Can You Use a Seagate NTFS Drive for Mac?

Can You Use a Seagate NTFS Drive for Mac?

Yes, you can use a Seagate NTFS drive on a Mac, but macOS has clear limitations when working with NTFS. By default, macOS supports read-only access to NTFS drives, which means you can view files and copy them to your Mac. However, write access is not available unless you install third-party software. This is because NTFS is a file system owned and controlled by Microsoft.

If you only need to read files from the Seagate NTFS drive, the process is simple. Just connect the drive to your Mac, and it will mount automatically in read-only mode. You can open files and copy them to your Mac without any extra setup.

However, problems usually appear when you try to save, move, or delete files on the drive. This often leads users to wonder why their Seagate drive is not working properly on macOS.

Why is my Seagate on Mac not working?

In most cases, the issue is related to write access. If you need both read and write access, you must install a third-party NTFS driver. After installing the software, you can use your Seagate NTFS drive like a normal Mac drive, including saving, deleting, and editing files.

Another solution is to change the drive format. If the Seagate drive is used frequently between Mac and Windows computers, formatting it as exFAT is a practical choice. exFAT allows full read and write access on both macOS and Windows without extra software, although it does not include all NTFS features. Keep in mind that reformatting will erase all existing data on the drive.

In general, most Seagate external hard drives are compatible with macOS. Many of them come preformatted as exFAT, so they work on both Mac and Windows right out of the box. However, if you plan to use a Seagate drive with Time Machine, you must reformat it to a Mac-supported format. Compatibility may also vary depending on your Mac hardware and macOS version.

If you still cannot add files to a Seagate hard drive on Mac, there are several common causes to check:

NTFS format: The Seagate hard drive is formatted as NTFS, which is read-only on macOS by default. As a result, you cannot add, delete, or modify files unless you enable NTFS write support or reformat the drive.

Permission issues: The drive may be set to read-only for your user account. This prevents you from adding, deleting, copying, or moving files. Changing the permission to allow read and write access usually solves the problem.

Virus or malware infection: Malware can interfere with how external drives work and block file operations. Running a security scan can help detect and remove the issue.

The best Seagate NTFS software for Mac

If you use a Seagate NTFS drive on a Mac and want a fast, reliable solution, PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac is an excellent choice. Instead of using risky Terminal commands, this dedicated NTFS driver fixes the NTFS read-only problem in a simple and safe way.

PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac is built to feel like part of macOS. It integrates directly with Finder, allowing you to read, write, delete, rename, and move files on Seagate NTFS drives as easily as on a Mac-formatted disk. Once installed, you can work with your files normally, without restrictions.

The software supports a wide range of storage devices, including HDDs, SSDs, USB flash drives, SD cards, and CF cards. It works not only with NTFS (from Windows NT 3.1 to Windows 11) but also supports FAT32 and exFAT, making it useful for cross-platform storage needs.

Compatibility is another strong advantage. PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac is optimized for macOS 12 and later and runs smoothly on both Intel-based Macs and Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2). To enable full NTFS write access, macOS may require a simple security setting adjustment, after which the driver works stably and securely.

With PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac, you can open files, save changes, organize folders, and transfer data between your Mac and Seagate NTFS drives with smooth performance and full control. It is a practical, user-friendly solution for anyone who needs full NTFS access on macOS.

Before we start, you need to configure Security Policy in iOS Recovery Mode.

Step 1. Run Partition Assistant NTFS for Mac and connect your NTFS hard drive or USB flash drive.

Step 2. The connected, removable, and external USB drives will be mounted and listed.

Step 3. Select the drive you want to operate and click "Open".

Step 4. Now you can copy files on your Mac and click "Paste Item" to copy the files to USB drive.

Step 5. You can also copy, delete, and rename files on the USB drive.

Step 6. After all operations are complete, please click "Eject" to disconnect the USB drive from your Mac.

Conclusion

It is entirely possible to use a Seagate NTFS drive with a Mac, though the macOS operating system does impose certain limitations when interacting with this file system.

For those seeking a fast and reliable solution that maintains the NTFS format, a dedicated application like PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac is an excellent choice, as it resolves the read-only restriction simply and safely, integrating directly into Finder to allow seamless file management, including reading, writing, and organizing files, just as if the disk were natively formatted for Mac.