Fix External Hard Drive Not Compatible With Mac

Quick Navigation:

• Why Is External Hard Drive Not Compatible with your Mac?
• How to Fix External Hard Drive Not Compatible With Mac?
• How to Avoid External Hard Drive Not Compatible with Mac Problem?
• Conclusion
• FAQs About Fixing Unsupported External Hard Drive on Mac

External hard drives are a must-have for Mac users because they provide extra storage space and a way to back up data. But it isn't very pleasant when you plug in your external drive and then find that it doesn't work with your Mac.

This problem occurs frequently and can be caused by many things, like file system conflicts, USB connectivity issues, or problems with the power source. Don't let these problems stop you from getting things done or accessing important files. This detailed guide will examine the reasons behind these connectivity problems and show you how to fix them step by step.

We can help you whether you have a new drive that won't work or an old one that's acting up suddenly. This guide explains how to connect your portable hard drive to your Mac so that you can access your files whenever you need to.

Why Is External Hard Drive Not Compatible with your Mac?

Compatibility issues can arise, including file system conflicts, USB connectivity problems, and inadequate power supply to the drive.

File System Incompatibility

The file system type is one of the main reasons an external hard drive might not work with a Mac. File systems are different for each operating system, so a drive that was formatted for Windows might not be able to be read on a Mac without extra steps.

• NTFS vs. HFS+ vs. APFS: Windows uses NTFS, while Macs use HFS+ or the latest APFS. Without extra software, Macs can only read from NTFS files and not write to them.
• FAT32 and exFAT: These file systems work with more devices. FAT32 can be used on both Macs and Windows, but it has some restrictions, like files that are no bigger than 4GB. exFAT, on the other hand, is made to work with more file types across platforms, which makes it a good choice for use across all of them.

USB Connectivity Issues

Another usual problem is the physical link between the external hard drive and the Mac. Problems can come from many places, such as cords, ports, or even power problems.

• Cable and Port Problems: If you use a broken or incompatible USB cord, your Mac might not be able to see the external hard drive. In the same way, a broken or dirty USB port can make it hard to link.
• Power Requirements: Some external hard drives, especially older types or drives with more storage space, need more power than a Mac's USB port can provide.

How to Fix External Hard Drive Not Compatible With Mac?

You can fix the issue by either formatting the drive for Mac compatibility or using third-party software like DoYourData NTFS for Mac.

Solution 1: Reformat the External Hard Drive

Setting up the external hard drive with a file system that works with Macs is one of the easiest ways to fix problems with it not working with your computer. This method works especially well if the drive is formatted with NTFS for a Windows machine, which a Mac can read but not write to. Make changes to your drive like this:

Step 1. Backup Important Data: Make sure you have copies of all the important data on the external hard drive before you format it, as formatting will delete everything on the drive.

Step 2. Open Disk Utility: On your Mac, go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.

Step 3. Select the Drive: Choose your external hard drive from the list of drives on the left side of Disk Utility.

Step 4. Erase the Drive: At the top of the box, click the "Erase" button. A new dialog box will appear, asking you to choose a new format for the drive.

• Choose a Format (File System): For a drive that will only be used with Macs, pick "APFS" (Apple File System) or "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)." Choose "ExFAT" for a drive that will work on both Macs and Windows because it is compatible with both.
• Name the Drive: You can give the drive a new name. Then, click "Erase" to start the cleaning process.

Once the process gets finished, click on Done button. Then test if your external hard drive can work on your Mac.

Third-party Mac disk formatting tools also can help you format external hard drive, here are some easy-to-use and powerful Mac disk formatting tools:

• Do Your Data Recovery for Mac
• DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac
• DoYourData Start Menu for Mac
• MacClean360 for Mac
• DoYourData NTFS for Mac

If you lose data due to erasing your external hard drive on Mac, you can use Mac data recovery software to get the lost data back.

Solution 2: Using Third-Party Software

Using third-party software like DoYourData NTFS for Mac is a great way to keep your external hard drive's NTFS format so that it works with Windows computers while still letting you read and write to it on your Mac. To use DoYourData NTFS for Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1. Go to the DoYourData Software website, download the NTFS for Mac software, and follow the on-screen directions to set it up. The process usually only takes 1-2 minutes and is very easy to understand.

Step 2. Connect the external hard drive to your Mac, then open DoYourData NTFS for Mac, select the NTFS external hard drive. If it is unmounted, click on Mount button.

Step 3. To read-write NTFS drive on Mac, click on Enable Writable button. Then you can read-write the external hard drive on your Mac without any limitation.

With DoYourData NTFS for Mac, managing your external hard drives is easy. It makes sure that they are compatible and protects your data without the need to reset the drive.

How to Avoid External Hard Drive Not Compatible with Mac Problem?

Keeping your Mac from having problems with portable hard drives can save you time and stress. Here are some tips:

• If you want to use your external hard drive with both Mac and Windows, format it to ExFAT. If you only want to use it with Mac, format it to APFS.
• If you want to escape connection issues, always use certified, high-quality USB cables.
• It's better to connect your external hard drive straight to your Mac than to use a USB hub, which can cause problems with power and recognition.
• Make sure that your Mac OS and any other software you use are always up to date so that they work with new file systems and devices.
• Make sure your external hard drive has enough power, especially older types or ones with more storage space. You could use a powered USB hub to do this.

Conclusion:

It can be annoying to deal with an external hard drive that doesn't work with your Mac, but problems can be fixed by formatting the drive or using third-party software like DoYourData NTFS for Mac. Formatting makes sure that everything works together, but it deletes any current data.

DoYourData NTFS for Mac, on the other hand, lets you read and write without having to reformat, so your data is safe, and you can use it on multiple platforms. If you follow the steps in this guide, you should be able to get your external hard drive to work perfectly with your Mac. It will let you get to your important files whenever you need them.

FAQs About Fixing Unsupported External Hard Drive on Mac

1. Why is my external hard drive not compatible with my Mac?

If the external hard drive has been formatted to NTFS file system, it won't be compatible with your Mac. macOS can read NTFS drives, but can't write data to it or modify data stored on it. Because that Windows PCs greatly out number Macs, most of external hard drives are pre-formatted to NTFS file system.

2. How to fix unsupported external hard drive on Mac without formatting?

NTFS for Mac tool can add full NTFS support on Mac. Just download and install NTFS tool - such as DoYourData NTFS for Mac, then run it to enable writable for NTFS drives.

• Download and install DoYourData NTFS for Mac.
• Open DoYourData NTFS for Mac, select the NTFS drive.
• Click on Enable Writable button.

3. How to format an unsupported external hard drive for Mac?

• Connect the external hard drive to your Mac.
• Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility, open Disk Utility.
• Select the external hard drive, click Erase.
• Select APFS, ExFAT or Mac OS Extended as the file system.
• Click Erase again.
• When it gets finished, click Done.

4. How to recover lost data from erased external hard drive?

Data recovery software can help you unformat external hard drive on Mac and get all lost data back:

• Download and install Do Your Data Recovery for Mac.
• Open Do Your Data Recovery for Mac, select the formatted external hard drive.
• Click on Scan button to deeply scan the external hard drive.
• Preview and recover lost files after scanning.

5. What is the best NTFS driver for Mac?

DoYourData NTFS for Mac is one of the best NTFS drives, it can quickly mount NTFS drive on Mac, allow your Mac to read-write any NTFS drive without any limitation.

Other NTFS drives for Mac:

• Paragon NTFS for Mac
• Donemax NTFS for Mac
• NTFS-3G
• iBoysoft NTFS for Mac

6. How to fix external hard drive not showing up on Mac?

If everything is OK, but you still can't find the external hard drive in Finder or on desktop, just check Finder Settings.

• Open a Finder on Mac.
• Click Finder on Apple menu.
• Choose Settings.
• Make sure External disks is selected under General and Sidebar.