Install an NTFS Driver on Mac to Write to NTFS Drives for Free

If you’ve ever wondered, “Why can’t my Mac write to NTFS?” you’re not alone. NTFS is the primary file system used by Windows. However, macOS can only read NTFS drives by default; it doesn’t allow writing to them without third-party software.

This post walks you through how to enable write access on NTFS drives by installing an NTFS driver for your Mac.

What Is an NTFS Driver for Mac?

An NTFS driver for Mac allows your Mac to write to NTFS-formatted drives, such as WD or Seagate external drives. With an NTFS for Mac software application, you can copy, create, edit, and delete files directly on NTFS drives—no need to reformat them to a Mac-compatible file system like APFS or HFS+.

Top 6 Best NTFS Drivers for Mac

There are both free and paid NTFS drivers available for Mac. These tools are especially helpful if you frequently transfer files between Windows and Mac or use NTFS external drives on your Mac. Here are some of the most popular options:

BuhoNTFS (Free Trial)

BuhoNTFS is a user-friendly NTFS tool for Mac with a 7-day free trial. It allows one-click read and write access to NTFS drives and is easy to install and use. It’s fully compatible with macOS Tahoe.

How to Use BuhoNTFS:

1. Download and install BuhoNTFS on your Mac.
2. Connect your NTFS drive.
3. Open BuhoNTFS and select the target NTFS disk.
4. Enable Read & Write permissions.
5. Click Open to start reading and writing files on your NTFS drive.

Paragon NTFS for Mac

• Full read/write access for NTFS hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, and more.
• Format drives and repair corrupted disks.
• Automatically mounts NTFS drives at startup.
• Supports non-Latin characters in file names.
• Compatible with macOS Ventura, Intel Macs, and M1/M2 devices.
• Works with VMware, Parallels, and other virtualization apps.
• Simple and safe to use.

How to use: Install Paragon NTFS, restart your Mac, and open your NTFS drive in Finder.

iBoysoft NTFS for Mac

• Fast, easy read/write access for NTFS drives.
• Edit, add, delete, rename, and write files without reformatting.
• Automatically mounts NTFS drives in read-write mode.
• Supports macOS 10.13–macOS 13 and M1/M2 Macs.
• Can repair and format NTFS drives.
• Does not support BitLocker-encrypted partitions.

Tuxera NTFS for Mac

• Seamless read/write access for NTFS drives.
• Fast file transfer with smart caching.
• Supports macOS Ventura.
• Works with dual-boot setups and virtual machines.

macFUSE

• Free, open-source NTFS driver for Mac.
• Enables full read/write access to NTFS drives.
• Ideal for developers and advanced users working with file systems.
• Auto-mounts NTFS drives.
• Supports macOS Ventura and file system encryption.

EaseUS NTFS for Mac

• Popular NTFS driver with read/write and drive management capabilities.
• Supports macOS 13 and M1/M2 Mac devices.

Verdict

These six tools make it easy to install an NTFS driver on your Mac, enabling seamless read/write access to NTFS drives. Choose the tool that best fits your needs and start managing NTFS drives directly from your Mac.

To free up space and optimize your Mac’s performance, consider using a professional Mac cleaning tool like BuhoCleaner.