Categories
MacOS

NTFS Incompatibility with Mac: Exploring a Free Solution

NTFS Read and Write for free at Macos Ventura


The NTFS (New Technology File System) is a file system developed by Microsoft and widely used in Windows operating systems. While NTFS provides various advantages, Mac users often face compatibility issues when accessing NTFS-formatted drives. Although paid software exists to address this problem, this blog post will present a free solution involving the use of ntfs-3g-mac and Mounty for macOS Ventura.

Understanding NTFS Incompatibility with Mac:

  1. File System Differences: NTFS and macOS use different file system formats, with NTFS being a proprietary system for Windows and macOS relying on the HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus) or APFS (Apple File System).
  2. Read-Only Access: By default, Mac can only read files from NTFS drives, preventing users from modifying, deleting, or creating new files on NTFS-formatted storage devices.

Introducing ntfs-3 and Mounty for macOS Ventura:

  1. ntfs-3g: ntfs-3g-mac is an open-source driver that enables full read-write access to NTFS drives on macOS. It provides a reliable and free solution for Mac users to overcome the read-only limitation.
  2. Mounty for macOS Ventura: Mounty is a user-friendly application designed specifically for macOS Ventura (version 12) and later. It simplifies the process of mounting and enabling read-write access to NTFS drives, integrating seamlessly with ntfs-3g-mac.

Installation and Setup

You need to have homebrew installed at your Mac.

Then at your terminal install ntfs-3g-mac:

brew tap gromgit/homebrew-fuse
brew install ntfs-3g-mac

And finally Mounty with graphical interface:

brew install gromgit/fuse/mounty

That’s all and should work from now.

Usage

Using Mounty for Read-Write Access:

  1. Connect the NTFS Drive: Connect the NTFS-formatted drive to your Mac. The drive should appear in the Finder as read-only.
  2. Open Mounty: Launch the Mounty application, which should automatically detect the connected NTFS drive and display it in the app’s interface.
  3. Enable Read-Write Access: In Mounty, click the “Mount” button next to the NTFS drive listing. Mounty will utilize the ntfs-3g-mac driver to enable read-write access to the NTFS drive.
  4. Accessing Files: After successful mounting, you can now freely modify, delete, and create files on the NTFS drive using your Mac’s native file management tools.

Conclusion

While NTFS compatibility with macOS has historically posed challenges for Mac users, the combination of ntfs-3g-mac and Mounty for macOS Ventura offers a free and effective solution. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, Mac users can overcome the read-only limitation and enjoy full read-write access to NTFS-formatted drives, eliminating the need for paid software alternatives.