how to format seagate portable hard drive

HOW TO FORMAT SEAGATE PORTABLE HARD DRIVE HOW TO
HOW TO FORMAT SEAGATE PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC
HOW TO FORMAT SEAGATE PORTABLE HARD DRIVE MAC OS
HOW TO FORMAT SEAGATE PORTABLE HARD DRIVE WINDOWS

That’s all because it’s been initialized with Windows NT File System (NTFS), which is primarily for PCs. But somehow, macOS doesn’t allow you to write data to the drive. Otherwise, you might have to spend more time figuring out what went wrong.Īlso, always remember to back up your data to another device or the cloud before formatting your drive.So, you just bought a new external hard drive or a portable SSD and wanted to use it on your Mac. Just remember to choose the correct file format to avoid any problems. If you have the needed devices and cables handy, you can carry out the process anytime.

HOW TO FORMAT SEAGATE PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC

Final Wordsįormatting the Seagate external drive for Mac only takes a couple of minutes. This file system isn’t for the latest OS. Only choose to format using FAT32 if your computer is running an older operating system. Tips: Format your Seagate drive to exFAT only if you need to use the drive between Windows and Mac. Also, FAT32 is also compatible with Mac as well as Windows. Hence, the file system is not common among modern hard drives.

FAT32: This is a file system for low-capacity hard drives.

That said, exFAT is more vulnerable to errors such as data corruption that happens when the drive runs into problems when ejecting from the computer improperly. However, it isn’t a journaled file system.

exFAT: This file system supports both Mac and Windows.

HOW TO FORMAT SEAGATE PORTABLE HARD DRIVE MAC OS

Also note, unlike Mac, Windows does not support either reading or writing to hard drives formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled).Īpart from NTFS and Mac OS Extended, there are a few other file systems that aren’t as common as these two. Simply put, it is possible to copy folders and files from an external Seagate drive on Mac but the opposite is not supported. So, I was able to read files from my Seagate drive on Mac OS but was NOT able to write on it. With my old Windows laptop, the external drive was formatted as NTFS. NTFS is the one for Windows and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is for macOS. Therefore, the Seagate Backup hub comes in two different models.

HOW TO FORMAT SEAGATE PORTABLE HARD DRIVE HOW TO

How to Backup MacBook Pro to an External Hard DriveĪ file system is a process that defines the way data is stored, retrieved, and managed on storage disks.Then follow the instructions before it’s complete.

And click on the Erase button.Ĭonfirm your selection when asked in the pop-up window. Here, you can change the name of the drive and choose the file system from the drop-down menu.įor the format option, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Step 4: Format the DriveĬhoose the Seagate external drive from the left column and click on Erase. If you can not find it there, click on View on the same window and choose Show All Devices. On the Disk Utility Window, look for Seagate Drive on the left side of the screen. Step 3: Locate the Seagate External Drive You will find the Disk Utility app inside the Utility folder.

Click on Go and then choose Utilities from the menu. To open the Disk Utility window, go to the Finder menu bar on the top of your MacBook. If you are using the USB-C adapter, connect the Seagate drive to the adapter and the other end of the adapter to your MacBook. Step 1: Connect the Deviceįirst, make sure the Seagate external hard drive is connected to your MacBook. Just a few minutes and you can start using your drive on Mac for read-and-write operations (more below). How to Format a Seagate External Drive on Mac?Īs I promised, you won’t need to spend hours completing the formatting process. Those who already have a Seagate drive with supported cable can skip this purchase. If you have the same problem, just get the USB-C adapter offering Thunderbolt compatibility. This is because my new MacBook only had Thunderbolt-3 ports (USB-C) while the cable that came along with the external drive had a Type A USB connector. In my case, however, I had to buy a Type A to Type C USB Adapter with Thunderbolt-3 compatibility. All you need is your Mac computer and the Seagate external device. Thankfully, you do not need a lot of extra devices to get through with the formatting process.

How to Format a Seagate External Drive on Mac?.

How to format seagate portable hard drive