How to Save Files from Mac to a WD Passport Formatted with NTFS

If you're trying to save files from your Mac to a WD My Passport drive and it's formatted in NTFS (New Technology File System), you might find it's read-only. This is because macOS does not support writing to NTFS volumes by default. NTFS is a Windows-native file system, and while macOS can read files from it, it cannot write, copy, or modify files on it unless additional software is used.

Here’s how you can fix the issue and make your NTFS-formatted WD Passport writable on a Mac:

Option 1: Use Third-Party NTFS Drivers (Recommended)

To enable full read/write access, you can install a third-party NTFS driver that bridges compatibility between macOS and NTFS. Some popular options include:

1. Paragon NTFS for Mac

Paid software with a 10-day free trial.

Seamlessly integrates with macOS.

Enables full read/write access to NTFS drives.

2. Tuxera NTFS for Mac

Another popular paid option with a free trial.

Offers fast performance and Disk Manager for drive maintenance.

How to Use:

Download and install the software.

Restart your Mac if prompted.

Once installed, your Mac will treat the NTFS drive like a native drive, allowing you to save, delete, and modify files directly.

Option 2: Reformat the Drive to a macOS-Compatible Format

If you don’t need to use the drive with Windows anymore, you can reformat it to a format that macOS supports:

Common Formats:

exFAT – Compatible with both macOS and Windows. Ideal for large files and cross-platform use.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) – Best for Mac-only environments.

APFS – Optimized for newer versions of macOS, but not readable by Windows.

Steps to Reformat:

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

Select your WD Passport from the list on the left.

Click Erase.

Choose a format like exFAT or Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

Click Erase to complete the reformat.

Option 3: Enable Experimental NTFS Write Support (Not Recommended)

macOS has an unsupported, hidden NTFS write feature, but it is unstable and may cause data loss:

Use Terminal to enable the NTFS write option manually.

Mount the drive with modified system settings.

This method is risky and not recommended for general users or important data.

Conclusion

While WD My Passport drives formatted with NTFS are perfect for Windows, they pose limitations on macOS. The most practical solution is to install a third-party NTFS driver like Paragon or Tuxera. Alternatively, if you use the drive only on a Mac (or both Mac and Windows), consider reformatting it to exFAT for full compatibility.

With the right setup, you can easily save, transfer, and manage files between your Mac and WD Passport drive without any restrictions.