{"id":"external-drives.drive-shows-in-disk-utility-but-not-finder","url":"/faq/external-drives/drive-shows-in-disk-utility-but-not-finder","category":{"id":"external-drives","title":"External drives"},"subcategory":{"id":"drive-problems","title":"Mounting and drive problems"},"question":"Why does my external drive show in Disk Utility but not in Finder?","alt_questions":["Drive greyed out in Disk Utility","External drive not mounting Mac","Disk Utility sees drive but Finder doesn't","How do I mount an external drive manually?","volume greyed out disk utility mount button","drive detected but not mounted macos"],"short_answer":"The drive is connected but its volume isn't mounted. In Disk Utility, select the greyed-out volume and click Mount. If that fails, enter the password for an encrypted drive, run First Aid, or check the drive uses a format a Mac can read.","answer_markdown":"If Disk Utility lists the drive but its volume is greyed out, the drive is connected but the volume isn't **mounted**. Select the greyed-out volume and click **Mount**. If it mounts, it appears in Finder straight away.\n\nIf Mount fails:\n\n- **Encrypted volume** — macOS asks for the password; enter it to unlock and mount.\n- **File-system errors** — run **First Aid** on the volume, then try Mount again.\n- **A format macOS can't read** (for example a Linux drive) — the volume can't be mounted on a Mac at all.\n\nIf the volume mounts but still isn't in Finder's sidebar or on the desktop, it's a Finder display setting — see [how to show drives in Finder](/faq/finder-location/my-external-drive-is-not-in-finders-sidebar). For a drive that doesn't appear anywhere, see [my external drive doesn't show up](/faq/external-drives/my-external-drive-does-not-show-up-on-my-mac).","answer_html":"

If Disk Utility lists the drive but its volume is greyed out, the drive is connected but the volume isn't mounted. Select the greyed-out volume and click Mount. If it mounts, it appears in Finder straight away.

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If Mount fails:

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If the volume mounts but still isn't in Finder's sidebar or on the desktop, it's a Finder display setting — see how to show drives in Finder. For a drive that doesn't appear anywhere, see my external drive doesn't show up.

","answer_text":"If Disk Utility lists the drive but its volume is greyed out, the drive is connected but the volume isn't mounted. Select the greyed-out volume and click Mount. If it mounts, it appears in Finder straight away.\n\nIf Mount fails:\n\n- Encrypted volume — macOS asks for the password; enter it to unlock and mount.\n- File-system errors — run First Aid on the volume, then try Mount again.\n- A format macOS can't read (for example a Linux drive) — the volume can't be mounted on a Mac at all.\n\nIf the volume mounts but still isn't in Finder's sidebar or on the desktop, it's a Finder display setting — see how to show drives in Finder. For a drive that doesn't appear anywhere, see my external drive doesn't show up.","tags":["mount","disk utility","finder"],"related":[{"id":"external-drives.my-external-drive-does-not-show-up-on-my-mac","question":"My external drive doesn't show up on my Mac at all — what should I try?","url":"/faq/external-drives/my-external-drive-does-not-show-up-on-my-mac"},{"id":"external-drives.how-do-i-run-first-aid-on-an-external-drive","question":"How do I run First Aid on an external drive in Disk Utility?","url":"/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-run-first-aid-on-an-external-drive"},{"id":"finder-location.my-external-drive-is-not-in-finders-sidebar","question":"My external drive is connected but doesn't appear in Finder's sidebar or on the Desktop — why?","url":"/faq/finder-location/my-external-drive-is-not-in-finders-sidebar"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Why does my external drive show in Disk Utility but not in Finder? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"The drive is connected but its volume isn't mounted. In Disk Utility, select the greyed-out volume and click Mount. If that fails, enter the password for an encrypted drive, run First Aid, or check the drive uses a format a Mac can read.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"External drives","path":"/faq/external-drives/"},{"name":"Why does my external drive show in Disk Utility but not in Finder?","path":"/faq/external-drives/drive-shows-in-disk-utility-but-not-finder"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/drive-shows-in-disk-utility-but-not-finder","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Why does my external drive show in Disk Utility but not in Finder?","alternateName":["Drive greyed out in Disk Utility","External drive not mounting Mac","Disk Utility sees drive but Finder doesn't","How do I mount an external drive manually?","volume greyed out disk utility mount button","drive detected but not mounted macos"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"If Disk Utility lists the drive but its volume is greyed out, the drive is connected but the volume isn't mounted. Select the greyed-out volume and click Mount. If it mounts, it appears in Finder straight away.\n\nIf Mount fails:\n\n- Encrypted volume — macOS asks for the password; enter it to unlock and mount.\n- File-system errors — run First Aid on the volume, then try Mount again.\n- A format macOS can't read (for example a Linux drive) — the volume can't be mounted on a Mac at all.\n\nIf the volume mounts but still isn't in Finder's sidebar or on the desktop, it's a Finder display setting — see how to show drives in Finder. For a drive that doesn't appear anywhere, see my external drive doesn't show up.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/drive-shows-in-disk-utility-but-not-finder"}}]},"fragment":"
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External drives · Mounting and drive problems

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Why does my external drive show in Disk Utility but not in Finder?

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Short answer: The drive is connected but its volume isn't mounted. In Disk Utility, select the greyed-out volume and click Mount. If that fails, enter the password for an encrypted drive, run First Aid, or check the drive uses a format a Mac can read.

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If Disk Utility lists the drive but its volume is greyed out, the drive is connected but the volume isn't mounted. Select the greyed-out volume and click Mount. If it mounts, it appears in Finder straight away.

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If Mount fails:

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  • Encrypted volume — macOS asks for the password; enter it to unlock and mount.
  • File-system errors — run First Aid on the volume, then try Mount again.
  • A format macOS can't read (for example a Linux drive) — the volume can't be mounted on a Mac at all.
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If the volume mounts but still isn't in Finder's sidebar or on the desktop, it's a Finder display setting — see how to show drives in Finder. For a drive that doesn't appear anywhere, see my external drive doesn't show up.

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