Likely fix
Fix: USB drive or external hard drive not showing up
A USB drive may not show up because of a bad port, bad cable, missing drive letter, file system issue, not enough power, or drive failure.
Quick answer
Try another USB port and cable, avoid hubs, then check Disk Management on Windows or Disk Utility on Mac.
Important warning
Do not format the drive if you need the files on it. Formatting may make recovery harder.
Try this
- 1 Unplug and reconnect the drive.
- 2 Try another USB port.
- 3 Avoid USB hubs or docks while testing.
- 4 Try another cable if it is an external drive.
- 5 Listen for unusual clicking or repeated spin-up sounds.
- 6 On Windows, open Disk Management and check whether the drive appears.
- 7 On Mac, open Disk Utility and check whether the drive appears.
- 8 If the drive appears but is not mounted, avoid formatting it unless you do not need the data.
- 9 If the drive has important data and makes clicking noises, stop and get data recovery advice.
Common causes
Bad USB port.
Bad USB cable.
USB hub does not provide enough power.
Drive letter missing.
File system error.
Drive is not mounted.
External drive failure.
What to check next
- Check Disk Management or Disk Utility.
- Check another cable.
- Check another computer.
- Check whether the drive makes clicking sounds.
- Check whether the drive needs external power.
This might need a cable or adapter
If this fix points to a cable issue, check the related cable guide before buying the wrong one.
Check the related cable →