Mac to save files to WD passport formatted with NTFS

If you’ve connected your WD My Passport to a Mac and discovered that you can’t save or edit files, don’t worry — you’re not alone. This happens because most WD external hard drives come preformatted in NTFS (New Technology File System), which is a Windows file system. macOS can read NTFS drives, but it can’t write to them by default.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to save files to a WD My Passport drive formatted with NTFS on a Mac, including the best software solutions and formatting options.

Why Can’t Mac Write to NTFS?

NTFS is designed for Windows. While macOS can access and copy files from an NTFS-formatted drive, it cannot write, edit, or delete files on it without third-party support. That’s why your Mac shows the drive as “read-only.”

Option 1: Use Third-Party NTFS for Mac Software

The easiest way to enable NTFS write access on Mac is by using NTFS for Mac software. These tools allow you to read and write to NTFS drives just like on a Windows PC.

Popular NTFS for Mac Tools:

Paragon NTFS for Mac

Fast and seamless NTFS read/write access

Works with macOS Sonoma and older versions

Free trial available

Tuxera NTFS for Mac

Reliable and user-friendly

Includes disk tools and diagnostics

Paid license with a free trial

iBoysoft NTFS for Mac

Automatic mounting with write access

Easy-to-use interface

Steps:

Download and install the NTFS for Mac tool of your choice.

Restart your Mac (if required).

Plug in your WD My Passport.

You’ll now be able to copy, edit, and save files to your NTFS drive.

Option 2: Reformat WD My Passport to exFAT (Mac & Windows Compatible)

If you don’t want to use third-party software and your drive doesn’t need to stay NTFS, consider reformatting it to exFAT, which works with both macOS and Windows.

⚠️ Warning: Reformatting erases all data. Back up your files first!

Steps to Format WD My Passport to exFAT on Mac:

Open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility).

Select your WD My Passport drive from the sidebar.

Click Erase at the top.

Set the format to exFAT and choose a name for the drive.

Click Erase to begin.

After formatting, your WD drive will support full read/write access on both Mac and Windows.

Option 3: Use a Windows PC to Transfer Files

If you don’t want to install software or format the drive, another option is to use a Windows PC to transfer the files. This isn't a long-term solution but works in urgent situations.

Conclusion

Your Mac can’t save files directly to an NTFS-formatted WD My Passport without some help. By using NTFS for Mac software or reformatting the drive to exFAT, you can easily enable full read/write access and enjoy seamless file transfers between macOS and Windows.