External SSD Not Showing Up in Disk Utility [Fix It Without Data Loss]

To avoid external SSD not showing up in Disk Utility, navigate to Disk Utility using the following steps: Step 1. Go to Applications, choose Utilities > Disk Utility, and click View > Show All Devices. Step 2. View your external SSD in the left sidebar.

This post discusses how to fix the external SSD not showing up in Disk Utility on a Mac with 5 fixes, including checking the connection issues, checking the display settings, repairing the SSD, using a Terminal command, and reformatting it, and provides an effective way to rescue the stored data from the external SSD using EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

Rescue Data from the External SSD Not Showing Up in Disk Utility

After inserting an external SSD in your Mac, it shows on your Mac Desktop and Disk Utility by default. However, it sometimes does not show in Disk Utility for uncertain reasons. In this case, the first thing you should do is to protect its stored data. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is one of the best external SSD data recovery tools to recover data from a SanDisk SSD not detected on a Mac in a user-friendly interface.

Besides, it can perform data recovery under different situations, such as a WD hard drive not showing up in Disk Utility, an external SSD not showing up in Disk Utility, a SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD not mounting, etc.

Check out the following steps to recover data from an external SSD that is not showing up in Disk Utility:

Step 1. Search for lost files

Correctly connect your external hard drive to your Mac. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, and select the external hard drive. Then, click "Search for lost files" to find lost/deleted files on your external devices.

Note: Before data recovery, you'd better click "Disk Backup" from the left sidebar to create a backup of your external hard drive to avoid further data loss. After backing up the external hard drive, the software can recover data from your external hard drive's backup, and you can remove the external hard drive and use it again.

Step 2. Filter and find lost files

After the scan, all file types will be presented in the left panel. Select the file type to find wanted files on your external devices.

Step 3. Preview and recover

Click the file and preview it. Then, select the files you want to recover and click the "Recover" button. You can save your data to local and cloud drives.

After saving the essential data to a safe storage location, you can refer to the following fixes to solve the SSD not showing problem.

Fix 1. Check Connection Issues to Fix External SSD Not Showing Up

You can check if the external SSD does not show up in Disk Utility due to improper linking by the following means:

1. 1. Wipe the USB port to avoid dust blockage
2. 2. Check the USB cable and reconnect it
3. 3. Check the SSD for physical damage

Reconnect the external SSD to your Mac to check if it shows normally.

Fix 2. Check the Display Settings in Mac Finder & Disk Utility

Here's how to check the External disk display settings on a Mac:

Step 1. Open Finder by clicking the icon in Mac Dock.

Step 2. Navigate to "Finder > Settings" and check the boxes in front of "External disks" in the "General" tab.

Reconnect your external SSD and check if it shows on your desktop and Disk Utility. Add this page to your bookmark if it is helpful, and share it on social media to let more people learn how to fix an external SSD not showing in Disk Utility.

Fix 3. Use First Aid to Repair the External SSD

Mac Disk Utility provides users with a feature called "First Aid" that can check and repair disk errors quickly. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Open "Disk Utility" by following the path "Finder > Applications > Utilities".

Step 2. Click "View > Show All Devices" in the Disk Utility window to show the external SSD.

Step 3. Choose the SSD, click "First Aid" at the top menu, and click "Run" to confirm.

Wait for the First Aid process to complete; if it says, "First Aid found corruption that needs to be repaired", click the "Repair" button. But if First Aid can't repair the disk errors on the external SSD, this post will give solutions.

Fix 4. Use the Terminal to Fix External SSD Not Showing Up

Here's how to use the Mac Terminal command to fix an external SSD not showing up in Disk Utility:

Step 1. Navigate to "Finder > Applications > Utilities", then choose "Terminal".

Step 2. Type diskutil list and press "Return".

Step 3. Type diskutil verifyVolume SSD_ID and press "Return". Replace the identifier ID for External SSD.

Wait for the repair process to complete, control-click the Terminal and choose "Quit Terminal".

Fix 5. Fix External SSD Not Showing Up by Reformatting

Suppose the above methods are not working; the incompatible file system on the external SSD may cause it not to appear in Disk Utility. In this case, consider reformatting it in a macOS-compatible file system.

Here's how to format an external SSD in Disk Utility:

Step 1. Open "Disk Utility" and click "View > Show All Devices".

Step 2. Choose the SSD, click "Erase" at the top menu, choose a new file format, and reset a new name if needed. Click "Erase" again to confirm.

Final Words

This post introduces 5 solutions to fix an external SSD not showing up in Disk Utility: checking the connection issues, checking the display settings, running First Aid in Disk Utility, using a Terminal command, and reformatting the external SSD. To avoid data loss on the SSD, consider installing the professional and trusted external SSD data recovery tool - EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

External SSD Not Showing Up in Disk Utility FAQs

Here are questions people frequently ask when they search for how to fix an external SSD not showing up in Disk Utiity; take a look.

1. Why is my SSD not showing up in Disk Utility on my Mac?

SSD not showing up on your Mac can be caused by many reasons, and the most common reason for SSD not showing up on your Mac is the connecting cables of your SSD may be loose, worn, or damaged. Some unmounting errors, such as 'com.apple.DiskManagement.disenter error -119930868', which occurs when you mount an external SSD in Disk Utility, may lead to the SSD not showing up.

2. How do I restore my data on an SSD that is not showing in Disk Utility?

Follow the steps below to restore your data on an SSD that is not showing in Disk Utility:

Step 1. Install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac and choose the SSD.

Step 2. Click "Search for lost files" to view all recoverable data on it.

Step 3. Select the data you want, click "Recover" to restore it, and save it to a safe storage location on your Mac.