When you want to write to an external hard drive on your Mac, you may find the Mac external hard drive read-only in any version of macOS or OS X, even the latest macOS Tahoe 26.
One of the reasons is that the external drive is formatted with the Windows NTFS file system, and you can read the NTFS drive on Mac, but can't write to NTFS on a Mac.
Fortunately, with the help of a reliable NTFS for Mac App, you can read/write NTFS drives as you wish, and Mounty for NTFS, is one of the most popular free NTFS for Mac software.
Quick Compatibility Table of Mounty for NTFS
| macOS | Compatibility | Mechanisms |
| macOS Ventura and newer (Tahoe incl.) | Yes | Require additional setups - macFUSE and NTFS-3G |
| macOS Monterey and earlier | Yes | Utilize macOS's native, hidden NTFS capabilities |
Can Mounty for NTFS Work on macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma and Ventura?
Yes, but the installation is now a bit more complex. For those who are running on macOS Tahoe - Ventura, enable NTFS read and write access with macFUSE + NTFS-3G + Mounty!
However, many people complained that Mounty for NTFS delivered slow read/write speed, and caused driver corruption & data loss now and then. Meanwhile, the added complexity also hinders ordinary users from using it. If you need reliable, plug-and-play NTFS read/write functionality on modern versions of macOS, consider dedicated commercial programs rather than the Mounty + macFUSE + NTFS-3G combination.
Note:This Mounty combination on newer macOS (Tahoe to Ventura) can be buggy or carry potential risks for data corruption and NTFS drives. Therefore, you're not supposed to use an unstable combination (like Mounty for NTFS) if your NTFS drive contains significant file data.
Meanwhile, in case of drive corruption or file loss, prioritize restoring data via a reliable Mac data recovery utility and stop any further writes to the NTFS drive.
Can Mounty for NTFS Work on macOS Monterey and Earlier?
Yes, it can. So far, it supports macOS Mavericks 10.9 to macOS Tahoe 26. For macOS Monterey and older, Mounty does not need the setups of macFUSE and NTFS-3G. In these older versions, Mounty simply exposed Apple's hidden built-in NTFS write capability by remounting NTFS volumes in read/write mode.
If you want to learn more about NTFS drivers, follow: NTFS Driver Tech Evolution.
Is There Any Alternative to Mounty for NTFS?
Mounty for NTFS heavily relies on macOS's native (and officially unsupported) NTFS write protocols or macFUSE library & NTFS-3 for macOS, there is a high risk of data corruption or drive errors, particularly with large transfers.
If you require frequent, heavy-duty, and stable file transfers between macOS and PC, a professional commercial alternative - iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is generally safer for your data. It can auto-mount your NTFS drive in read-write mode, repair NTFS volumes, and format external drives without an extra driver or enabling system extension. Your NTFS volumes work in Mac Finder like native drives, with rapid transfer speed and stable performance.
Plus, iBoysoft NTFS for Mac seamlessly works on macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, and earlier, with both Intel and Apple Silicon M5-M1 models supported.
Quick Comparison Table between Mounty for NTFS and iBoysoft NTFS for Mac
| Items | Mounty for NTFS | iBoysoft NTFS for Mac |
| Setup | Complex, additional setups required | A simple drag-and-drop |
| Dependencies | macFUS + NTFS-3G | Integrated NTFS driver |
| Best for | Technical users, occasional use | Regular NTFS read-write workflows |
| Large File Transfer | Higher risk | Better fit for frequent file transfer |
| Stability | Potential risks for data corruption or drive errors | Complete 99.9% of test cases without errors. |
| Support | Limited | Product support |
| Product attribute | Free workaround | Dedicated NTFS read-write solution |
How to write to NTFS drive on Mac with iBoysoft NTFS for Mac?
Step 1: Download and install iBoysoft NTFS for Mac on your Mac.
Step 2: Launch iBoysoft NTFS for Mac and insert the external Windows NTFS volume on Mac.
Step 3: Write to the external Windows NTFS volume after getting notified that the drive has been mounted successfully.
NTFS-3G macOS: How to Read Write NTFS in macOS for Free?
Want to have full read-write access to your Microsoft NTFS-formatted drives for free on macOS? This post will introduce a free NTFS for Mac called NTFS-3G. Read more
Have you successfully used the NTFS drive on Mac via iBoysoft NTFS for Mac? Share it with more people.
FAQs about Mounty for NTFS
- QWhat macOS does Mounty for NTFS support?
-
A
The free Mounty for NTFS tool supports macOS from version 10.9 Mavericks till 14 Sonoma.
- QWhat NTFS for Mac will support macOS 14 Sonoma?
-
A
iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is compatible with macOS 14 Sonoma, it can mount the NTFS drive on Mac in the read-write mode.
- QHow do I get my Mac to see NTFS drive?
-
A
If you want to see NTFS drive on Mac's desktop, Finder, and Disk Utility, you can download and install iBoysoft NTFS for Mac, it enables you to read and write the NTFS drive on Mac.