Can APFS upgrade in place?

[steve62388]

I’m curious, can APFS upgrade in place?

As and when Apple updates APFS with bug fixes and features when you upgrade macOS, will it also upgrade the version of APFS running? Or would you have to reformat?

Is that how it even works?

 

[cynics]

Yes. File systems can be converted (from one to another) and upgraded without data loss. Apple has done it with all their devices over the past few years, macOS, tvOS, iOS, iPadOS are all APFS now. Conversions can be done with apps, terminal commands or even in OS disk utility apps like currently in MacOS....

Upgrades can lead to a situation that requires the drive to be formatted however that is a very unlikely scenario for APFS due it not needing much and Apples resources. If it came down to us needing to format, a risky upgrade, or Apple just leaving it the way it is they would just leave it the way it is.