In HFS+, sparse files took up more space and required more time to read and write to than it should have. Since my main Mac is mobile, and I own a Time Capsule, I'm really happy about this as well. Which also uses less storage and performs less I/O - it can do differentials at the block level - resulting in better performance. For example, where HFS+ support for mobile Time Machine backups was buggy, APFS re-implements it completely on snapshots. Sapshots, for example, capture the state of the storage at a moment in time, without risking changes or collisions like HFS. That way, hopefully, data is safe from both theft and corruption.Īnd APFS makes all of that easier and better.

I believe in encrypting main drives and, for large personal photo and video albums, backing them up locally and to the cloud. Backup experts believe encryption isn't always practical, especially for home computers and desktops, because theft is less likely than corruption, and failing safe means you may be able to recover irreplaceable photos and documents. Security experts believe fiercely in encryption, especially for work computers and laptops, and failing secure so, in the event of theft, no one can get your data. There are differences in opinion about whether or not you should encrypt your home computer. APFS includes native support for encryption so Apple can offer it directly and in a way that allows for new features to be added over time. So, FileVault used Disk Images and FileVault 2 relied on Core Storage. HFS+ never understood full-disk encryption.

What Apple's doing specifically for macOS deserves a closer look.

Something that was born for modern storage on state-of-the-art devices, and that could meet the needs not just of now, but of the near future as well.įor more on the technical aspects of Apple File System, and how it's implemented on iOS, see my APFS primer. Though Apple had done an admirable job McGyver'ing HFS+ over the years, bubble gum and paper clips could take the Mac no further. macOS High Sierra Apple File SystemĪPFS, the Apple File System was designed to replace the venerable HFS+ across all of Apple's devices. Some features, like HEVC encoding and decoding, require more recent models and processors.

Basically, if your Mac is currently running Sierra, it can run High Sierra. You can download and install macOS Sierra, for free, on a range of hardware going back to late 2009. For more on past version and their features, please see my previous reviews:

Macos high sierra version