I’m thinking about dual-booting Windows 11 and Linux, and would like to use some of the same files in both. Is there a simple way to do that using the drive already in my computer?
Can I share files between Windows and Linux without another drive?
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veldt
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Yes. You can set aside a data partition formatted as exFAT and use it from both systems. It’s a straightforward option for documents, photos, and other ordinary files. Keep Windows and Linux themselves on their own partitions rather than trying to install either operating system on exFAT.
Changing partitions can go wrong, so back up anything you care about before resizing or creating one. Also, exFAT has no journaling, so it’s wise to shut down cleanly and keep a separate backup of important files.
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Another option is a shared NTFS data partition. Windows uses NTFS natively, and Linux can generally read and write it. That can make sense if you already have an NTFS partition with room to use.
One catch: Windows Fast Startup can leave its file systems in a hibernated state. Turn Fast Startup off, and fully shut Windows down before accessing a Windows partition from Linux. I’d avoid relying on extra Windows drivers to write into Linux’s system partition.
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If the files are mostly spreadsheets and documents you already use in Windows, you may not need to share much at all. But for files you do want in both systems, a small shared data partition is usually less hassle than copying them back and forth. Choose exFAT for a simple shared folder, or NTFS if you have a reason to keep that data in Windows’s usual file system.
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veldt:
So this can be a partition on the same internal SSD, not a separate drive?
tangerinefax:
Right. It can be a separate partition on the internal drive. Just make sure you leave enough room for both operating systems and your shared files.