To format the hard drive in a Mac laptop or a Mac desktop computer, you use software called Disk Utility. This software ships with all Mac computers, so it’s ready to use for the formatting process.

While the Mac can use a hard drive formatted for Windows, some features may be limited. So it's a good idea to format a new hard drive specifically for macOS.

To format a hard drive before you start using it in Windows, use the Disk Management utility; on a Mac, use Disk Utility.

Method 1: Use Built-in Tools on Your Computer Both Windows and Mac have built-in tools to wipe your hard drive. These are quick, easy, and free, which makes them a solid option.

How to format a thumb drive to work with Windows PCs and Macs using macOS Monterey Your email has been sent Occasionally the need arises to use a thumb drive to store ...

If you have to use a flash drive on both Macs and Windows PCs, make sure both systems can read it. Here's how to format the drive correctly.

For those of us who rarely transfer files physically across devices, file-format capability may be a distant memory. It used to occupy a lot of attention. But it still crops up whenever you’re trying ...

How do I format a hard drive? A computer hard drive stores your files, allowing you to access them at any time. The majority of the time, you want these files to remain stored properly and safely.