Mac External Hard Drive Not Showing Up in Disk Utility

If your external hard drive is not showing up in Disk Utility, it could be due to several reasons. One common issue is that the drive may be formatted with a file system that is not compatible with Macs by default. In this case, you need to format the drive for use with a Mac.

By default, most external hard drives come formatted with the Windows NT File System (NTFS). While this makes them accessible on Windows PCs, they are not directly compatible with Macs without additional software or formatting. To make your external hard drive usable on a Mac, you need to format it using a file system that is compatible with macOS.

To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Disk Utility

You can find Disk Utility in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder or use Spotlight search to quickly locate it.

Step 2: Highlight your external drive and click 'Erase'

In the Disk Utility window, you will see a list of available disks on the left. Highlight your external hard drive and click the 'Erase' button.

Step 3: Select 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled)' in Format

A new window will pop up asking which file system you'd like to format the external drive to. Click on this icon on the top left corner and select 'Show All Devices'. Then, select 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled)' from the list of available formats.

Once you've formatted your external hard drive, it should show up on the left panel under 'External' in Disk Utility. Your Mac should now be able to read and write files to the drive without any issues.

In conclusion, formatting your external hard drive for use with a Mac is a simple process that can be completed using Disk Utility. By following these steps, you'll be able to access and use your external hard drive on your Mac without any compatibility issues.

Mac external hard drive not showing up in disk utility