

It is also widely supported by memory storage technology companies and third-party operating systems like OS X and Linux. Microsoft introduced exFAT in 2006 it’s an optimized version of FAT, providing better performance advantages over FAT32. Now you’ll be able to save and copy files to your thumb drive on both Windows and OS X. In the Format list box, select ExFAT, enter a Volume Label if you want, then click Erase. Select your thumb drive in the Disk Utility window, then click the Erase tab. Launch Disk Utility press Command+Space then type: disk utility. If you only use a Mac computer, you can format your thumb drive to work on Windows systems.Ĭonnect the thumb drive to your Mac. In the File System list box, choose exFAT, type in a Volume Label if you want, and then click Start.Ĭlick OK to the format warning and wait until the process is complete. Right-click your flash drive and then select Format. Prepare a Thumb Drive for Both Windows and OS X or macOS Before you start, though, make sure your thumb drive is formatted so it can work on both Windows and macOS. If you’re working in a mixed environment, where you might need to work on files between both systems, a handy solution is to use a thumb drive. This makes it difficult to move data between the two unless you have them networked together. Mac OS X with a USB connection: Look for the removable disk icon. You'll know your drive is bad if another computer doesn't locate it.MacOS uses the HFS+ file system, while Windows uses the NTFS file system that shares little in common. Windows: Select the Computer or My Computer utility, then select the removable disk icon.



If it still doesn't work in a different USB port, test it with another computer to see if your drive is working. The port you're currently using might not be working. If you don't see the drive, try moving it to another USB port on your computer.It is often named for the manufacturer of the drive. You should see your USB flash drive here. This will list the devices attached to your computer in the panel on the left side of the window. If it doesn't, press Win +E to open File Explorer.It will list several options depending on what is stored on the flash drive. Unless it has been disabled, the Autoplay window will open when you insert your USB drive.NOTE: If Windows isn't able to identify the device or install the drivers automatically, you may either visit the manufacturer's webpage for the appropriate driver (it is often located in the support or download section of the website) or visit the Windows Compatibility Center which lists thousands of devices and links to their respective webpages.You will see notifications about this in the bottom right corner of the desktop. When you insert the flash drive, Windows will install the drivers for it automatically. Generally, USB drives insert one way, so if it doesn’t fit, try turning it upside down. If you plan to use it frequently, insert it into the front port for accessibility reasons.
