---
id: external-drives.connect-a-drive-from-an-old-computer
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/connect-a-drive-from-an-old-computer
category: "External drives"
subcategory: "Using drives with PCs, iPads and other Macs"
question: "How do I connect an internal drive from an old computer to my Mac?"
alt_questions:
  - "SATA to USB adapter Mac"
  - "Put old laptop SSD in an enclosure"
  - "Read old PC hard drive on Mac"
  - "use old internal drive as external"
  - "nvme from old pc into enclosure"
short_answer: "Put it in a matching enclosure or adapter — SATA-to-USB for 2.5-inch drives, a powered dock for 3.5-inch disks, or an NVMe enclosure for M.2 SSDs — and plug it in. Mac drives read normally, Windows drives read-only, Linux drives need extra software."
tags: ["enclosure", "sata", "nvme", "old drive"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/what-is-an-nvme-enclosure", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/can-i-use-an-ntfs-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/can-i-read-a-drive-from-my-old-mac"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How do I connect an internal drive from an old computer to my Mac?

Use an enclosure or adapter that matches the drive: a **SATA-to-USB** adapter or case for 2.5-inch drives and older SSDs, a SATA dock with power for 3.5-inch desktop hard disks, or an **NVMe enclosure** for M.2 NVMe SSDs. Then plug it into your Mac like any external drive.

What you can do with it depends on its format: Mac drives read normally, Windows (NTFS) drives are read-only, and Linux drives need extra software. Copy what you want first; once it's empty you can erase it as APFS and reuse it as extra storage. See [what an NVMe enclosure is](https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/what-is-an-nvme-enclosure).