Both of these are paid applications, and you probably don’t want to purchase them just to recover files one time. If you really can’t stand Java, other possible solutions include Paragon’s HFS+ for Windows and Mediafour’s MacDrive. Watch out for Oracle’s obnoxious installer junkware when you install it, too. Unfortunately, it does require Java installed to function - we recommend uninstalling Java immediately after you’re done with HFSExplorer or at least disabling the Java browser plug-in to help protect yourself. The only free application we’ve found for this is HFSExplorer. You’ll need software that can understand the HFS+ file system to access your Time Machine backup files. RELATED: How to Share Files Between Mac OS X and Windows With Boot Camp Windows can’t read it, but all your files are still there. You can normally share drives between a Mac and Windows PC because Macs also understand the common FAT32 file system, but OS X insists that Time Machine drives be formatted with HFS+.ĭon’t immediately format the drive with a Windows file system or you’ll lose all the Time Machine backups on it.

That’s because Windows can’t understand the drive’s HFS+ file system. When you connect the Mac-formatted Time Machine drive to your computer, you won’t see the files on it. Hopefully you’re using a USB drive for Time Machine backups - most Windows PCs aren’t compatible with Thunderbolt.

RELATED: How to Back Up Your Mac and Restore Files With Time MachineĮither way, the first step is connecting that Mac-formatting Time Machine drive to your Windows computer.

Can you segment time machine backup mac