If you own a Mac, you might have heard of APFS, the Apple File System that replaced the older HFS+ in 2017. But what is APFS and why does it matter for your Mac's performance, security, and compatibility? In this article, we'll explain the benefits and drawbacks of using APFS on a Mac, and how to check and change your file system if needed.
APFS stands for Apple File System, a modern and advanced file system designed by Apple for its devices, including Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Apple TVs. A file system is a way of organizing and storing data on a disk or a device, such as files, folders, apps, and settings. APFS replaced the older HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus) that was used by Macs since 1998. APFS was introduced in macOS High Sierra in 2017, and is now the default file system for all Macs running macOS 10.13 or later.
APFS offers several advantages over HFS+ for Macs with solid-state drives (SSDs). APFS has a 64-bit architecture that can handle more files and data than HFS+, and enables faster operations such as copying, moving, and deleting files, while also using less disk space and reducing fragmentation. Additionally, APFS supports encryption at the file system level, as well as FileVault encryption for user data. Moreover, APFS has better crash protection and data integrity features, such as snapshots, clones, and checksums. Furthermore, APFS allows you to create multiple volumes or partitions on the same disk without wasting disk space, as well as features like fast directory sizing, space sharing, and atomic safe-save for easier file management.
APFS may not be the perfect file system, as it has some drawbacks and limitations that should be taken into consideration before using it on your Mac. Not being compatible with older versions of macOS or OS X, such as Sierra, El Capitan, or Yosemite, can be a problem if you have an older Mac or need to access files from one. APFS is also incompatible with some third-party apps and tools that rely on HFS+, such as disk utilities, backup software, or boot managers. Since APFS is still relatively new and evolving, you might encounter some glitches or errors that affect its stability or performance. Additionally, data recovery from an APFS disk can be more challenging in case of a failure or crash since it has a different structure and format than HFS+. Thus, it is important to always have a backup of your important data regardless of the file system you use.
To know what file system your Mac is using, you can easily check it by following these steps: Firstly, open Finder and select your Mac's hard drive from the sidebar. If it isn't visible, go to Finder > Preferences > Sidebar and check the box next to Hard disks. Then, right-click or control-click on your hard drive and select Get Info from the menu. Finally, find the Format section in the info window to view the file system type of your hard drive, like APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled), which is also known as HFS+.
If you want to switch your file system from HFS+ to APFS, or vice versa, you can use Disk Utility, a built-in app for managing disks and volumes. However, changing your file system is not a simple or risk-free process and it will erase all the data on your disk. Therefore, you should only do this if you have a good reason and a backup of your data. To change your file system, first make sure you have a backup of your data on an external drive or cloud service. Then restart your Mac and hold down the Command and R keys until you see the Apple logo, which will boot your Mac into Recovery Mode. From the Utilities menu, select Disk Utility and click Continue. Select your hard drive from the sidebar and click Erase from the toolbar. Choose a name for your disk and a format from the drop-down menu. When you’re ready, click Erase and wait for the process to finish. After that, quit Disk Utility and reinstall macOS from the Utilities menu. Finally, restore your data from backup or set up your Mac as new.
The best time to change file systems are when they are initially bound. There’s no risk to existing data. When changing file systems with existing data, be sure to take and restore a backup. Taking backups are easy. Restoring backups are hard. You want to validate that you fully understand the restoration process, and you want to validate that it’s worked correctly after the fact.