External Hard Drive Is Not Showing Up in Finder: 5 Ways to Fix

An external hard drive not appearing in Finder can be a frustrating experience, especially when you need urgent access to your files. Whether it's a Western Digital (WD), Seagate, or another brand, the issue often stems from connection problems, software glitches, or formatting errors.

If your external hard drive is not showing up in Finder after connecting it to your Mac, do not worry! In this post, we'll guide you through fixing the 'external hard drive not showing up error.

• Fix 1. Check the Physical Connections
• Fix 2. Show External Hard Drive in Disk Utility
• Fix 3. Fix the Unrecognized Hard Drive by Reformatting
• Fix 4. Recover Data on the External Hard Drive on Mac
• Fix 5. Check for Driver Updates on External Hard Drive

Fix 1. Check the Physical Connections

Before diving into software fixes, start with basic hardware troubleshooting. A faulty cable, port, or power supply is often the culprit.

Here's what you should check:

• 🔌 Cable Connection: Ensure the USB, Thunderbolt, or other connection cable is securely plugged in. Try using another cable if possible, as wires can wear out or become faulty over time.
• 📱Port Issues: Test another USB port on your Mac. Ports can sometimes malfunction, especially on older devices.
• 🔋Power Supply: Some external hard drives require an external power source. Ensure the drive's power adapter is plugged in and functioning correctly.
• 💻Test on Another Computer: Connect the external drive to another Mac or even a Windows PC to see if the issue persists. If it doesn't show up on another device, the problem likely lies with the drive itself.

Fix 2. Show External Hard Drive in Disk Utility

If your external hard drive is not visible in Finder, it might still be recognized by macOS at a system level. Disk Utility is macOS's built-in tool for managing drives. To mount the external hard disk, enable "Show All Devices" in Disk Utility. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1. Launch "Disk Utility".

Step 2. Click the "View" symbol in the action pane's top left corner and select "Show All Devices".

Then you can Hit "Finder > Settings" on the Apple menu bar. In the "General" tab, select "External disks". Please ensure that the "External disks" is chosen in the "Sidebar" tab beneath "Locations".

Fix 3. Fix the Unrecognized Hard Drive by Reformatting

If the drive is detected in Disk Utility but not in Finder, it may have an incompatible or corrupted file system. Reformatting erases all data, so proceed only after recovering files.

Before that, use data recovery software if the drive isn't entirely dead. we will tell the details in Fix 4.

Step 1. Choose the Correct Format:

• APFS: Best for macOS-only use (SSDs only).
• Mac OS Extended (Journaled): For HDDs or macOS systems older than 10.13.
• exFAT: For cross-platform compatibility (Windows and Mac).

Step 2. Reformat in Disk Utility:

• Select the drive in Disk Utility and click Erase.
• Name the drive, choose a format, and click Erase.

Step 3. Reconnect the Drive:

After reformatting, the drive should appear in Finder.

If you find this information helpful, please share it with others on social media to assist them in overcoming this common challenge.

Fix 4. Recover Data on the External Hard Drive on Mac

Are you concerned that your data stored on an external hard drive may not appear on your Mac? In that scenario, you must use professional Mac data retrieval software to recover the saved data from the external hard disk. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is a professional software that can restore lost data from accidental deletion, emptied trash bins, or other data loss events.

This Mac data recovery software helps solve the external hard drive not showing up on Mac issue and restores files on it even without a Time Machine backup.

Check out the following steps:

Step 1. Search for lost files

Correctly connect your external hard drive to your Mac. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, and select the external hard drive. Then, click "Search for lost files" to find lost/deleted files on your external devices.

Step 2. Filter and find lost files

After the scan, all file types will be presented in the left panel. Select the file type to find wanted files on your external devices.

Step 3. Preview and recover

Click the file and preview it. Then, select the files you want to recover and click the "Recover" button. You can save your data to local and cloud drives.

After you've saved your lost files to a safe location, we'll look at the most likely solutions for addressing the issue of the external hard drive not showing up in Disk Utility.

Fix 5. Check for Driver Updates on External Hard Drive

While macOS normally manages external drives without the need for additional drivers, some drives, particularly those from WD, Seagate, or LaCie, may require updated drivers or firmware to function properly.

• Visit the manufacturer's official website (e.g., WD, Seagate, Toshiba).
• Look for your drive model.
• Download and install any available firmware or driver updates.

Also, make sure that your macOS is up to date.

• Go to "System Settings" > "General" > "Software Updates".
• Install any available updates.

Compatibility difficulties between macOS upgrades and external hard drives can occasionally cause identification problems, which can be resolved with new drivers or patches.

Don't know which format is better on macOS? Read this article to solve this problem.

Why External Hard Drive Not Showing Up in Disk Utility

Western Digital hard drives are Mac's most visually appealing external HDDs, with numerous advanced settings and functions to enhance your experience. External drives, like conventional hard disk drives (HDDs), may lag due to contamination or poor connections. Furthermore, certain variables may cause the external HDD to go unnoticed on your Mac.

Here are the primary reasons why an external hard disk does not appear in the Disk Utility on your Mac.

• The USB adaptor isn't properly functioning.
• An incorrect format has been applied to the external hard drive.
• Software and hardware, such as the driver for the external device, require updates.
• The external HDD's file system has been damaged.

As a consequence of the above reasons, you might plug the external HDD into your Mac, but nothing happens. It indicates that your Mac is unable to read the external HDD.

Conclusion

An external hard drive not appearing in Finder is rarely a lost cause. Start with physical checks, then use Disk Utility for repairs or reformatting. Always recover data before reformatting, and ensure your macOS and drivers are up to date. If all else fails, professional recovery services can salvage data from physically damaged drives. By following these steps, you’ll likely resolve the issue and safeguard your data for the future.

External Hard Drive Not Showing Up in Finder FAQs

These are the leading FAQs to understand the topic better:

1. Why does my drive show up in Disk Utility but not Finder?

The drive may be formatted with an unsupported file system (e.g., NTFS) or not mounted. Reformat it to APFS/exFAT or click Mount in Disk Utility.

2.  Can I recover data after reformatting?

Yes, tools like Disk Drill can often recover files after formatting, but success depends on the overwritten data. Safely eject drives, avoid unplugging during transfers, and use macOS-native formats like APFS.

Step 1. Launch "Disk Utility".

Step 2. Select your external HDD from the list of options displayed.

Step 3. Navigate to "First Aid" and hit "Run" to kick-start the diagnostics.