Filesystem Types
A filesystem defines how data is organized and stored on a storage device. Filesystems differ in maximum file size, journaling support and which operating systems can read and write them.
Overview
| Filesystem | Max file size | Journaling | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAT32 | 4 GB | No | USB sticks, SD cards, broad compatibility |
| exFAT | 16 EB | No | Large USB sticks and SD cards across platforms |
| NTFS | 16 EB | Yes | Windows system and data drives |
| ext4 | 16 TB | Yes | Default Linux filesystem |
| APFS | 8 EB | Yes (copy-on-write) | Default macOS filesystem |
| btrfs | 16 EB | Yes (copy-on-write) | Linux, with snapshots and pooling |
Choosing a Filesystem
- Maximum compatibility (small files): FAT32 is read and written by virtually every device, but is limited to 4 GB per file.
- Maximum compatibility (large files): exFAT removes the 4 GB limit and works across Linux, Windows and macOS.
- Linux only: ext4 is the safe default; btrfs adds snapshots and other advanced features.
- Windows only: NTFS supports permissions, journaling and large volumes.
- macOS only: APFS is optimized for SSDs and is the modern default.