Open NTFS File

NTFS, which stands for New Technology File System, is a proprietary file system developed by Microsoft for their flagship operating system line, Windows. First introduced with Windows NT 3.1 in 1993, NTFS has since become the dominant file system in Windows, and it comes with a variety of advanced features.

Interacting with NTFS Files

Often, Windows users interact with NTFS files without even knowing it. Any file saved to an NTFS-formatted hard drive is, in fact, an NTFS file. You can open and use these files as you would any other file, using a wide variety of programs. For more info, see Microsoft's guide on working with NTFS.

NTFS and Disk Usage

Another important use for NTFS comes in managing disk space. The file system includes options for compression to save space, and also supports large files, which is particularly helpful in video editing and similar applications. This is covered more thoroughly on Lifewire's guide to formatting hard drives.

Security and NTFS

One of NTFS's major advantages over older file systems like FAT32 is its support for file-level security. This allows more fine-grained control over who can access which files, and what they can do with them. Details on this can be found in Microsoft's guide to NTFS file and folder permissions.

NTFS File Important Information

NTFS is a powerful tool in the arsenal of any Windows user, but it's not without its nuances. Usage of NTFS can impact things like disk performance and compatibility with non-Windows systems. Compatibility is usually not an issue for users who stay within the Windows ecosystem, but for those who need to share files with users of other operating systems, it's a good idea to be aware of the limitations of NTFS. For more detailed info, see how-to-geek's guide.