NTFS has been the obligatory file system for Windows systems since Windows Vista. However, the file system plays no role in mobile storage media like external HDDs or SDDs, USB sticks, or memory cards. These data media belong to the domain of file systems with the classic File Allocation Table (FAT) like FAT32 and its successor exFAT.
The question “What is NTFS?” is not often raised for Apple computer users, since the proprietary Microsoft standard is not compatible with the competitor’s technology. Data exchange between Macs and PCs, therefore, occurs via data media that are formatted with compatible file systems like FAT32 or exFAT. Multimedia end devices such as game consoles or players also require FAT data media in order to detect, display, and play back the data.