How to Transfer Files from PC to Mac Using External Hard Drive

I bought a Mac last week to replace my Windows PC. I plan to transfer files from my Windows computer to the Mac using an external hard drive. However, the external drive can be read by Windows but cannot be read on Mac. Can someone tell me how to fix this? Thanks!

Best Answered by

Oliver· Answered on Apr 19, 2024

You need to ensure the format of your external hard drive is compatible with both macOS and Windows to transfer files between these two systems successfully.

As far as I know, exFAT is the best file system that works on both Mac and PC. You can read and write on both Windows and macOS with an exFAT format external hard drive.

If your external drive is not formatted as exFAT, you can use EaseUS Partition Master to achieve the task. It has the ability to format the storage devices to multiple file systems like NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, EXT2/3/4, etc.

Free Download 

Windows 11/10/8/7100% Secure

Follow the guide below to format your external drive to exFAT.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, right-click the partition on your external hard drive, and select "Format."

Step 2. Select "exFAT" as the file system. Assign a partition label and cluster size if you want. Then, click "OK."

Step 3. Confirm the warning and click "Yes."

Step 4. Hit "Execute 1 Task(s)" and then click "Apply" to start the process.

Then, you can manually copy your files from the Windows PC to the external drive and move them to your Mac. Or, you can do it with the help of the App Move feature of EaseUS Partition Master. It allows you to move large files faster and safer. First, you should transfer files to the external hard drive.

Step 1. Run EaseUS Partition Master and choose the Discover tab. Click on "AppMove."

Step 2. Then, choose "App Migration" and hit "Start."

Step 3. Select the applications and programs, then browse to select a target location. Then, hit "Transfer" to start the process.

After this, remove the external drive from your PC, connect it to your Mac, and transfer the files to your Mac.

Related article: How to Format External Hard Drive for Mac and PC? 2023 Complete Guide Here

People Also Ask

Is It Bad to Format Backup Drives to exFAT? Need Help

On this page, you can learn the exFAT format and the compatible format for Windows and Mac. Then, you can pick the best format for your backup drives to run on both systems.

Cici

Apr 19, 2024

Why My SD Card Shows Empty But is Full

It is a common issue that an SD card is full, but no files show up. If you are wondering 'Why my SD card shows empty but is full', this page will give you the answer and guide you to resolve the problem.

Oliver

Apr 18, 2024

Are There Any Negative Sides to M.2 SSDs, and Should I Buy Them?

If you are going to buy an M.2 SSD and you want to know are there any negative sides to M.2 SSDs, this page will briefly introduce M.2 SSD, including its pros and cons, and how to initialize and partition the new M.2 SSD.

Roxanne

Apr 19, 2024

Is It Possible to Format an External Hard Disk That Has Been Encrypted?

Are you finding a solid way to format an external hard disk that has been encrypted? Your answer is here. This post will introduce two workable methods to help you format encrypted hard drive.

Roxanne

Apr 18, 2024

Is It Possible to Burn Windows 10 ISO to DVD?

How do you burn Windows 10 ISO to DVD? If you want to know the answer, continue to read and learn solid ways in this powerful guideline.

Roxanne

Apr 18, 2024

Is There Any Way To Partition an External Hard Drive Without Any Data Loss

This article aims to teach you the practical and solid ways that can partition an external hard drive without any data loss, read and learn.

Roxanne

Apr 19, 2024