NTFS is the proprietary format file used by Windows, whereas HFS+ is a proprietary format used exclusively by Mac.īesides the operating system you intend on using your pen drive on, there are more factors to consider in addition to cross-platform compatibility when choosing a format.
As for NTFS and HFS+, their name might not necessarily ring a bell, but they are omnipresent. The first two are non-proprietary, which means that a USB key formatted using FAT32 or exFAT can generally be both read and written on from any operating system. The FAT32 format, exFAT format, NTFS format, and HFS+ format are amongst the most popular ones. If you’ve already formatted or burned a pen drive, then you know that these procedures require choosing a format (aka file type).
