15 April 2025, 04:46 PM
After updating to Big Sur, macOS may lose write access to NTFS drives due to Apple's stricter security policies. To resolve this, first verify the drive is NTFS-formatted in Disk Utility. Then either:
Use Terminal to enable experimental macOS NTFS writing:
Add: LABEL=DRIVENAME none ntfs rw,auto,nobrowse (replace DRIVENAME)
Or 2) Install reliable third-party NTFS drivers like Paragon NTFS or Tuxera NTFS for full read/write support.
Prevention & Best Practices
Always eject NTFS drives properly before updating macOS. For critical workflows, consider reformatting to exFAT (if cross-platform compatibility is needed) or using cloud storage as intermediary. Keep your NTFS driver software updated if using third-party solutions, as Apple's system changes often break compatibility. For permanent storage used exclusively with Macs, converting to APFS is recommended.
Alternative Solution Using Native macOS Tools
If you prefer not to use third-party software, macOS provides limited native NTFS write support that can be enabled via Terminal. After connecting your NTFS drive:
Identify the disk identifier using diskutil list
Temporarily mount with write permissions:
Note this is volatile and permissions reset after ejection. For persistent access, the /etc/fstab method remains more reliable, though still not officially supported by Apple.
This approach gives basic functionality but lacks the stability and features of commercial NTFS drivers. Always maintain backups when experimenting with these methods.
For restoring write permissions on your NTFS-formatted drive, you’d better use NTFS drivers for Mac. iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is a good tool for you to write the drive seamlessly.
Use Terminal to enable experimental macOS NTFS writing:
Add: LABEL=DRIVENAME none ntfs rw,auto,nobrowse (replace DRIVENAME)
Or 2) Install reliable third-party NTFS drivers like Paragon NTFS or Tuxera NTFS for full read/write support.
Prevention & Best Practices
Always eject NTFS drives properly before updating macOS. For critical workflows, consider reformatting to exFAT (if cross-platform compatibility is needed) or using cloud storage as intermediary. Keep your NTFS driver software updated if using third-party solutions, as Apple's system changes often break compatibility. For permanent storage used exclusively with Macs, converting to APFS is recommended.
Alternative Solution Using Native macOS Tools
If you prefer not to use third-party software, macOS provides limited native NTFS write support that can be enabled via Terminal. After connecting your NTFS drive:
Identify the disk identifier using diskutil list
Temporarily mount with write permissions:
Note this is volatile and permissions reset after ejection. For persistent access, the /etc/fstab method remains more reliable, though still not officially supported by Apple.
This approach gives basic functionality but lacks the stability and features of commercial NTFS drivers. Always maintain backups when experimenting with these methods.
For restoring write permissions on your NTFS-formatted drive, you’d better use NTFS drivers for Mac. iBoysoft NTFS for Mac is a good tool for you to write the drive seamlessly.