How To

How to enable NTFS Write on macOS Sierra

Written by John

A flash drive is only useful if one can read from and write on it. But NTFS formatted hard drives can, by default, only be written on while using Windows OS. With macOS 10.12 Sierra that operates on Mac, you will be unable to make any changes to NTFS drives. You cannot copy, edit or delete anything. The only thing you can do is open the files to view their content.

There are several solutions to this; the most trusted being the use a third-party NTFS driver. There are other solutions that can help you enable NTFS write on Mac as well. Here is a detailed look at the options you have.

I. Third-party NTFS drivers

There are third-party companies that have developed drivers to enable NTFS write on Mac OS. These drivers come at a fee but work perfectly. When you decide to use these drivers, you will have several options to choose from so you can have the best.

Paragon NTFS for Mac 15

An example is the Paragon NTFS for macOS Sierra. This is a driver that gives you full access and control over the files stored in your flash drive. With this, you will be able to read and write on NTFS formatted volumes. What is more? The speed at which you will be able to access the NTFS formatted drive is the same as that of HTS+ format that is native to the macOS.

NTFS for Mac 15 Menu

It is easy to install and use on the macOS 10.12 Sierra. This money is worth it because you will be able to easily transfer files from your Windows PC to your Mac and vice versa.

The Paragon NTFS 15 for Mac is sold at $19.95 with a 10-day free trial. Be the first to go to the Paragon NTFS page.

II. Change the macOS Sierra settings to enable NTFS Write

In the settings for macOS Sierra, one can put NTFS Write on. There is an experimental support for this feature which is off by default. It can however be switched on but this is not easy to do. You can try your luck by following the steps below:

1. Label the drive with a one-word name.

2. Launch a Terminal by pressing Command and Space key simultaneously. Type Terminal and press enter. You may also navigate to Applications/Utilities/Terminal.

Open Terminal

Open Terminal

3. In the open Terminal, type

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Type Code 1 in Terminal

Add New Code to nano, and replace “NAME” with your USB Flash Drive Name (NTFS).

LABEL=NAME none ntfs rw,auto,nobrowse

Add code to fstab

Press Ctrl+O to Save this file, and Press Ctrl+X to close GNU

4. Unplug then reconnect the drive to the USB port. To access it, Click on Go then Go to folder. Type “/Volumes” into the box. You can now be able to access the files on the drive and manipulate them as you want:

Go to Volume

Go to Volume

Open Volume on macOS Sierra

To undo the changes, open the nano editor using the same procedure and delete the lines added.

This method may or may not work; it is really dependent on chances. If you are lucky, it will but if not you will have to use other methods to solve the problem

III. Change the Drive’s formatting to exFAT

Both OS X and Windows allow users to read and write on exFAT formatted drives. This is the simplest option you have with very little work being done to allow you access. All you have to do is change the formatting of your drive in your Windows PC from NTFS to exFAT and it is ready for use. Search “Disk Utility” then format your USB flash Drive as exFAT.

Open Disk Utility on Mac

Open Disk Utility on Mac

Featured Posts: How to write to NTFS Drives in macOS High Sierra

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