Mac: Format hard drive with exFAT - how it works

Windows as an additional operating system on a Mac has long been a problem. As of OS X 10.7, you can format a hard drive with exFAT - a file system that understands both platforms. We show you how to do this.

Format hard disk on Mac with exFAT - so it'll work

1. If you want to format an external hard drive, connect it to the Mac.
2. Open the "Disk Utility" in the Finder under "Programs"> "Utilities".
3. On the left, select the hard drive you want to format. External and internal hard drives are identified by different colors to aid identification: internal hard drives are indicated by a gray, external hard drives by an orange symbol. Make sure you really mark the hard drive you want to format.
4. Click the "Delete" tab and select "exFAT" under "Format". Here you can check again whether the correct hard disk is activated.
5. Confirm the deletion request with the "Delete" button. Once formatted, you can use the drive on both Mac OS X and Windows.

Note: Time Machine is not compatible with exFAT, but requires Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If you want to install both operating systems on a hard disk, you can do this with Bootcamp. Instructions for this can be found in the next practical tip.