8 Solutions to Fix Seagate One Touch SSD Not Mounting on Mac

PAGE CONTENT:

Summary: Fix Seagate One Touch SSD Not Mounting on Mac

Donemax NTFS for Mac can help you quickly and securely mount or force mount NTFS-formatted Seagate One Touch SSD on Mac and allow Mac users to read-write the SSD without any limitation.  Download NTFS for Mac

Run First Aid or use Erase feature to fix Seagate One Touch SSD not mounting on Mac. If you have lost data, just use data recovery tool - such as Donemax Data Recovery for Mac to get the lost data back.  Download for macOS

If the Seagate One Touch SSD is mounted in Disk Utility, but not showing up in Finder or on desktop, open Finder Settings and click General & Sidebar, select External disks.

Seagate's One Touch SSD is a popular external storage device known for its speed, portability, and reliability. However, Mac users sometimes encounter an issue where the SSD does not mount or show up on their system. If you're facing this frustrating problem, don't worry - you're not alone.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through step-by-step troubleshooting methods to fix a Seagate One Touch SSD that isn't mounting on your Mac.

Seagate One Touch SSD Not Mounting on Mac Issue Overview

Before diving into solutions for fixing Seagate One Touch SSD not mounting on Mac, it's crucial to understand what "not mounting" means. When you connect an external Seagate One Touch SSD to your Mac, it should automatically appear on the desktop, in Finder, and in Disk Utility. If it doesn't, the reasons could range from hardware connection issues to software or file system incompatibility.

Some common causes include:

• Faulty cables, adapters, or USB ports.
• Finder or macOS settings preventing external drives from showing up.
• Corrupted file system or disk errors.
• SSD formatted in an incompatible format (e.g., NTFS).
• macOS bugs, outdated drivers, or firmware issues.

8 Fixes for Seagate One Touch SSD Not Mounting on Mac

Now, let's go through the possible fixes.

Fix 1. Check Physical Connections

Before jumping into software solutions, ensure that your SSD is correctly connected.

Try the following steps:

• Unplug and reconnect the SSD to another USB port on your Mac.
• Check the USB-C or USB-A cable - damaged or low-quality cables can cause connection issues. If possible, use a different cable.
• Use a different adapter or hub if you're connecting via a USB-C to USB-A adapter. Some adapters don't provide enough power for the SSD to function correctly.
• Try another Mac or PC to see if the SSD is recognized. If it works on another device, the issue may be with your Mac rather than the SSD.

Fix 2. Check Finder Settings

Sometimes, macOS doesn't display external drives because Finder Settings are set to hide them.

To fix this:

• Open Finder.
• Click on Finder > Settings.
• Verify that "External disks" is selected under the General tab.
• Select the Sidebar tab and confirm that "External disks" is turned on under "Locations."

Now, check if the Seagate One Touch SSD appears in Finder or on your desktop.

Fix 3. Use Disk Utility to Mount the Seagate One Touch SSD

If the Seagate One Touch SSD isn't showing up in Finder, the next step is to check if macOS detects it in Disk Utility.

To do this:

• Open Disk Utility from Utilities via Applications.

• Look for your Seagate One Touch SSD under "External" in the left sidebar.
• If you see the SSD but it's not mounted, click the Mount button at the top.

If it successfully mounts, the problem was likely a minor glitch. However, if the drive appears but won't mount, proceed to the next step.

Fix 4. Run First Aid to Fix Disk Errors

macOS has a built-in tool called First Aid that checks and repairs disk errors.

To run First Aid on your Seagate One Touch SSD:

• Open Disk Utility.
• Select your Seagate One Touch SSD from the sidebar.
• Click on First Aid at the top and then Run.

If errors are detected, macOS will attempt to repair them. After First Aid completes, try mounting the drive again.

Fix 5. Mount NTFS Seagate One Touch SSD with NTFS for Mac Tool

If you want to force mount an NTFS Seagate One Touch SSD on your Mac, you can use third-party NTFS for Mac. 

Step 1. Download and install the reliable NTFS for Mac tool - Donemax NTFS for Mac. Then run it from Launchpad.

Step 2. Under NTFS Disk, you can find Seagate One Touch SSD, click on Mount button to mount it on your Mac.

If you want write data to the NTFS Seagate One Touch SSD, you just need to click on Enable Writable button.

Fix 6. Reset NVRAM and SMC

Resetting NVRAM and SMC can resolve many hardware-related issues, including problems with external drives not mounting on a Mac.

What is NVRAM and Why Reset It?

NVRAM stores essential system settings like:

• Speaker volume
• Screen brightness
• Startup disk selection
• Time zone settings
• Kernel panic logs

If your Seagate One Touch SSD is not mounting, the startup disk settings in NVRAM might be preventing macOS from properly detecting external drives. Resetting NVRAM refreshes these settings, which may resolve the issue.

How to Reset NVRAM on Mac (Intel-based Macs)

• Turn Off your Mac completely.
• After turning it back on, hit and hold the keys listed below:

  Option + Command + P + R

• Keep holding the keys for about 20 seconds.
• Release the keys when:
  • You hear the startup chime twice (on older Macs).
  • The Apple logo appears, disappears, and reappears (on newer Macs).
• Let the Mac boot normally, then check if your SSD is now detected.

For Apple Silicon Macs (M Chips)

Apple Silicon Macs handle NVRAM resets automatically during startup if needed. To manually trigger it:

• Turn Off your Mac.
• Again on it and let it fully restart.
• This clears any corrupted NVRAM settings automatically.

What is SMC and Why Reset It?

The SMC is responsible for low-level system functions, including:

• Power management (battery, sleep, and wake functions)
• Thermal management (fan control)
• LED indicators
• External device detection, including USB and Thunderbolt ports

If the SMC is malfunctioning, it might not be providing sufficient power to external USB devices, causing the SSD to not mount properly.

How to Reset SMC on Intel Macs

For MacBooks with a T2 Security Chip (2018 or later models)

• Turn Off your Mac.
• Press and hold Control + Option + Shift for 7 seconds.
• Press and hold the Power button for an additional seven seconds while still holding those keys.
• Turn on your Mac after releasing all the keys.

For MacBooks without a T2 Chip (Older Models)

• Turn Off your Mac.
• For ten seconds, simultaneously press and hold the Power button and Shift + Control + Option on the left side of the keyboard.
• Turn on your Mac after releasing all the keys.

For iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro (Desktop Models)

• Shut down the Mac.
• Unplug the power cord and wait for 15 seconds.
• Plug it back in and wait for 5 seconds before turning it on.

What Happens After Resetting NVRAM and SMC?

• Your system will return to default hardware settings.
• If the issue was caused by power delivery problems or incorrect system settings, your Seagate SSD should now mount correctly.
• You may need to re-adjust preferences such as screen brightness, speaker volume, and Wi-Fi settings.

After performing these resets, check if the Seagate One Touch SSD is now recognized by macOS. If not, proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

Fix 7. Check for macOS Compatibility Issues

If your SSD is formatted in NTFS (Windows format), macOS can read but not write to it. Sometimes, an NTFS-formatted drive won't mount properly.

To check the file system format:

• Open Disk Utility.
• Select the Seagate SSD and check its format under "Format" (e.g., NTFS, APFS, HFS+, exFAT).

Solutions:

• If it's NTFS, install third-party NTFS drivers like Donemax NTFS for mac to enable write access.
• If you don't need Windows compatibility, consider reformatting the SSD to APFS or ExFAT (more on this below).

Reformat the SSD (Warning: Erases All Data!):

If all else fails, reformatting the SSD might be the only option. This process erases all data, so back up any important files if possible.

Steps to reformat:

• Open Disk Utility.
• Select your Seagate One Touch SSD from the sidebar.
• Click Erase at the top.
• Choose APFS (for macOS only) or ExFAT (for Mac and Windows compatibility).
• Click Erase and wait for the process to complete.

After reformatting, your SSD should mount properly.

Note: If you have lost important files due to reformatting the Seagate One Touch SSD, you can use Mac data recovery software - such as Donemax Data Recovery for Mac to unformat the SSD & get all deleted/erased/lost files back.

Fix 8. Update macOS and Seagate Drivers

Sometimes, macOS updates introduce bugs that affect external drive compatibility. Updating to the latest version of macOS can resolve such issues.

To update macOS:

• Go to Apple Menu > System Settings > General > Software Update.
• Install any available updates.

Additionally, visit Seagate's official website to check for firmware updates or special drivers for macOS.

Recover Lost or Inaccessible Files from Unmounted or Reformatted Seagate One Touch SSD

Before or after fixing Seagate One Touch SSD not mounting on Mac, you can use data recovery software - such as Donemax Data Recovery for Mac to help you recover lost or inaccessible files.

Step 1. Download and install Donemax Data Recovery for Mac, run it from Launchpad. Then select the Seagate One Touch SSD to start data recovery.

Step 2. Click on Scan button to deeply scan the Seagate One Touch SSD and find all recoverable files including existing files, inaccessible files, deleted/formatted/lost files.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, you can preview all recoverable files. Then select the wanted files, click on Recover button to save them.

Conclusion

A Seagate One Touch SSD not mounting on Mac can be caused by simple connection issues, macOS settings, file system incompatibility, or disk errors. By following these troubleshooting steps, you can identify and resolve the issue.

Key Takeaways:

• Check physical connections, cables, and adapters.
• Ensure Finder and Disk Utility settings allow external drives.
• Use First Aid in Disk Utility to fix disk errors.
• Reset NVRAM and SMC to resolve system conflicts.
• Verify file system format and reformat if necessary.
• Update macOS and Seagate firmware for compatibility fixes.

If the problem persists, professional help may be necessary. Regular backups can prevent data loss in the future.