Wondering why your external hard drive won't mount after upgrading to macOS Ventura?
Apple's community page isFlood of user complaintsQuestion about not mounting your external hard drive after upgrading macOS Ventura.
Some of these reported errors include access denied, drive not showing, etc.
If you're one of the affected users, we've got you covered.
In this guide, we will show you some ways to fix this problem in macOS Ventura.
let's start!
1. Restart your Mac.
Start with the most basic troubleshooting, restart your Mac if something goes wrong.
Restarting your computer will allow you to delete corrupted data from memory. This should resolve a temporary error preventing your external drive from being detected.
Here's how to restart your Mac:
- clickapple iconin the upper left corner of the screen.
- choose nowrecoveroptions in the drop-down menu.
- Wait for the confirmation message and then clickrecover.
Once done, try to access your external hard drive to check if the problem is resolved.
2. Clean the USB ports and connectors.
Keeping your computer's ports and ports free of dust can help prevent connection problems.
If your external drive is not installed, clean the slot and USB port.
To clean USB ports and connectors, you can use a hair dryer or hair dryer to remove dust and debris 4-5 inches from the port.
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- Be careful not to use a hair dryer too close to the device, otherwise you may damage the internal components.
- Avoid using cotton swabs to clean your Mac's sensitive ports, as they can cause damage.
If you are not comfortable cleaning the USB port yourself, we recommend that you have an authorized technician do it for you.
related: How to fix a MacBook that won't charge after an update
3. Check your browser options.
In the Finder there is an option to hide external drives. If this option is enabled, it may be the reason why you cannot see your external hard drive.
Your external hard drive may actually be mounted, but the Finder just won't show it.
You can confirm this by:
- OpenHe discoveredon your Mac.
- then clickHe discoveredIn the upper left corner.
- choosepreferencefrom the drop-down menu.
- lowGeneral, I am looking"Show these items on the desktop"part.
- make sureexternal driveThis option is selected.
- Restart your Mac.
You should now see your external hard drive in the upper right corner of your desktop.
4. Format your external drive.
If you just bought an external hard drive, you might be using a format that macOS doesn't support.
Follow the steps below to format the external drive to a supported format:
- accordingfield+spaceopen on your keyboardstand out.
- Watch nowdisk utilityand turn it on.
- In the top menu, clickvision.
- chooseshow all devicesfrom the drop-down menu.
- Select your external drive in the side menu.
- clickdeleteoptions in the upper right cornerdisk utility.
- In the pop-up menu, clickFormtab selectionexFAT.
- clickdeleteStart the process.
After doing this, your Mac should detect your external hard drive.
5. Repair your external drive.
First Aid is a tool in macOS that automatically scans your drive for errors and repairs it. If your drive does not mount after the update, some resources may be corrupted.
Follow the steps below to repair your external hard drive:
- On the keyboard, press the keyfield+space barOpenstand out.
- I am lookingdisk utilityand turn it on.
- underExternalIn the tabs on the side menu, select your external hard drive.
- click nowfirst aidIn the upper right corner.
- clickrunin the confirmation box.
- Wait for the process to complete and clickproduction.
Try accessing your external drive with Finder to check if the problem is resolved.
6. Use of Third Party Software.
NTFS is a file system widely used by Windows operating systems. However, if you're using an NTFS-formatted external hard drive with your Mac, you may run into problems.
Unfortunately,macOS is not compatible with NTFSFile system
Although you can access files on NTFS drives, you won't be able to save changes to them. It is also not possible to create new files on NTFS drives on macOS.
You can bypass this limitation with third-party software such asParagon NTFS for Mac.
With this software, you can easily manage NTFS hard drives without formatting them for macOS.
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- If you install third-party NTFS software, you now rely on that vendor to keep your software up-to-date for new versions of macOS.
- You may not be able to access NTFS drives with newer versions of macOS until that provider updates their software.
7. Update your Mac.
The installed version of macOS may have problems managing external storage.
If this is the case, Apple may release another update to fix the problem.
See the steps below to update your Mac:
- clickapple iconin the upper left corner of the screen.
- then clickSystem Options.
- OpenSoftware updateeyelash.
- clickupdate nowTheupdate nowIf an update is available.
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- If you use a MacBook, make sure you haveBattery has at least 50% charge.You can plug it in during the update.
- they areYour Mac may restart multiple timesWhen installing updates.
- The update progress bar may also get stuck. When this happens, do nothing. The software update may take several minutes to complete.
Reconnect your external hard drive afterwards to check if it is mounted.
related: How to fix MacBook that won't boot after update
8. Reset the system management controller.
The System Management Controller (SMC) is a chip in your Mac that handles power management, battery charging, and other hardware functions.
If your external drive won't mount after a MacOS Ventura upgrade, your Mac's SMC may be at fault.
Resetting the SMC can help resolve external storage mounting issues on a Mac.
If you're using a Mac with the M1 chip, do the following:
- Make sure your Mac is connected to a power source.
- click nowapple iconin the upper left corner of the screen.
- chooseclosureand follow the instructions.
- After a few minutes, press the buttonon - off buttonto turn on your Mac.
For Macs with a T2 chip, follow these steps to reset the SMC:
- Make sure your Mac is turned off.
- On the built-in keyboard, press the keycontrol(left) +choices(left) +Change(OKAY)keyseven seconds.
- keep the key nowon - off buttonHold down the other keys at the same time.
- Press and hold all four keys for another seven seconds, then release them.
- After a few seconds, tapon - off buttonto turn on your Mac.
Then try to access your external drive to check if the problem is resolved.
That's all you need to know about how to fix an external hard drive that won't mount after upgrading macOS Ventura.
If you have any other questions, express them in the comment section and we will do our best to answer.
John Sistous
John is a staff writer for Saint from the SAP ABAP development environment. He holds a degree in Computer Science and has been writing since 2018 with over 500 published articles. He enjoys building computers and has a keen curiosity to understand how different components and configurations work. John spends hundreds of hours at a time researching and testing software and applications before writing about them.LinkedInblood clot
(Video) Hard Drive Wont Mount? | How to Fix a Corrupted Drive on Mac!
FAQs
Fix: Unable to mount external hard drive after macOS Ventura upgrade? ›
Change USB Ports
One of the main reasons why your external hard drive is not showing up on your Mac is a problem with your USB port. If your Mac has another port, try connecting your drive to that port. If you are using a USB port through a USB hub, make sure your hub is properly connected and try another USB port.
Change USB Ports
One of the main reasons why your external hard drive is not showing up on your Mac is a problem with your USB port. If your Mac has another port, try connecting your drive to that port. If you are using a USB port through a USB hub, make sure your hub is properly connected and try another USB port.
Ensure proper connectivity of your external hard drive to your Mac. Reconnect the USB connector or adapter to fit the hard drive snugly. Connect the hard drive to a different USB port or a different Mac. Replace the USB cable or adapter in case you suspect it to be damaged.
How do I force an external hard drive to mount on a Mac? ›- Go to Finder > select Applications folder > find and open Utilities > click Disk Utility.
- Choose the external volume from sidebar > select “Mount” tab at the top center. After the mounting process finishes, your drive will show up on desktop or Finder.
Reasons Why External Hard Drives Aren't Showing Up on Mac
The most common issues involve cord health and system settings. You could have a permissions issue interfering with your external hard drive. This problem sometimes develops right after you've installed a new app or upgraded to the latest macOS version.
- Link the external hard drive to your Mac.
- Click the "Command + Space" keys to find "Disk Utility" and open it.
- Choose the drive and click "Erase" to format it.
- Name the drive and select "ExFAT" as the format.
Click General, then select the items you want to see on the desktop. For example, if you select “Hard disks,” icons for your hard disks appear on your desktop.
How do I recover my external hard drive that won't mount? ›Step 1: Connect the external hard drive to PC > right-click on "This PC" > "Manage" > "Disk Management". Step 2: Find and right-click on the external hard drive > select "Format". Step 3: Reset the external hard drive letter and system file (NTFS) and save all changes.
Why is my Seagate unable to mount on Mac? ›If the drive isn't properly plugged in, it will fail to mount as it received not enough or even no power. Try using a different USB cable to see if that fixes the problem. Plug the Seagate Backup Plus into another USB port if you have another one. Otherwise, insert another external storage device into this USB port.
Why is my exFAT drive not mounting Macos? ›Manually mount exFAT drive in Disk Utility
If your exFAT drive is not mounted on Mac, try manually mounting it in Disk Utility. Select your exFAT drive, then click the Mount button in the toolbar. If it mounts your drive correctly, congratulations.
How do I manually mount a hard drive on a Mac? ›
Through Disk Utility, you can manually force mount an external hard drive on your Mac. Launch Disk Utility (Finder > Applications > Utilities), select your drive or drive volume, and click “Mount.”
Why is external hard drive not showing up? ›Try Another Cable, Port, or PC
If the drive still isn't working, unplug it and try a different USB port. It could just be finicky with your specific drive. If it's plugged into a USB 3.0 port, try a USB 2.0 port. If it's plugged into a USB hub, try plugging it directly into the PC instead.
Enable External Hard Drive Visibility Option
Go to the option Finder and go to the Preferences and access option General. Under the option, Show these items on the desktop, you have to check the checkboxes named Hard Disks and External disks.
Enable visibility of external hard drive not showing up on Mac. In macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, or Catalina, you need to enable the visibility of external disks. For setting your preferences, do the following: Go to Finder > Preferences > General.
Where is Disk Utility in macOS Ventura? ›(Disk Utility is located in the /Applications/Utilities folder.)
Is ExFAT better than Mac OS Extended? ›Simply speaking, these two formats are both compatible with macOS. When you need to format a USB drive or an SD card, the ExFAT is a better choice. If you want to format a hard drive, it's better to choose Mac OS Extended. Or, in macOS High Sierra and newer OS, you can choose to format your drive to APFS.
Should I format my external hard drive to NTFS or ExFAT? ›Answer: NTFS (New Technology for File System) is the recommended format if you intend to use a drive on Windows operating system. However, if you want to use a storage device on both Windows and macOS, the best format is exFAT.
How do I make my hard drive viewable? ›- Go to Disk Management.
- Cause.
- Initialize drive.
- Allocate drive.
- Format drive.
- Assign drive letter.
- Conclusion.
First, make sure that your external or internal hard drive is correctly connected to your Mac computer. Next, reboot the Mac computer and open Disk Utility > locate and select the unmounted drive > Select Mount at the top menu. Last, reboot Mac computer again to keep all the changes.
How do I recover an undetected external hard drive? ›- Method 1: Recover Data With Data Recovery Software.
- Method 2: Repair Using CheckDisk.
- Method 3: Change the Drive Letter.
- Method 4: Format the External Hard Drive.
How do I mount an unmounted hard drive Mac? ›
If you eject a volume, you can use Disk Utility to mount the volume so that it's available in the Finder. In the Disk Utility app on your Mac, select the volume you want to mount. Click the Mount button .
How do I get my Mac to recognize my Seagate external hard drive? ›Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility
If the drive is not detected in Disk Utility then see the System Information/System Profiler section. If you are using macOS 10.13 or higher then click view in the upper left and select “Show All Devices” which allows you to see both the disk as well as volumes.
Newer Seagate and LaCie branded external drives come preformatted with the exFAT file system, which allows it to be used on both Mac and Windows without reformatting the drive.
How do I get permission on my Seagate external hard drive Mac? ›- Select Seagate external hard drive on your desktop or in the Finder sidebar, and then press Command + I to get information about the drive.
- Scroll to the bottom of this list and click on the triangle on the left side of the Sharing & Permissions tab.
Yes, exFAT is compatible with all Windows and modern versions of macOS.
How do I fix my exFAT external hard drive? ›- Check the write protection switch. Some USB flash drives or card readers have a physical switch which allows you to lock or unlock write protection. ...
- To run “CHKDSK” ...
- To disable or remove write protection in system registry. ...
- Reformat your exFAT drive with free partition manager.
- Open Disk Utility.
- Choose the drive you'd like to format and click Erase to access the disk-formatting settings.
- Choose MS-DOS (FAT) from the format drop-down list.
- Click Erase to format.
- Right-click the drive on the desktop and choose 'Get Info' to confirm the FAT32 change.
As frustrating as it may get, when you bump into a "no mountable file systems" error and can't load your file, there are simple steps you can take to fix this problem. Reload your file, reboot your Mac, check file system formats compatibility, or try mounting your DMG directly from Terminal.
How do I manually mount a USB drive on a Mac? ›- Step 1: Go > Utilities > Disk Utility.
- Step 2: Click on View option and choose "Show all devices".
- Step 3: Click on the name of your USB flash drive.
- Step 4: Select Mount in the upper menu bar.
In the search box on the taskbar, enter Computer Management, and select Disk Management. Choose the partition or volume that has the folder you want to mount the drive. Go to Action > All Tasks > Change Drive Letter and Paths, then choose Add. Select Mount in the following empty NTFS folder option.
How do I make my external hard drive discoverable? ›
- 1. Make Sure Your External Drive Turns On. MakeUseOf. ...
- Check the Drive in Disk Management. ...
- Try Another USB Port and Computer. ...
- Troubleshoot Device Driver Issues. ...
- Create a New Drive Volume. ...
- Format the External Drive.
Your computer should run macOS Monterey. Open the “Disk Utility” app in the “Utilities” folder inside your “Applications” folder. Connect the external drive to your computer and wait for it to show up in the Disk Utilities window.
Why is my external hard drive not showing up on my Mac Big Sur? ›Enable visibility of external hard drive not showing up on Mac. In macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, or Catalina, you need to enable the visibility of external disks. For setting your preferences, do the following: Go to Finder > Preferences > General.
Why is my external drive not detected? ›This problem has several possible causes: partition issues on the external drive, using the wrong file system, dead USB ports, or driver issues in Windows. In a worst-case scenario, the drive itself may be dead.
How do you fix a undetected external hard drive? ›- Disconnect the power supply.
- Disconnect USB Device.
- Update USB device drivers.
- Change Drive Letter.
- Fix USB Root Hub.
- Change USB Selective Suspend Settings.
- Right-click the Windows icon on the toolbar, then click Device Manager.
- Expand Disk drives, and locate your hard drive. ...
- Right-click your hard drive, then select Update driver.
- Click Search automatically for updated driver software, then follow the on-screen instructions.