How to Write to NTFS Drives on macOS 13 Safely

By default, macOS 13 (Ventura) only supports reading files from Microsoft NTFS-formatted drives, preventing you from adding, editing, or deleting files natively. This guide explains why this limitation exists and details the safest methods to enable NTFS write support on macOS 13, including using dedicated commercial drivers, configuring open-source utilities, and switching to cross-platform file systems.

Understanding NTFS on macOS 13

Apple supports reading NTFS partitions out of the box, but write support is entirely disabled. In macOS 13 Ventura, Apple completely removed the legacy, experimental native NTFS write mount flag that previously allowed users to force write access via the Terminal. Consequently, enabling write access safely requires reliable software drivers or reformatting the drive.

Method 1: Use a Commercial Third-Party NTFS Driver (Safest & Fastest)

The most secure, stable, and straightforward way to write to an NTFS drive on macOS 13 without risking data corruption is using commercial software specifically updated for macOS Ventura.

  1. Choose a Reputable Driver: The two industry standards are Paragon NTFS for Mac and Tuxera NTFS for Mac.
  2. Installation: Download the installer from the provider and follow the installation wizard.
  3. Allow System Extension: During installation on macOS 13, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security. Scroll to the Security section and click Allow for the extension blocked from the developer.
  4. Grant Permissions (Apple Silicon Only): If your Mac uses an M1 or M2 chip, you may need to boot into macOS Recovery to set the security policy to "Reduced Security" to permit third-party kernel extensions.
  5. Restart: Reboot your Mac. Once installed, any connected NTFS drive will mount automatically with full read and write access, functioning just like a native Mac drive.

Method 2: Use macFUSE and NTFS-3G (Free, Open-Source)

For users comfortable with command-line tools who prefer an open-source route, macFUSE combined with NTFS-3G enables write support.

Note: This method is more complex and poses a higher risk of data corruption if improperly unmounted.

  1. Install Homebrew: Open the Terminal and install the Homebrew package manager if you do not already have it.
  2. Install macFUSE: Run brew install --cask macfuse.
  3. Approve the Extension: Navigate to System Settings > Privacy & Security and allow the macFUSE system extension, then restart your Mac.
  4. Install NTFS-3G: Run brew install ntfs-3g.
  5. Mount the Drive: Manually unmount your NTFS drive using Disk Utility, then use the Terminal to remount it via ntfs-3g with read-write flags.

Method 3: Reformat to exFAT (Best Long-Term Alternative)

If you own the drive and it does not contain system files, the safest and permanent solution to share files between macOS and Windows is to format the drive to exFAT.

  1. Back Up Data: Copy all critical data from the NTFS drive to your Mac or another external storage device, as reformatting deletes all existing contents.
  2. Open Disk Utility: Press Command + Space, type Disk Utility, and press Return.
  3. Select the Drive: Choose your external storage drive from the left sidebar.
  4. Erase and Format: Click the Erase button at the top toolbar. Set the name, choose exFAT as the format, and set the scheme to GUID Partition Map.
  5. Complete: Click Erase. The drive will now natively support reading and writing on both macOS 13 and Windows systems without requiring additional software.