Macbook Not Detecting External Hard Drive
Macbook Not Recognizing Flash Drive
External Hard Drive Macbook
Internal Hard Drive For Macbook
External Disk Not Recognized On My Mac
Sometimes, you think WD hard drive is not recognized by Mac because the WD external hard drive isn't showing up on Mac, neither in Finder nor on the desktop. However, the fact is that the WD hard drive is detected by macOS but it is not set to show up on Mac. In this case, you can show the WD hard drive by changing the preferences. Mac or MacBook Doesn't recognize External Drives. Troubleshooting tips. Macs like most other computers are well working hardware which includes all the newest technologies, unfortunately sometimes hardware and software miscommunicate and causes issues in proper work. These steps for fixing an external hard drive not recognized on Windows and Mac are suitable for external hard drives of all capacities and manufacturers. However, if still the issue is not resolved, you can avail of professional help. The Best External Hard Drive Data Recovery Software.
Summary: In this blog, well share different methods to address the external hard drive not showing up on Mac issue on macOS Catalina and other lower versions. The methods well cover are:
1. Check USB connectivity
2. Enable visibility of external hard drive
3. Update macOS
4. Repair external hard drive by using Disk Utility
5. Repair external hard drive by using Terminal
6. Erase the external hard drive
7. Replace the external hard drive
Download the free-to-try Mac data recovery software to recover your lost data from external hard drive on Mac.
Hi friends, when I connected my 2 TB Seagate external hard drive after a long time on my MacBook Air (running on macOS Catalina), the drive did not show up in Desktop or Finder sidebar. This drive has all my important digital memories. Could anyone please help me out to recover my data from the drive? Thanks.
When you connect an external hard drive to your Mac running on macOS Catalina, the storage drive may not show up on Desktop, Finder, or even on the Disk Utility app due to several reasons. Common Reasons for External Hard Drive Not Showing Up on Mac
USB connectivity problem
Not setting preferences in macOS
Partition map damage
Device incompatibility
Physical damage on a hard drive
The next sections describe multiple troubleshooting methods to fix the external drive not showing up on Mac issue on macOS. 1. Check the USB Connectivity
Your external hard drive may not be connected properly to the USB port present on your MacBook Air, iMac, or Mac mini. Try the following steps:
Try reconnecting the drive to the same or another compatible USB port.
If that doesnt fix the issue, try changing the USB cable and reconnect.
If you have another Mac, then even try connecting the external drive to it. 2. Enable visibility of external hard drive
In macOS Catalina, you need to enable the visibility of external disks. For setting your preferences, do the following:
Go to Finder Preferences General . Under Show these items on the desktop , check the Hard disks and External disks checkboxes.
Similarly, go to Finder Preferences Sidebar . Under Show these items on the sidebar , check the Hard disks and External disks checkboxes.
Also, go to Finder Applications Utilities Disk Utility . In Disk Utility, to view all mountable and non-mountable drives, go to View Show All Devices . 3. Update macOS
Try updating your macOS Catalina to fix subtle issues of external hard drive connectivity. But before that, back up your Macintosh HD by using Time Machine to avoid any data loss. Ensure your Time Machine drive is connected to your Mac. Go to Time Machine Back Up Now . Once the backup is taken, perform the following steps to update your macOS.
Go to Apple menu System Preferences .
In the System Preferences window, click Software Update .
In the Software Update window, let macOS to check for updates.
When updates are available, click Update Now .
Click Download and Restart . Wait till the update is over. 4. Repair external hard drive by using Disk Utility
When your Mac is not recognizing the external hard drive, use Disk Utility to mount and repair the unrecognized external drive. Steps are as follows:
Go to Finder Applications Utilities . Double-click Disk Utility to launch it.
If Disk Utility lists the external hard drive in gray, then select your external hard drive from the sidebar.
From the top pane, click the Mount tab to mount your unmounted external hard drive.
If the drive is yet inaccessible, click the First Aid tab from the top pane, then click Run to initiate the external hard drive repair process.
Wait till Disk Utility repairs your external hard drive. If Disk Utility fails, it will show a message that the drive cant be repaired and you need to back up and replace the drive. 5. Repair external hard drive by using Terminal
When Disk Utility cant repair your external hard drive, use your Terminal application available in macOS to mount and repair the affected drive. Steps are as follows:
Go to Finder Applications Utilities . Double-click Terminal to launch it.
At the command line, type diskutil list, then hit Return . Note disk of the external hard drive.
Type diskutil mountDisk /dev/disk, then hit Return .
Type diskutil repairVolume /dev/disk. then hit Return .
When the repair process is completed, go to Terminal Quit Terminal . 6. Erase the external hard drive
In case the external drives data is not accessible due to file system corruption, you can still recover the data by using a data recovery software for Mac.
Watch the videoImplementing Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac to Recover Unmounted External Drive on Mac.
After recovering the inaccessible data, erase the drive by using Disk Utility to fix any logical issues. Finally, restore the recovered data to the external hard drive. 7. Replace the external hard drive
If your external hard drive is not visible in Disk Utility even if you have chosen the Show All Devices option in the View tab, then the drive may have undergone physical damage. You need to replace the inoperative drive with a new one.
Note : To recover data from a dead hard drive, get in touch with a data recovery service provider. Tips to Prevent Permanent Data Loss on External Hard Drive
Implement a 3-2-1 backup strategy (3 copies of data on 2 different storage media with 1 copy offsite) to safeguard against any data loss incident.
Do not erase the external hard drive straight away if it is not recognized by your Mac unless you recover that data by using a Mac data recovery software. Conclusion
The blog highlighted common reasons with troubleshooting strategies to resolve external hard drive not showing up on Mac issue. To perform any critical troubleshooting process, back up your drive. In case of data loss, do not lose hope. Recover your lost data by using a Stellar Data Recovery Professional for macOS Catalina or earlier. The Mac data recovery software supports a variety of storage devices including external hard drives formatted with APFS, HFS+, HFS, NTFS, FAT, and ex-FAT file systems. The software is available for a free trial.
Your Mac not recognizing an external hard drive can be cause for panic. But try to remain calm its unlikely that anything has happened to your files. All of your data will still be on the hard drive, it just that, for whatever reason, you cant access it. Macbook Not Recognizing Flash Drive
Just so that you worry not about losing data, get Disk Drill. Apple pages docx . Available via Setapp, the app is the best tool that will rescue your files. Download Disk Drill Free
Fortunately, there are ways and means of getting the hard drive back up and running. Lets get into some of them right now. Why a flash drive is not showing up on Mac?
If youve plugged in a flash drive or USB drive and its not showing up on your Mac at all, it could be down to a faulty cable or USB port.
Before you try any system troubleshooting tips, start with the basics.
Check that the drive is probably plugged in.
Check the USB connector does it look damaged or misshapen in any way?
Check the cable is it frayed or are there any wires exposed?
If the external hard drive is plugged into a wall outlet, try a different outlet.
Try a different USB cable even cables with no visible defects can fail.
Try connecting the hard drive to a different USB port it could be a hardware issue.
Try the drive in another Mac if it works there, the problem is with the USB ports on your Mac.
Test the hard drive on a PC it could be formatted for PCs and not readable on Macs.
Reboot your Mac a simple on and off is sometimes all it takes.
Reboot USB drives by shutting down your system and restarting it, holding Command+Option+P+R as you do. When you hear a sound and see the screen flash, release the keys and let your Mac boot up as usual.
If youve carried out visually inspections, tested your hard drive with different cables and power outlets, and tried different systems with no luck, its time to put your Mac to work. 1. Change the Finder settings
One of the most common reasons for Mac not recognizing external hard drives is due to the system not being set up to display hard drives on the desktop. Theres a simple fix for this:
Open a Finder window.
Go to Preferences General .
Check that the External disks option is enabled.
If your Mac is not recognizing a USB or external hard drive after this, youll have to try mounting it manually. 2. Mount an external hard drive on Mac
If Mac isnt automatically recognizing your external hard drive, its time to force it to. Connect your hard drive and follow these instructions:
Go to System Preferences Disk Utility .
Check that the external disk is listed in the left sidebar.
Highlight your hard drive and select Mount . It should now appear under devices in the Finder.
If the hard drive still isnt playing ball, the next step is First Aid. 3. Run First Aid on an external hard drive
Macs built-in First Aid tool is designed to verify and repair a range of issues related to corrupted files and apps, startup issues, and, crucially, external hard drive problems.
If your issue has to do with wanting to know how to open a flash drive on Mac thats displaying but not allowing you access to files, First Aid might be able to help.
Go to System Preferences Disk Utility .
Highlight your external hard drive and click on First Aid .
Select Run to start running diagnostics and prompt Mac to automatically fix any issues.
If First Aid is successful in repairing any faults, your hard drive should be available to mount. If not, youll need to try the next option. 4. Delete potentially conflicting apps
How recent is the problem? If a flash drive not showing up on Mac was completely fine a few days earlier there could be an app causing conflict. If youve downloaded any new apps recently, uninstall them one at a time, connecting your hard drive after each uninstallation to see if the issue is resolved.
You can delete apps using the Launchpad or by dragging them to the Trash, but neither method is recommended in this situation. You see, while an app might appear to be deleted, associated files will be left on your system files that could be preventing access to your external hard drive.
Instead, let CleanMyMac X take care of it. CleanMyMac X has an Uninstaller tool that can define your installed applications and associated files and remove every trace of an unwanted app. External Hard Drive Macbook
And it couldnt be easier to use.
Download CleanMyMac X (for free).
Launch the app and select Uninstaller .
Click on View All Applications and select a recently installed app.
Click Uninstall .
If youve worked through all recently installed apps and are still no further forward, your hard drive may have crashed or, worse, be completely broken. In this case, youll need a heavy duty tool like Disk Drill to rescue files. Internal Hard Drive For Macbook 5. Repair disk permissions
Disk permissions keeps your files secure. Every file and folder has an associated set of permissions. Unfortunately, these can get messed up without you realising it, which can cause serious problems. You can fix these two ways. Either manually, as we mention in this article, or using CleanMyMac X, which is far easier.
All you need to do is:
Click on Maintenance from the left sidebar menu.
Check the box next to Repair Disk Permissions.
Click Run.
The program will scan and fix any it finds that are broken or faulty. Your Mac should be running as good as new.
To prevent an external hard drive not showing up on Mac turning into an all-out disaster, always backup files on your system hard drive and in the cloud. Anytime you use an external drive, unmount the disk properly and store it safely. And finally, use CleanMyMac to uninstall apps and run regular Maintenance on your system to prevent applications conflicting with hard drive performance. External Disk Not Recognized On My Mac These might also interest you:
External Hard Drive Macbook
Internal Hard Drive For Macbook
External Disk Not Recognized On My Mac
Sometimes, you think WD hard drive is not recognized by Mac because the WD external hard drive isn't showing up on Mac, neither in Finder nor on the desktop. However, the fact is that the WD hard drive is detected by macOS but it is not set to show up on Mac. In this case, you can show the WD hard drive by changing the preferences. Mac or MacBook Doesn't recognize External Drives. Troubleshooting tips. Macs like most other computers are well working hardware which includes all the newest technologies, unfortunately sometimes hardware and software miscommunicate and causes issues in proper work. These steps for fixing an external hard drive not recognized on Windows and Mac are suitable for external hard drives of all capacities and manufacturers. However, if still the issue is not resolved, you can avail of professional help. The Best External Hard Drive Data Recovery Software.
Summary: In this blog, well share different methods to address the external hard drive not showing up on Mac issue on macOS Catalina and other lower versions. The methods well cover are:
1. Check USB connectivity
2. Enable visibility of external hard drive
3. Update macOS
4. Repair external hard drive by using Disk Utility
5. Repair external hard drive by using Terminal
6. Erase the external hard drive
7. Replace the external hard drive
Download the free-to-try Mac data recovery software to recover your lost data from external hard drive on Mac.
Hi friends, when I connected my 2 TB Seagate external hard drive after a long time on my MacBook Air (running on macOS Catalina), the drive did not show up in Desktop or Finder sidebar. This drive has all my important digital memories. Could anyone please help me out to recover my data from the drive? Thanks.
When you connect an external hard drive to your Mac running on macOS Catalina, the storage drive may not show up on Desktop, Finder, or even on the Disk Utility app due to several reasons. Common Reasons for External Hard Drive Not Showing Up on Mac
USB connectivity problem
Not setting preferences in macOS
Partition map damage
Device incompatibility
Physical damage on a hard drive
The next sections describe multiple troubleshooting methods to fix the external drive not showing up on Mac issue on macOS. 1. Check the USB Connectivity
Your external hard drive may not be connected properly to the USB port present on your MacBook Air, iMac, or Mac mini. Try the following steps:
Try reconnecting the drive to the same or another compatible USB port.
If that doesnt fix the issue, try changing the USB cable and reconnect.
If you have another Mac, then even try connecting the external drive to it. 2. Enable visibility of external hard drive
In macOS Catalina, you need to enable the visibility of external disks. For setting your preferences, do the following:
Go to Finder Preferences General . Under Show these items on the desktop , check the Hard disks and External disks checkboxes.
Similarly, go to Finder Preferences Sidebar . Under Show these items on the sidebar , check the Hard disks and External disks checkboxes.
Also, go to Finder Applications Utilities Disk Utility . In Disk Utility, to view all mountable and non-mountable drives, go to View Show All Devices . 3. Update macOS
Try updating your macOS Catalina to fix subtle issues of external hard drive connectivity. But before that, back up your Macintosh HD by using Time Machine to avoid any data loss. Ensure your Time Machine drive is connected to your Mac. Go to Time Machine Back Up Now . Once the backup is taken, perform the following steps to update your macOS.
Go to Apple menu System Preferences .
In the System Preferences window, click Software Update .
In the Software Update window, let macOS to check for updates.
When updates are available, click Update Now .
Click Download and Restart . Wait till the update is over. 4. Repair external hard drive by using Disk Utility
When your Mac is not recognizing the external hard drive, use Disk Utility to mount and repair the unrecognized external drive. Steps are as follows:
Go to Finder Applications Utilities . Double-click Disk Utility to launch it.
If Disk Utility lists the external hard drive in gray, then select your external hard drive from the sidebar.
From the top pane, click the Mount tab to mount your unmounted external hard drive.
If the drive is yet inaccessible, click the First Aid tab from the top pane, then click Run to initiate the external hard drive repair process.
Wait till Disk Utility repairs your external hard drive. If Disk Utility fails, it will show a message that the drive cant be repaired and you need to back up and replace the drive. 5. Repair external hard drive by using Terminal
When Disk Utility cant repair your external hard drive, use your Terminal application available in macOS to mount and repair the affected drive. Steps are as follows:
Go to Finder Applications Utilities . Double-click Terminal to launch it.
At the command line, type diskutil list, then hit Return . Note disk of the external hard drive.
Type diskutil mountDisk /dev/disk, then hit Return .
Type diskutil repairVolume /dev/disk. then hit Return .
When the repair process is completed, go to Terminal Quit Terminal . 6. Erase the external hard drive
In case the external drives data is not accessible due to file system corruption, you can still recover the data by using a data recovery software for Mac.
Watch the videoImplementing Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Mac to Recover Unmounted External Drive on Mac.
After recovering the inaccessible data, erase the drive by using Disk Utility to fix any logical issues. Finally, restore the recovered data to the external hard drive. 7. Replace the external hard drive
If your external hard drive is not visible in Disk Utility even if you have chosen the Show All Devices option in the View tab, then the drive may have undergone physical damage. You need to replace the inoperative drive with a new one.
Note : To recover data from a dead hard drive, get in touch with a data recovery service provider. Tips to Prevent Permanent Data Loss on External Hard Drive
Implement a 3-2-1 backup strategy (3 copies of data on 2 different storage media with 1 copy offsite) to safeguard against any data loss incident.
Do not erase the external hard drive straight away if it is not recognized by your Mac unless you recover that data by using a Mac data recovery software. Conclusion
The blog highlighted common reasons with troubleshooting strategies to resolve external hard drive not showing up on Mac issue. To perform any critical troubleshooting process, back up your drive. In case of data loss, do not lose hope. Recover your lost data by using a Stellar Data Recovery Professional for macOS Catalina or earlier. The Mac data recovery software supports a variety of storage devices including external hard drives formatted with APFS, HFS+, HFS, NTFS, FAT, and ex-FAT file systems. The software is available for a free trial.
Your Mac not recognizing an external hard drive can be cause for panic. But try to remain calm its unlikely that anything has happened to your files. All of your data will still be on the hard drive, it just that, for whatever reason, you cant access it. Macbook Not Recognizing Flash Drive
Just so that you worry not about losing data, get Disk Drill. Apple pages docx . Available via Setapp, the app is the best tool that will rescue your files. Download Disk Drill Free
Fortunately, there are ways and means of getting the hard drive back up and running. Lets get into some of them right now. Why a flash drive is not showing up on Mac?
If youve plugged in a flash drive or USB drive and its not showing up on your Mac at all, it could be down to a faulty cable or USB port.
Before you try any system troubleshooting tips, start with the basics.
Check that the drive is probably plugged in.
Check the USB connector does it look damaged or misshapen in any way?
Check the cable is it frayed or are there any wires exposed?
If the external hard drive is plugged into a wall outlet, try a different outlet.
Try a different USB cable even cables with no visible defects can fail.
Try connecting the hard drive to a different USB port it could be a hardware issue.
Try the drive in another Mac if it works there, the problem is with the USB ports on your Mac.
Test the hard drive on a PC it could be formatted for PCs and not readable on Macs.
Reboot your Mac a simple on and off is sometimes all it takes.
Reboot USB drives by shutting down your system and restarting it, holding Command+Option+P+R as you do. When you hear a sound and see the screen flash, release the keys and let your Mac boot up as usual.
If youve carried out visually inspections, tested your hard drive with different cables and power outlets, and tried different systems with no luck, its time to put your Mac to work. 1. Change the Finder settings
One of the most common reasons for Mac not recognizing external hard drives is due to the system not being set up to display hard drives on the desktop. Theres a simple fix for this:
Open a Finder window.
Go to Preferences General .
Check that the External disks option is enabled.
If your Mac is not recognizing a USB or external hard drive after this, youll have to try mounting it manually. 2. Mount an external hard drive on Mac
If Mac isnt automatically recognizing your external hard drive, its time to force it to. Connect your hard drive and follow these instructions:
Go to System Preferences Disk Utility .
Check that the external disk is listed in the left sidebar.
Highlight your hard drive and select Mount . It should now appear under devices in the Finder.
If the hard drive still isnt playing ball, the next step is First Aid. 3. Run First Aid on an external hard drive
Macs built-in First Aid tool is designed to verify and repair a range of issues related to corrupted files and apps, startup issues, and, crucially, external hard drive problems.
If your issue has to do with wanting to know how to open a flash drive on Mac thats displaying but not allowing you access to files, First Aid might be able to help.
Go to System Preferences Disk Utility .
Highlight your external hard drive and click on First Aid .
Select Run to start running diagnostics and prompt Mac to automatically fix any issues.
If First Aid is successful in repairing any faults, your hard drive should be available to mount. If not, youll need to try the next option. 4. Delete potentially conflicting apps
How recent is the problem? If a flash drive not showing up on Mac was completely fine a few days earlier there could be an app causing conflict. If youve downloaded any new apps recently, uninstall them one at a time, connecting your hard drive after each uninstallation to see if the issue is resolved.
You can delete apps using the Launchpad or by dragging them to the Trash, but neither method is recommended in this situation. You see, while an app might appear to be deleted, associated files will be left on your system files that could be preventing access to your external hard drive.
Instead, let CleanMyMac X take care of it. CleanMyMac X has an Uninstaller tool that can define your installed applications and associated files and remove every trace of an unwanted app. External Hard Drive Macbook
And it couldnt be easier to use.
Download CleanMyMac X (for free).
Launch the app and select Uninstaller .
Click on View All Applications and select a recently installed app.
Click Uninstall .
If youve worked through all recently installed apps and are still no further forward, your hard drive may have crashed or, worse, be completely broken. In this case, youll need a heavy duty tool like Disk Drill to rescue files. Internal Hard Drive For Macbook 5. Repair disk permissions
Disk permissions keeps your files secure. Every file and folder has an associated set of permissions. Unfortunately, these can get messed up without you realising it, which can cause serious problems. You can fix these two ways. Either manually, as we mention in this article, or using CleanMyMac X, which is far easier.
All you need to do is:
Click on Maintenance from the left sidebar menu.
Check the box next to Repair Disk Permissions.
Click Run.
The program will scan and fix any it finds that are broken or faulty. Your Mac should be running as good as new.
To prevent an external hard drive not showing up on Mac turning into an all-out disaster, always backup files on your system hard drive and in the cloud. Anytime you use an external drive, unmount the disk properly and store it safely. And finally, use CleanMyMac to uninstall apps and run regular Maintenance on your system to prevent applications conflicting with hard drive performance. External Disk Not Recognized On My Mac These might also interest you:
