Should I convert my external HDDs to APFS?

[lisq199]

I'm not worried about compatibility with Windows or older macOS. What I'm worried about is the fact that APFS is optimized for SSDs. So will APFS potentially make my HDDs unreliable or slower? What's your experience with APFS with traditional HDDs? Thanks!

 

[pika2000]

Haven't tried it, but I don't think the option to format to APFS would appear on regular hard disks.

 

[gmanist1000]

I converted my 4TB external spinner to APFS Encrypted and have about 1TB of data on it.

I use it almost daily and have had 0 issues.

 

[mattguy10]

I converted my 4TB external spinner to APFS Encrypted and have about 1TB of data on it.

I use it almost daily and have had 0 issues.

I’ve done this too on a 3TB external spinner and have about 500GB of data on it with 0 issues as well.

 

[ncrypt]

Same, no issues on a 1TB external

 

[nicholasg]

No issues here with a 12 TB RAID 1 array.

I tried to use an external APFS HDD with Time Machine, and High Sierra converted it to HFS+. Later learnt that Time Machine can not run on APFS drives.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

may I just ask you why you want to switch from an (even for SSDs) absolutely stable and fast filesystem like HFS+ to APFS?

I just don´t understand - because HFS+ runs extremely fast and absolutely secure on SSDs...

Space on HDDs and SSDs nowadays is also no more expensive - so if your filesystem will not be faster nor more stable nor much cheaper - why the hell taking the high risk facing really big problems using a new filesystem ?

Even if you want to "gain space" using APFS, is the little difference (if even existing and worth mentioning under real daily conditions) worth a higher risk to loose data, loss of time for going back and forth with the 2 systems, taking the risk of non-existing compatibility (as for Time Machine) and learning bitter things by the hard way?

It is just a question - I´d wait at least 1-2 years to be shure this "just works" ...

 

[Fishrrman]

Agree with post 7 above.
HFS+ "just works", and it's well-tested.
APFS is kinda "too new to be foolin' with now".

My opinion only.

 

[kagharaht]

If its a portable USB powered HDD, don't do it. It will fail to mount multiple times on various machines. I did it on WD and Seagate 2TB drives. It works once mounted but usually you have to use Disk Utility to make it show up. Also once in awhile it won't unmount normally. You have to Force Unmount it. Reverted back to HFS and it works flawlessly again.

 

[AmazingRobie]

Agree with other posters that say not to mess with it. The way things are going at Apple, they'll have an even newerererer file system in 6 months.

 

[TheAnvil]

Why do you want to sacrifice compatibility with 90% of the machines out there for the sake of having something "new"?

At least wait until drivers for Windows\Linux come out.

 

[brainburst1]

No don't do it. All drives fail eventually and recovery from APFS will be difficult.

 

[canyonlight]

So I'm concluding that the best thing to do is to stick with Sierra for now.

 

[deepakvrao]

So I'm concluding that the best thing to do is to stick with Sierra for now.

Not really. This thread was whether it would be worth it to format external drives to APFS.

 

[canyonlight]

Not really. This thread was whether it would be worth it to format external drives to APFS.

Thank you Deepak.

 

[posguy99]

Not really. This thread was whether it would be worth it to format external drives to APFS.

Although the best thing to do *is* to stick with Sierra. HS really doesn't have anything for most people.