partition ssd exfat and apfs"
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."
tags: ["partition", "exfat", "windows", "apfs"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/can-i-split-one-drive-into-storage-studio-and-other-uses", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/can-a-windows-pc-read-a-mac-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/why-is-exfat-only-usable-with-warnings"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# 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](https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/can-i-split-one-drive-into-storage-studio-and-other-uses).