MacDrive 12 adds encrypted APFS support for Windows

Other World Computing has launched MacDrive 12 for Windows users, adding support for encrypted APFS volumes alongside other Mac disk formats.

The update extends its Mac-to-Windows disk access software to support HFS+, APFS, SoftRAID and Apple RAID within Windows Explorer. MacDrive 12 provides native read and write access to encrypted APFS volumes, allowing users to open, save, partition, format and repair Mac disks from Windows without converting files or moving them through cloud services.

MacDrive has long targeted people working across Apple and Microsoft environments, particularly in media production and IT support. This release focuses on one of the more difficult areas of cross-platform storage access: encrypted APFS disks, which are widely used on modern Macs.

MacDrive 12 also supports RAID arrays created with SoftRAID and Apple RAID. It includes APFS crash protection designed to help prevent corruption if a power failure or system crash interrupts a write process.

The software is aimed at users who regularly move storage between Mac and Windows machines, including video editors, photographers, designers, production teams, IT administrators, data recovery specialists and remote workers. These users often need to read Mac-formatted portable SSDs, external hard drives and memory cards on Windows workstations without reformatting them.

Larry O'Connor, founder and chief executive officer of Other World Computing, said the update was designed to remove barriers in mixed-device workplaces.

"Protecting data and removing friction from how people actually work is what MacDrive 12 is all about," O'Connor said. "Most professionals aren't thinking about file systems - they just want their drives to work, securely and reliably, across Mac and Windows. But too often, that hasn't been the case, especially with encrypted volumes where some solutions force you to accept real risk just to access your data. That's not acceptable."

"With MacDrive 12, we've delivered full native read and write support for encrypted APFS volumes, so your data stays protected without compromise. You plug in a Mac drive and it just works in Windows - exactly the way you expect. No workarounds, no extra steps, no risk to your data. It's faster, it's more reliable, and it's what customers have trusted us to deliver for decades."

Mixed Environments

The desktop utility integrates Mac disks into the standard Windows file management view, eliminating the need for a separate browser. Attached Mac-formatted drives appear alongside Windows volumes, allowing users to drag and drop files directly in Explorer.

For organisations with both Mac and Windows estates, the main benefit is reduced reliance on dedicated hardware or duplicate systems simply to access storage across operating systems. IT teams can use the software for troubleshooting, file transfer and recovery, while creative teams can ingest media from Mac-formatted drives into Windows-based edit suites.

Encryption support is likely to be one of the most closely watched additions. APFS, Apple's current file system, is widely used with built-in encryption on Mac devices. Accessing those protected volumes from Windows has typically required specialised tools, and achieving full read/write functionality has been harder than basic read-only access.

Pricing

MacDrive 12 is priced at USD $59.99, with upgrade pricing of USD $29.99 for existing users. OWC, founded in 1988, sells storage, docks, memory, and software products primarily to media professionals, businesses, and consumers who work with Apple hardware.

The launch comes as cross-platform file access remains a practical issue for organisations using a mix of desktop operating systems. While exFAT is commonly used for removable drives, some users avoid it because they prefer Apple-native formats and features such as APFS encryption and file system protections.

MacDrive 12 is intended to let those users keep their disks in Mac formats while still using Windows machines for daily work.