---
id: external-drives.my-external-drive-does-not-show-up-on-my-mac
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/my-external-drive-does-not-show-up-on-my-mac
category: "External drives"
subcategory: "Speed, cables and hardware"
question: "My external drive doesn't show up on my Mac at all — what should I try?"
alt_questions:
  - "External SSD not recognised Mac"
  - "Mac not detecting external drive"
  - "External drive not mounting"
  - "external hard drive not showing up mac"
  - "Drive not in Finder sidebar"
  - "Plugged in drive but nothing happens"
short_answer: "Check Finder's sidebar settings show external disks, try another cable and port without a hub, then look in Disk Utility (Show All Devices) to mount, repair or format it. If Disk Utility can't see it either, the drive or enclosure may be faulty."
tags: ["not showing", "disk utility", "troubleshooting"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/my-external-drive-keeps-disconnecting", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/should-i-plug-the-drive-into-a-hub-or-directly", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/does-the-cable-matter-for-an-external-ssd"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# My external drive doesn't show up on my Mac at all — what should I try?

Work from the simplest cause:

1. In Finder, open **Settings → Sidebar** and make sure **External disks** is ticked — the drive may be mounted but hidden.
2. Try another cable and port, connecting directly rather than through a hub.
3. Open **Disk Utility** and choose **View → Show All Devices**. If the drive is listed but greyed out, select it and click **Mount**; if it shows errors, run **First Aid**; if it's brand new it may need erasing as APFS.
4. If it doesn't appear in Disk Utility at all, test it on another computer — the drive or its enclosure may be faulty.

Once macOS mounts it, Storage Studio sees it within about 30 seconds.