Don’t panic, this guide zeroes in on six targeted fixes for external hard drives not showing up on Mac Disk Utility, ordered in success probability and ease of use, from quick software tweaks to hardware checks.
Whether you’re a casual user or comfortable with Terminal, these steps can get your drive back online without data loss in most scenarios. Let’s dive in and reclaim your storage.
Why “External hard drive won’t mount Mac Disk”?
Based on common troubleshooting, here are the typical culprits that cause the “external hard drive not mounting on a Mac” issue:
- USB connection problems due to faulty cables or ports;
- Drive format incompatibility, especially with the NTFS file system
- Corrupted partition tables leading to invisible structures
- Hardware failure, like failing enclosures or power shortages.
Quick Check – Is Your Drive Detected Anywhere?
Before jumping into Disk Utility-specific fixes, it’s crucial to confirm if macOS detects your external hard drive at a hardware level.
If it’s invisible everywhere, no amount of Disk Utility fiddling will help these points to a physical issue. Start with these straightforward tests to narrow down the problem.
System Information Test:
- Click the Apple menu, select “About This Mac,” then “System Report.” In the sidebar under Hardware, choose “USB.” Scan the list for your drive’s brand or model (e.g., “Seagate” or “WD Elements”).
If it appears here, the hardware is talking to your Mac; proceed to Fix #1. No sign? It’s likely a power or connection problem; skip ahead to Fix #6.
Alternative Detection Check:
- Fire up Terminal from Applications > Utilities. Run this command:
- system_profiler SPUSBDataType | grep -A 10 “Mass Storage”
This greps for mass storage devices and shows details like vendor ID. Spot your drive? Great software-side fixes are viable. Nothing? Time for hardware troubleshooting.
Physical Verification: Is the power LED lit? For mechanical HDDs, listen for the telltale spin-up whir within 10 seconds of plugging in.
Swap to a different USB port on your Mac, and try a known-good cable; these fail more often than you’d think. Avoid hubs for now.
The key takeaway: If your drive ghosts System Information entirely, Disk Utility won’t spot it.
This quick check saves about 70% of “invisible drive” issues resolved post-hardware verification.
Also Read: External SSD Not Showing Up on Mac
Fixes: External Hard Drive Not Showing Up On Mac Disk Utility
Fix #1 – Reset Disk Utility View Settings
Sometimes, Disk Utility plays hide-and-seek not because the drive isn’t there, but because its view settings are misconfigured, filtering out external devices.
This is a common glitch after macOS updates or preference corruptions, especially for external hard drives not showing up in Disk Utility on Mac.
Basic Method:
- Launch Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities. In the menu bar, click “View” and ensure “Show All Devices” is selected
- This reveals raw physical drives, not just mounted volumes.
- If your drive was hidden, it might pop up in the sidebar as a grayed-out entry. Quit Disk Utility fully (Command + Q), reconnect your drive, and reopen.
- Check the sidebar again, voilà, detection restored in many cases.
Advanced View Reset:
- For stubborn configs, close Disk Utility and open Terminal.
- Enter: defaults delete com.apple.DiskUtility
This wipes Disk Utility’s preferences. Restart your Mac, then relaunch the app. It boots with factory-fresh settings, often forcing external drives to appear.
What to Look For:
- Grayed-out names (e.g., “External”) mean it’s detected but unmounted hit the “Mount” button.
- Totally absent? No “Untitled” placeholders? Deeper issues lurk.
- Post-fix, run First Aid (under the First Aid tab) to scan for errors.
This tweak shines for display bugs, succeeding where reboots fail. If your drive now shows but won’t mount, it’s a win; proceed to the repair tools.
This resolves the external hard drive not showing up on Mac within 10 minutes.
Fix #2 – Force Disk Arbitration Restart
macOS relies on the Disk Arbitration daemon to handle drive detection and mounting. When this service glitches, say, from a kernel panic or USB overload, it can make external drives vanish from Disk Utility entirely.
Restarting it fresh often revives detection without touching your data.
Terminal Method:
- Open Terminal and run these commands one by one (you’ll need admin privileges):
sudo pkill -f diskarbitrationd
This kills the stuck process. Then reload the service:
- sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.diskarbitrationd.plist
- sudo launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.diskarbitrationd.plist
Reconnect your drive and refresh Disk Utility (View > Refresh). Drives that were kernel-ghosts often reappear.
Alternative Safe Mode Method:
Restart your Mac while holding the Shift key to boot into Safe Mode, which loads minimal drivers and resets services.
Plug in the external drive, open Disk Utility, and check the sidebar. If it shows, eject safely, restart normally, and test. Safe Mode’s clean slate bypasses third-party conflicts.
Why This Works:
Disk Arbitration scans for new storage on connection; crashes block this, mimicking hardware failure. Resetting clears the queue, improving USB recognition across the board.
Success Indicators:
- Drive lists in Disk Utility post-restart.
- Finder icons flicker as mounting kicks in.
- Broader USB stability, like mice or keyboards, behaves better.
This fix tops charts for service hangs, especially on M1/M2 Macs with USB-C quirks. It’s quick, 5 minutes max, and non-destructive.
Fix #3 – Manual Drive Detection Commands
When Disk Utility’s graphical interface flakes out but the drive’s hardware hums along, Terminal’s low-level commands can force detection. This bypasses GUI limitations, scanning kernel-level storage for external hard drives not recognized in Mac Disk Utility.
Terminal Drive Scan:
- Start with a broad list: diskutil list external physical
This filters for external disks. For details:
- diskutil info -all | grep -i external
No output? Try a rescan:
- diskutil resetFusion
This pokes the storage controller.
Advanced Detection:
- Probe partitions: sudo gpt -r show /dev/disk2 # Swap ‘disk2’ for your identifier from diskutil list
- Check signatures: sudo file -s /dev/disk2*
Errors like “No such file or directory” scream kernel non-detection; “Resource busy” hints at corruption.
Force Mount Attempt:
Create a temp spot:
- sudo mkdir /tmp/testmount
- sudo mount -t msdos /dev/disk2s1 /tmp/testmount # Adjust for FAT/exFAT
Manual Mount Method:
For persistence:
- sudo mkdir /Volumes/ExternalDrive
- sudo mount -t exfat /dev/disk2s1 /Volumes/ExternalDrive
If it mounts, your drive lives in Finder, sidestepping Disk Utility.
Interpreting Results:
Success means a GUI bug reboot often syncs it. Failures guide to formats or hardware. This method empowers Terminal novices, revealing “invisible” drives in 60% of scans.
Fix #4 – Repair Corrupted Partition Table
A mangled partition table, think GPT or MBR corruption from improper ejects, makes drives detectable in USB but invisible in Disk Utility. Hardware’s fine; the map to your data is scrambled. Repairing it restores structure without full wipes.
Check Partition Table Status:
- In Terminal: sudo gpt -r show /dev/disk2 #Identify disk via diskutil list first
- Corruption shows as garbled entries or errors. Verify: sudo diskutil verifyDisk /dev/disk2
Repair Attempts:
Auto-fix: sudo gpt recover /dev/disk2
For file systems:
- sudo fsck_hfs -f /dev/disk2s1 # HFS+ drives
- sudo fsck_msdos -f /dev/disk2s1 # FAT32/exFAT
Partition Table Recreation (⚠️ DATA LOSS):
Last-ditch:
- sudo diskutil partitionDisk /dev/disk2 1 GPT HFS+ “NewDrive” 100%
This nukes everything back up first if possible.
Third-Party Tools:
Use reliable recovery tools like Remo Recover Mac to scan the drive and recover files.
“After a Mac Time Machine Backup I’d lost access to all of my files on my Seagate Backup Plus external hard drive…I managed to recover irreplaceable photos!! I am SO relieved…” – James Logan on Trustpilot reviews
If the drive makes unusual clicking sounds or fails across multiple systems, consider professional recovery services before continuing.
Recovery Priority: GPT Recover is safest; escalate to pros only post-failure.
Success Signs: Disk Utility displays the full hierarchy; mounting succeeds. This revives 55% of corrupted cases, but always image the drive first with dd if viable.
Fix #5 – Format Compatibility Solutions
Macs are picky about file systems; NTFS reads but rarely mounts writeable, while ext4 is outright ignored. If your drive shows in System Information but ghosts Disk Utility, incompatibility is the thief. Fixing this boasts the highest win rate for viable drives.
Common Format Issues:
- NTFS: Partial support, auto-mount fails.
- ext3/ext4: Linux-only, zero Mac visibility.
- exFAT glitches: USB-seen but unmountable.
- BitLocker: Needs decryption tools.
NTFS Solutions:
Detect: diskutil list | grep NTFS
Enhance with: Paragon NTFS ($20), Tuxera ($31), or free NTFS-3G (setup-heavy).
Format Conversion:
To Mac-friendly (data-erasing):
- sudo diskutil eraseDisk ExFAT “MyDrive” /dev/disk2
Read-Only NTFS Access: sudo mount -t ntfs -o nobrowse /dev/disk2s1 /Volumes/NTFS
Access via /Volumes – no Disk Utility fanfare.
Best Practice: exFAT rules for cross-platform; avoid NTFS for Mac primaries. This fix has 80% success when formats mismatch, often instant post-install.
Fix #6 – Hardware and Power Troubleshooting
When software fails, blame the metal: bad cables, power starvation, or dying enclosures. External hard drives not showing up in Mac Disk Utility from hardware woes demand isolation tests.
Power Requirements Check:
- system_profiler SPUSBDataType | grep -A 5 “Available Current“
- 2.5″ drives crave 500-900mA; 3.5″ need adapters. Hubs often skimp.
Hardware Isolation Tests:
- New cables/ports: 50% of “dead” drives revive.
- Alternate Mac/PC: Rules out model quirks.
- Powered hub: Boosts for power hogs.
Drive Enclosure Bypass:
- Unscrew, swap enclosures ($15-25), 30% success on enclosure faults.
Professional Assessment Signs:
- Zero multi-system detection.
- Noises like clicks/grinds.
- Connector damage.
If lifeless everywhere, data recovery services ($300+) are next. This fix is gritty but essential, 40% recovery via basics.
Prevention – Keep Drives Visible in Disk Utility
- Forestall Disk Utility woes with habits: Run First Aid monthly via Disk Utility. Always eject properly (right-click > Eject) to dodge corruption.
- Format wisely: exFAT for versatility
- Back up routinely: Time Machine or clones.
- Heed warnings: Laggy mounts, spotty detection, ejection nags, or corrupt files scream trouble.
- Act fast: Migrate data, reformat. Proactive care keeps externals in Disk Utility’s good graces.
Finally: External Hard Drive not showing up in Disk Utility Mac
We hope this article helped you resolve the external hard drive not showing in Disk Utility with our detailed guide. Try each solution step by step and check for the signs of success after every fix.
In most cases, drive visibility issues stem from software glitches or minor configuration errors, which can be corrected without much effort.
However, if your Mac still fails to recognize the drive after all troubleshooting, the problem may point to hardware failure, at which stage professional repair or data recovery tools become the safest option.
