HDD Getting Slow With APFS Partition on Mac

Many Mac users experience slowdowns on their hard drives (HDDs) when they are partitioned with APFS and reach full capacity. This is because APFS, while efficient, doesn’t offer defragmentation capabilities like HFS+.

The Problem with APFS

APFS (Apple File System) is a modern file system designed for speed and efficiency on solid-state drives (SSDs). However, it doesn’t have built-in defragmentation, which can lead to performance issues when the drive becomes full.

The Solution: Switching to HFS+

A common solution is to reformat the HDD with HFS+ (Mac OS Extended). This allows for defragmentation, potentially improving performance.

Encryption Challenges with HFS+

However, there’s a catch. Disk Utility no longer supports encrypting HFS+ partitions directly.

The Workaround: Sparsebundle Images

The workaround is to create a Sparsebundle Image with the following features:

• Format: HFS+
• Encryption: Enabled (using a strong password)

This encrypted Sparsebundle Image can then be placed within the HDD.

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits:

• Defragmentation: HFS+ allows for defragmentation, potentially improving HDD performance.
• Encryption: Your data remains secure with robust encryption.

Drawbacks:

• Dual Mounting: You’ll need to mount both the HDD and the Sparsebundle Image separately to access your files.

Conclusion

While switching to HFS+ with encryption requires a bit more effort, it offers a viable solution for improving the performance of your HDD while keeping your data secure. Remember to choose a strong password for your Sparsebundle Image and store it securely.