---
id: external-drives.my-drive-does-not-appear-in-the-drive-list
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/my-drive-does-not-appear-in-the-drive-list
category: "External drives"
subcategory: "Setting up your drive"
question: "Why doesn't my external drive appear in Storage Studio's drive list?"
alt_questions:
  - "External SSD not showing in Choose Drive"
  - "Drive missing from the picker"
  - "Storage Studio can't see my drive"
  - "No external drives are plugged in but it is"
  - "drive not listed storage studio"
  - "Why is my new SSD not detected?"
short_answer: "Storage Studio lists drives macOS has mounted. Make sure the drive shows in Finder under Locations (try another port or cable, or format it in Disk Utility if it's new), then refresh. Time Machine volumes are hidden on purpose."
tags: ["drive not showing", "troubleshooting", "choose drive"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-set-up-my-external-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/what-do-looks-good-warnings-and-not-suitable-mean", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/how-does-the-drive-speed-test-work"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Why doesn't my external drive appear in Storage Studio's drive list?

Storage Studio lists drives that macOS has mounted, so start there:

1. Check the drive appears in Finder's sidebar under **Locations**. If it doesn't, macOS hasn't mounted it — try another port or cable, or open Disk Utility to see whether it needs to be formatted or mounted.
2. Brand-new drives sometimes arrive unformatted; erase it as **APFS** in Disk Utility.
3. Time Machine backup volumes are deliberately hidden from the list.
4. Click **Refresh** (or close and reopen the window) after plugging the drive in.

If the drive shows in Finder but not in the list, open **Inspect fast drive** to check what Storage Studio sees.