Apple Removes the AFP Protocol in macOS 27

Apple has officially removed the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) from macOS 27, signaling the end of a protocol that has been in use since 1988. AFP, once essential for file sharing on Macintosh systems, has been gradually phased out since 2013 with the introduction of SMB (Server Message Block) as the default file-sharing protocol due to its better compatibility and security. Key updates to AFP ended in 2012, and by 2020, it was completely unsupported.

With the transition to SMB3, Apple aims to align its file-sharing capabilities with modern technology standards, offering improved security and efficiency for backups, notably for Time Machine. Users with legacy devices can still maintain their setups, but are encouraged to adopt SMB3 for enhanced compatibility and safety.