Optimize

Many Seagate and LaCie drives are preformatted exFAT for compatibility with both Mac and Windows computers. If you use the drive with only one type of computer, you can optimize file copy performance by formatting the drive in the native file system for your operating system—NTFS for Windows or HFS+ for Macs. There are two ways you can optimize performance:

About file system formats

NTFS—The native file system for Windows. macOS can read NTFS volumes but cannot natively write to them.

Mac OS Extended (HFS+)—The native hard drive file system for macOS. Windows cannot natively read or write to HFS+ (journaled) volumes. This is the best format if you intend to use your drive with Time Machine.

exFAT—Compatible with Mac and Windows. exFAT is not a journaled file system which means it can be more susceptible to data corruption when errors occur or the drive is not disconnected properly from the computer.

Toolkit Optimize

Toolkit is designed to help you initially choose the appropriate drive format for your storage needs.

1. Follow the instructions in your product user manual for setting up your device and installing Toolkit.
2. Toolkit will prompt you to choose between formatting the drive for compatibility with both Windows and macOS, or optimal performance with your computer's operating system.
3. Follow any additional onscreen instructions to complete the setup.