(Apple File System.) [UPDATE: ] Thanks to sharp-eyed Rocket Yard commenter Chris pointing us to an Apple support document, we now have a bit more information on,, and how it all works on Macs and on volumes that are formatted with the legacy HFS+ file system. [NOTE: At the request of several readers, we’ve added some “translations” to the Apple document listed below to make it more understandable.] Chris pointed us to this Apple tech document, titled. Probably the most important information from Apple is this quote: Apple File System (APFS) is the default file system in macOS High Sierra for Mac computers with all-flash storage.

APFS features strong encryption, space sharing, snapshots, fast directory sizing, and improved file system fundamentals. When you install macOS High Sierra on the built-in solid-state drive (SSD) of a Mac, that drive is automatically converted to APFS. Fusion Drives and hard disk drives (HDDs) aren’t converted. You can’t opt out of the transition to APFS. (Rocket Yard emphasis) So basically, if you install APFS on any Mac that uses a solid-state drive as a built-in boot drive, it will automatically convert to APFS and you will not have a choice.

Those Macs that use Fusion Drives (like the iMac, for example) or good old hard disk drives will not be converted, period. [UPDATE 09/25: Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi has confirmed in a later update.] Here is the rest of the technical note verbatim, with our translation of Apple’s writing in italics. APFS compatibility Devices formatted as Mac OS Extended (HFS+) can be read from and written to by devices formatted as APFS.

Sep 26, 2017 - Downloading macOS High Sierra From the Mac App Store Stalls. High Sierra, you should check with the developer to see if any updates have.

Translation: You can read and write to disk drives that were formatted as HFS+ from a Mac with a boot drive formatted as APFS. Devices formatted as APFS can be read from and written to by: • Other devices formatted as APFS • Devices formatted as Mac OS Extended, if using macOS High Sierra For example, a USB storage device formatted as APFS can be read by a Mac using High Sierra, but not by a Mac using Sierra or earlier.

Translation: Drives of any type (USB flash drives, SSDs, HDDs) formatted as APFS can be be read from and written to from a Mac using High Sierra, even if it is not formatted as APFS. APFS and Time Machine • You don’t need to change any Time Machine settings to back up APFS-formatted disks. • Any Time Machine share points must be shared over SMB instead of AFP. Translation: You should be able to connect your Time Machine backup drive to your APFS-formatted Mac and things should run as expected. The Backup Drive can be formatted as APFS or HFS+. If you share your Time Machine drive over a network, it will need to be shared over SMB rather than AFP (Apple Filing Protocol). Apple has been moving away from AFP for the past few iterations of macOS. Mac os x 10.11.0 download.

For more tricks and guides, including coverage of the, check out the page! In a Mac you can reformat any APFS drive back to Fat32 with Diskutiltity How to Format USB Flash Drive to FAT32 in Mac OS To format a USB Flash Drive to FAT32 in Mac OS X follow the next steps. Step1 Connect the USB Fash Drive to the Mac OS X computer. Step2 Search for Disk Utility in Launchpad and open it. Step3 Select the Drive and click Erase. Step4 Enter the new name (OPTIONAL).

Step5 Select MS-DOS(FAT) for Format. Step6 Select Master Boot Record for Scheme. Step7 Click Erase. Step8 Depending on the USB Drive size, the operation might take some time. And now we are ready to use the USB Flash Drive. Wrong, you cannot reverse formatting and have never had that ability on any formatting type used on any OS or file storage drive, Mac or X86 or Linux etc. If you want to change you must offload your files and reformat.

However the offload must be done on a Mac that can read APFS. If you expected this feature you cannot have you should not have formatted a storage drive to use in a device that reads basically a windows based drive formatting type which is universally recognized i.e. Fat 32 for all USB flash drives. HFS+ and APFS is not universally supported with out special software on X86 devices.