Linux can write NTFS just fine.

Another alternative is to use ext4 and then install something in Windows to read it, like Linux File Systems For Windows or similar. *

Linux can handle NTFS (the module is in the kernel). I have a partition formatted with NTFS made for this purpose (shared games files and data). You have to add a line in fstab with the right parameters though…

I have shared drive with ntfs and it works fine, like no problems, but I just had to download ntfs driver

I can’t really use NTFS because Linux can’t write to it.

This is not correct.

For example, there is the driver ntfs-3g. This allows read and write access to NTFS partitions. The disadvantage is that it uses FUSE and is therefore slower in some cases.

Since kernel 5.15, read and write access is also offered by the drivers provided by Paragon (ntfs3).

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/NTFS

Because I personally use btrfs as file system for Linux, I use WinBtrfs under Windows.

ExtFAT would also be a possibility. However, one should be aware that the file system was originally designed only for flash memory storage such as USB sticks.

Why not? I'm doing the same, I have a dual boot windows/linux and a 2nd SSD is shared for data/pic/whatever and it's a standard NTFS drive formatted by windows. It is very reliable, never had a single problem reading/writing to it from linux.

exFAT supports R&W between approximately Linux 3+, Windows 8+, and Android 13+. It should also support macOS. NTFS is significantly more reliable and functional, but only supports R&W on specific Android apps, is read-only on macOS, but is perfectly usable on new versions of Linux, and Windows 7+.

It is actually possible to use BTRFS with Windows. I've had some success using this tool between Linux and Windows, it can do in-place conversions of an NTFS drive if you need as well.

Myself I have dual boot. For the sake of simplicity - let's say I have 2 drives:

1. 512GB NVME SSD - for OSes.
2. 2TB SATA SSD - for games.

512gb ssd partitioned into 2 parts - 256 for Linux and 256 for Windows.

2TB ssd without partitions, but a plain BTRFS with zstd compression storage.

Guess what - There is WinBTRFS driver. I am also sharing the same Steam library (on 2TB ssd) between both OSes... 😅 Works like a charm. 👌👌👌

As others have said, use ntfs and just install ntfs-3g

which i use mostly for storing games

If you are trying to put your Steam games and share them between Windows and Linux, be prepared for a headache. I did this for a short period of time, and it worked OK, but tbh it really doesn't seem worth it. You have to jump through some hoops to get Linux Steam to play nicely with NTFS, and your Linux Steam will fight your Windows Steam every time you switch between using one or the other. Putting my Proton/Linux games on my ext4 partition, a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. This might work better if you share the drive but have separate steam library folders for each OS, but at that point you might as well just have two separate partitions.

ExFAT works fine but I believe you lose journalling and other filesystem corruption recovery methods. Depending on the kernel version, NTFS3 is the NTFS driver bundled in the Linux kernel. I've tried it and it worked pretty well until it corrupted one of my data drives, and I've stuck with NTFS-3G since then, it's been tried and tested for years at this point.

i think exfat is your best bet. linux can read/write on an ntfs drive but its slower (at least on my pc).

Your best bet might be probably NTFS, just install ntfs-3g and use that as the file system type when mounting, it should work fine.

Though it will be slower than in windows.