Unlike Windows-based computers, Macs usually do not come with multiple hard-drive partitions. It is just a single partition that you see when you first boot your Mac. Though there is no harm using your Mac with a single partition, it is highly recommended that you have at least two partitions on your machine. This will let you store your important files on one partition when the other one is being formatted. It is also helpful if you plan to install another OS beside your Mac OS. Regardless of your reasons, here’s how you can do it.
Creating a Partition on a Mac
It is really easy to create a partition on a Mac, as your Mac comes preloaded with an utility that allows you to do that. The utility we are talking about is called “Disk Utility” which is found in the Utilities folder on your Mac. Besides partitioning, it allows you to perform a number of disk-related operations on your machine.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
1. Click on Launchpad from your dock.
2. Type in “Disk Utility” in the search bar on the top. When it appears, click on it. As said earlier, this is the utility you are going to use to create a partition.
3. When the Disk Utility launches, you should see all the hard drives connected to your Mac in the left-hand side. Click on your main hard drive that you want to create partitions for, and then click on the “Partitions” tab. This is the section that allows you to create partitions.
4. Click on the little plus sign shown beneath your hard drive image. It will let you add, or in other words, create a new partition.
5. Once you click the plus sign, you should see a new box being added to your current drive image. Click on it and it will let you specify the settings. As for the settings,
- Name – Enter a name for your new partition, it could be anything of your choice. It’s suggested that you use a meaningful name, though.
- Format – This one is important. Make sure to choose the appropriate format that you think will work with the files that you will be storing on this new partition.
- Size – Specify the size for your new partition.
When you are done specifying the settings, click on “Apply”.
6. A prompt should appear to ask if you really wish to create a new partition along with the info of what it is going to do on your machine. Click on “Partition” and it will begin creating a new partition on your Mac.
7. Restart your Mac when it is done.
Congrats! A new partition has been successfully created on your Mac, with all of your defined settings. You can now use it to store your files, videos, music, and all the content that you have been storing on your main hard drive until now.
Conclusion
While it’s easy to use a Mac with just a single partition, adding another one decreases the chances of your files being corrupted in case you crash your machine.
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Mahesh Makvana
Mahesh Makvana is a freelance tech writer who’s written thousands of posts about various tech topics on various sites. He specializes in writing about Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android tech posts. He’s been into the field for last eight years and hasn’t spent a single day without tinkering around his devices.
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