
The file system on Windows is New Technology File System (NTFS) which has been in use since the release of Windows NT 3.1 in 1993. For example, a file system determines how files are named, stored, organized and retrieved. The file system is a collection of processes dictating your operating system's data reading and writing methods. One of the primary differences between Windows PCs and computers running macOS is the file system. The File System: Why the Formatting Method Matters

Here are the step-by-step procedures for all three use cases. If you're interested in formatting USB drives for business use, it is crucial to understand that the process depends on whether your company primarily uses Windows PCs, Macs or a mix of both. A USB drive requires no internet connection, can transfer files to and from a local device quickly, can be physically disconnected and secured away and are physical objects that can carry your branding and company identity. Another option, for those who use both Windows and Mac OS regularly, is to partition your hard drive and have a portion of the drive formatted for each OS.Although the current trends favor using the cloud and decentralized applications for storage and file transfer, the USB drive still plays a relevant role in business applications. There are tools available to use NTFS on a Mac (Fuse) or HFS on PC (HFSExplorer). Windows will not detect this file system without a third party utility. Only use this option if the drive will only be used in Mac OS. Mac OS Extended is the native solution for Mac users and has the max file size of any of them.It has a much larger max file size but is read-only on Mac OS X (unless you install a third party NTFS read/write utility).

NTFS format is the file system Windows likes to use by default for internal drives running the operating system or used as a secondary storage drive.

Older operating systems might require an update to properly read and write to a USB drive with an exFAT file system. It doesn’t have the 4GB file size limit and it’s compatible with most Windows and Mac operating systems.
