External drives · Mounting and drive problems
Can I get my files off an external drive that won't mount?
Short answer: Try another cable, port and power supply, then Mount and First Aid in Disk Utility, or another computer. If the drive clicks or isn't detected at all, stop using it and consider a professional recovery service. Never initialize it.
Often, yes — start with the least risky steps. First try another cable, another port and, for a large hard disk, its own power supply. Then in Disk Utility try Mount, and First Aid if mounting fails.
If it still won't mount:
- Try it on another Mac or computer; a drive that mounts there can be copied from there.
- If the drive clicks, buzzes or isn't detected at all, stop powering it on — repeated attempts can make a mechanical failure worse. A professional data-recovery service is the safest option for files you can't replace.
- Don't initialize or erase it; that makes recovery harder.
Once you have the files back, keep a second copy so one drive failing never puts them at risk again.