NTFS (stands for NT File System) is the default file system for Windows, while macOS can only read it. Writing to NTFS drives on a Mac is often unavoidable for cross-platform users, such as sharing files between Windows and macOS.
Given the read-only limitations of NTFS on Mac, we've tested and outlined different ways to enable NTFS write support on macOS. Each of them has pros and cons. You can choose the best option for your case to enable NTFS write on Mac with ease.
Confirm that your drive becoming read-only indeed results from macOS's limitations to NTFS:
1. Right-click the drive in Finder or on the desktop and select Get Info to ensure it is NTFS-formatted.
2. Check if the device is an SD card with the physical lock enabled.
3. Check if the drive shows in Disk Utility but cannot be manually mounted; either the drive is physically damaged or BitLocker-encrypted. For a BitLocker-encrypted drive, an NTFS driver doesn't work; you should use a BitLocker for Mac tool.
Choose a method to read and write NTFS on Mac
| Method | Reliability | Difficulty Level | Best for | Boundary |
| 1. Use a compatible NTFS driver - iBoysoft NTFS for Mac | Reliable, as it is a dedicated and professional tool | Easy - Get full read and write access to NTFS drives on Mac after simple clicks. | 1. Current macOS users who frequently edit, copy, delete, or move files on NTFS drives. 2. Tech newbies. | Requires software installation. Apple silicon Macs may require system extension approval. Check the product page for current macOS support. |
| 2. Use Mounty for NTFS + NTFS-3G + macFUSE | Relatively unreliable, as they are open-source tools | Hard - Command-line-based method. Need to install MacFUSE and NTFS-3G first. | 1. Users who want a free setup and are comfortable with extra configuration. 2. Tech-savvy persons or computer experts who prefer zero cost. | Depends on multiple components. Setup is complex. Test with disks having non-critical data first and confirm current compatibility for each component. |
| 3. Use Terminal | Unreliable, as it is an experimental method for mainly macOS Catalina or earlier and is not officially supported by Apple. Note: Very unstable on macOS Big Sur and Monterey; almost unusable on macOS Ventura and later | Hard - Need to run commands in Terminal. | Historical reference. | Not recommended for latest macOS Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia, Tahoe, or other versions. Better to test on disks without important data. |
Tips: Formatting NTFS drives to a macOS-compatible file system is also a solution to make the drive writable. However, this solution is for those whose NTFS drives are empty or have not much data to back up before erasing.
Method 1. Use a compatible NTFS for Mac
Considering the NTFS for Mac tech evolution, a dedicated NTFS for Mac utility is the most practical option to enable NTFS write support on Mac. It helps mount the NTFS drive with read-write access, so you can use it more like a normal macOS-compatible external drive.
iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is designed to help Mac users read and write NTFS drives without erasing them. After installation, this utility can automatically mount NTFS drives in full read-write mode. Then, you can work with files on an NTFS drive in Finder, including copying, editing, deleting, renaming, adding, and moving files.
On Apple silicon Macs, you may be asked to approve a system extension during setup. This is part of the macOS security workflow for most third-party disk drivers.
What iBoysoft NTFS for Mac highlights are:
- Super-fast macOS NTFS write and file transfer speed (Check: test of NTFS drives' read and write speed on a Mac with iBoysoft NTFS for Mac)
- Automatically mount NTFS drives in read-write mode
- Support NTFS on Mac with Apple silicon, including M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5 chips
- Compatible with macOS Tahoe 26 - macOS High Sierra 10.13.
Steps to enable NTFS read-write access on Mac with iBoysoft NTFS for Mac
- Download and install iBoysoft NTFS for Mac.
- Connect your NTFS drive to your Mac.
- On the app's main interface, select the NTFS drive and click Enable Writable.
For the first use, you'll be asked to choose Simple Mode or Advanced Mode.
Advanced Mode enables your Mac to automatically mount the NTFS drive every time it is connected to the Mac.
Just select a mode you want and click Mount to mount the NTFS drive in full read-write mode.
If necessary, you'll be asked to install an NTFS driver and enable System Extensions to gain full disk access.
What you can do after enabling NTFS write access
You can usually:
- Copy files from your Mac to the NTFS drive
- Edit, rename, delete, or move files stored on the NTFS drive
- Use NTFS drives from common external drive brands, including WD, Seagate, Toshiba, Samsung, SanDisk, and others.
iBoysoft NTFS for Mac uses iBoysoft's own self-designed NTFS driver rather than depending on a WD NTFS driver or any other brand-specific driver. If you are using a WD My Passport or another WD drive formatted as NTFS, you still need an NTFS driver for macOS, not a WD-only dependency.
Method 2. Use Mounty for NTFS with NTFS-3G and macFUSE
Update: Apple changed the NTFS mount architecture since macOS Ventura, moving away from the previous kernel-based approach that older NTFS remount methods relied on.
As a result, Apple's hidden NTFS write support, previously accessible through tools like Mounty and Terminal remount command /etc/fstab, no longer works on macOS Ventura 13.
However, third-party NTFS solutions like Mounty for NTFS based on NTFS-3G and macFUSE can still provide NTFS write access on macOS Ventura and later versions.
If you don't want to use a commercial NTFS driver for Mac or format NTFS, there are some free NTFS for Mac you can choose from.
Mounty for NTFS, NTFS-3G, and macFUSE are related, but they are not the same.
- macFUSE is a file system framework for macOS
- NTFS-3G is an NTFS file system driver
- Mounty provides a mount workflow that helps remount NTFS drives with write access
On modern macOS, a free NTFS write setup usually depends on multiple components. That makes it less convenient than a dedicated NTFS driver, especially for users who are not comfortable with package managers, system permissions, and troubleshooting mount failures.
This method may be suitable if you want a free option and are willing to spend time configuring it. Notably, it is not ideal for NTFS disks with important data. We suggest you test it on an NTFS drive with non-critical files first.
What to know before using Mounty, NTFS-3G, and macFUSE
- The installation requires running command lines
- Compatibility depends on the current versions of macFUSE, NTFS-3G, Mounty, and macOS
- A macOS update may change how the setup behaves
- Test with a spare NTFS drive or non-critical files before using it for important data
- If the drive is encrypted with BitLocker, damaged, full, or physically write-protected, this setup will not solve that underlying issue.
For setup, follow the steps below or check the dedicated Mounty, NTFS-3G, or macFUSE guides on the official website and verify that the instructions match your macOS version.
Steps to use the three tools to enable NTFS writable access on Mac:
- Download and install macFUSE.
Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security to enable the system extension for macFUSE. Keep the options default when installing it. - Install NTFS-3G.
Go to the Terminal window and run the following command to install Homebrew first: /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"Then, run this command to let Homebrew install NTFS-3G: brew tap gromgit/fuse
brew install ntfs-3g-mac - Download Mounty for NTFS and install it.
- Connect the NTFS drive to your Mac.
- Click Mounty on the menu bar and select "Re-mount [your NTFS drive's name]."
- Enter the admin password if asked.
This is to grant the open-source app permission to remount the NTFS drive in read-write mode on your Mac.
Now, you can edit files on the NTFS drive on your Mac.
Method 3. Use Terminal - /etc/fstab (Legacy workaround)
#Experimental method, not recommended for low stability and security
macOS includes experimental NTFS write support, but Apple disables it by default. You can run some command lines in Terminal to enable macOS hidden NTFS write support.
However, Apple has never officially supported this workaround. Therefore, it should be treated as a historical method rather than a recommended approach for current macOS versions. Due to its instability, it may cause mounting failures, compatibility issues, or even unexpected system crashes.
Notably, this experimental NTFS write support works relatively reliably on macOS Catalina and earlier. From macOS Big Sur, it becomes very unstable. And then it is forbidden on macOS Ventura and later versions.
In our test on a MacBook Air running macOS Sonoma 14.5 with a 256 GB NTFS USB flash drive, the Terminal method failed to mount the NTFS drive in read-write mode. The Mac became unresponsive during the process, and finally, I had to restart it.
For that reason, this article does not provide a step-by-step Terminal workflow for Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia, Tahoe, or later macOS versions.
If you find older commands such as sudo umount Volumes/DISKNAME, note that the path is incomplete because /Volumes/... requires a leading slash. Even with corrected paths, Terminal remount commands are not a dependable NTFS write solution on modern macOS.
Use a supported NTFS driver or reformat the drive after backup instead.
Common method: Reformat the NTFS drive (after completing a backup)
If you do not need to keep the drive as NTFS, you can reformat it to exFAT. exFAT works with both macOS and Windows and is often a good choice for external drives used between the two systems.
However, formatting is not a conversion that preserves your files. It erases the drive.
Thus, do this only when:
- The drive is empty or stores very little data
- You already have a full backup
- You no longer need the drive to stay in NTFS format
- You want a simple Mac and Windows shared file system going forward
⚠️ If the NTFS drive has stored dozens of GBs of files or more, the backup process takes much time. Using a compatible NTFS for Mac tool is the better choice.
How to reformat NTFS to exFAT on Mac:
Before starting, back up all important files from the NTFS drive.
- Open Disk Utility.
- Select the NTFS external drive.
- Click Erase.
- Choose exFAT as the format and the GUID Partition Map as the scheme.
- Click Erase and wait for the process to finish.
After formatting, you can write to the drive from both Mac and Windows without installing an NTFS driver.
How to verify NTFS write access on Mac after enabling write support
After enabling NTFS write support, do a small test before editing or moving important files.
- Create a new folder on the NTFS drive and copy a small file from your Mac to it.
- Open and edit a file on the drive.
- Delete the test file.
- Copy a larger file and confirm that the file size matches after transfer.
- Eject the NTFS drive safely, and then reconnect it and confirm that your changes are still there.
If any of these steps fail, stop using the drive for important transfers until you identify the cause.
When an NTFS driver will not help
An NTFS driver solves NTFS write access on macOS.
If the NTFS drive is still not writable after using a driver, check these possibilities.
The drive is BitLocker-encrypted
A normal NTFS driver cannot unlock BitLocker encryption. You need to unlock the BitLocker-protected drive first with a BitLocker for Mac solution.
The drive is not mounted
If the drive does not appear in Finder or Disk Utility, the issue is not just NTFS write permission. The file system may be damaged, the cable or port may be faulty, or the device may have hardware problems.
If the data matters, recover files before running repair, erase, or format operations.
The drive has file system errors
A damaged NTFS file system can prevent writing or mounting. Avoid repeatedly forcing write access to a problematic disk. Back up or recover important files first.
The drive is full
If the NTFS drive has little or no free space, file saving and copying may fail. Free up space and try again.
The file or folder permissions are restricted
Some files copied from Windows may have ownership or permission restrictions. Try writing to a new folder on the drive, or check the file permissions from a Windows PC.
The device is physically write-protected
Some SD cards, microSD adapters, and USB storage devices have a physical lock switch. Turn off the lock and reconnect the drive.
Conclusion
Macs can read NTFS drives by default, but they cannot natively provide full NTFS write access. If you need to write to an NTFS drive without formatting, first confirm that the drive is actually formatted as NTFS and rule out other read-only causes.
For frequent use on current macOS, a compatible NTFS driver like iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is the most straightforward choice. Mounty with NTFS-3G and macFUSE can be a free alternative for users who are comfortable with extra setup and testing. The Terminal /etc/fstab workaround belongs to older macOS history and should not be presented as a current solution. Reformatting to exFAT is useful only when you can erase the drive after backing it up.
FAQs
- QCan Mac read NTFS drives?
-
A
Yes. macOS can natively read NTFS drives. You can open the drive and copy files from the NTFS drive to your Mac.
- QCan Mac write to NTFS drives by default?
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A
No. macOS does not provide native NTFS write support. To create, edit, rename, move, or delete files on an NTFS drive from a Mac, you need an NTFS driver or to reformat the drive to a macOS-compatible file system such as exFAT.
- QHow do I read and write to NTFS on Mac without formatting?
-
A
Use a compatible NTFS driver for Mac. This method does not erase the NTFS drive. Still, you should test the write support on the NTFS drive before editing important files.
- QIs the Terminal method safe for writing to NTFS on Mac?
-
A
It is not recommended for modern macOS. The /etc/fstab Terminal workaround is unsupported, unstable, and unreliable on recent macOS versions. Use it only as historical reference.
- QCan I write to NTFS on Apple silicon Macs?
-
A
Yes, but you need a compatible NTFS solution that supports Apple silicon. Some NTFS drivers may require you to approve a system extension during installation. Always check the current product compatibility page before installing.
- QCan a normal NTFS driver unlock a BitLocker drive on Mac?
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A
No. BitLocker encryption is a separate issue. You need to unlock the BitLocker-protected drive with a BitLocker for Mac solution before normal file access can work.
- QHow to read and write to NTFS drives on a Mac without software?
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A
Reformatting the NTFS drive to a supported file system like exFAT (both macOS and Windows compatible) is the safest and most reliable way.
Since Mac supports reading NTFS drives, you can copy files from the NTFS drive to your Mac for backup. Then reformat it.