{"id":"mac-storage-basics.apfs-or-mac-os-extended-which-should-i-use","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/apfs-or-mac-os-extended-which-should-i-use","category":{"id":"mac-storage-basics","title":"Mac storage basics"},"subcategory":{"id":"disks-formats","title":"Disks, APFS and formats"},"question":"Should I use APFS or Mac OS Extended for a drive?","alt_questions":["apfs vs mac os extended","apfs vs hfs+","which format for mac external drive","mac os extended journaled or apfs","best format for hard drive mac"],"short_answer":"APFS for SSDs used with recent Macs; Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for spinning disks shared with older Macs. Use exFAT if Windows also needs the drive.","answer_markdown":"For an SSD used with Macs running a recent macOS, choose **APFS**. **Mac OS Extended (Journaled)**, also called HFS+, still makes sense for spinning hard drives used with older Macs, or when a drive must be read by a Mac older than macOS High Sierra.\n\nIf the drive also needs to work with Windows, neither is ideal — see [exFAT for Mac and Windows](/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-format-works-on-both-mac-and-windows). For drives used with Storage Studio, see [external drives](/faq/external-drives/).","answer_html":"

For an SSD used with Macs running a recent macOS, choose APFS. Mac OS Extended (Journaled), also called HFS+, still makes sense for spinning hard drives used with older Macs, or when a drive must be read by a Mac older than macOS High Sierra.

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If the drive also needs to work with Windows, neither is ideal — see exFAT for Mac and Windows. For drives used with Storage Studio, see external drives.

","answer_text":"For an SSD used with Macs running a recent macOS, choose APFS. Mac OS Extended (Journaled), also called HFS+, still makes sense for spinning hard drives used with older Macs, or when a drive must be read by a Mac older than macOS High Sierra.\n\nIf the drive also needs to work with Windows, neither is ideal — see exFAT for Mac and Windows. For drives used with Storage Studio, see external drives.","tags":["apfs","hfs plus","formats","external drive"],"related":[{"id":"mac-storage-basics.what-is-apfs","question":"What is APFS?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-is-apfs"},{"id":"mac-storage-basics.what-format-works-on-both-mac-and-windows","question":"What drive format works on both Mac and Windows?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-format-works-on-both-mac-and-windows"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Should I use APFS or Mac OS Extended for a drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"APFS for SSDs used with recent Macs; Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for spinning disks shared with older Macs. Use exFAT if Windows also needs the drive.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Mac storage basics","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/"},{"name":"Should I use APFS or Mac OS Extended for a drive?","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/apfs-or-mac-os-extended-which-should-i-use"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/apfs-or-mac-os-extended-which-should-i-use","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Should I use APFS or Mac OS Extended for a drive?","alternateName":["apfs vs mac os extended","apfs vs hfs+","which format for mac external drive","mac os extended journaled or apfs","best format for hard drive mac"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"For an SSD used with Macs running a recent macOS, choose APFS. Mac OS Extended (Journaled), also called HFS+, still makes sense for spinning hard drives used with older Macs, or when a drive must be read by a Mac older than macOS High Sierra.\n\nIf the drive also needs to work with Windows, neither is ideal — see exFAT for Mac and Windows. For drives used with Storage Studio, see external drives.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/apfs-or-mac-os-extended-which-should-i-use"}}]},"fragment":"
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Mac storage basics · Disks, APFS and formats

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Should I use APFS or Mac OS Extended for a drive?

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Short answer: APFS for SSDs used with recent Macs; Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for spinning disks shared with older Macs. Use exFAT if Windows also needs the drive.

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For an SSD used with Macs running a recent macOS, choose APFS. Mac OS Extended (Journaled), also called HFS+, still makes sense for spinning hard drives used with older Macs, or when a drive must be read by a Mac older than macOS High Sierra.

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If the drive also needs to work with Windows, neither is ideal — see exFAT for Mac and Windows. For drives used with Storage Studio, see external drives.

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