While the Mac can use a hard drive formatted for Windows, some features may be limited. So it's a good idea to format a new hard drive specifically for macOS.

To format a hard drive before you start using it in Windows, use the Disk Management utility; on a Mac, use Disk Utility.

If you need a USB drive that's widely compatible with different devices, you may want to format it to FAT32. Here's how to do so on Mac and PC.

How do I format a hard drive? A computer hard drive stores your files, allowing you to access them at any time. The majority of the time, you want these files to remain stored properly and safely. … ...

You can wipe a hard drive and data drives through your Windows 10 Settings, the DBAN utility, and the Disk Utility manager in a Mac's Recovery Mode.

This CNET TV video gives you step-by-step instructions on how to set up your external hard drive so it can be used on a Windows machine and on your Mac.