macOS Sequoia Not Recognizing USB Flash Drives, 9 Methods to Fix It

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USB flash drives are essential tools for transferring files, backing up data, and expanding storage. They're small, portable, and generally reliable. However, nothing is more frustrating than plugging in your USB flash drive, only to find that macOS Sequoia isn't recognizing it. If your Mac isn't acknowledging the drive, you might worry about data loss or hardware failure. Fortunately, there are many potential fixes for this issue.

In this guide, we'll explore why macOS Sequoia might not recognize your USB flash drive and provide solutions to get it working again. Whether the problem stems from a hardware issue or a simple software glitch, follow these steps to resolve the issue and recover access to your drive.

Common Causes of USB Flash Drive Recognition Issues on macOS Sequoia

Before diving into troubleshooting, it's important to understand what could be causing your Mac to not recognize a USB flash drive. This will help you pinpoint the issue faster and apply the most effective solution.

1. Faulty USB Port or Cable

Sometimes the issue isn't with your USB flash drive but with the hardware itself. A faulty USB port or a damaged cable can cause problems in recognizing the device.

Symptoms:

• The drive doesn't show up in Finder or Disk Utility.
• The same drive works on another port or device.

Possible Fix: If you're using a USB cable, try using a different one or attaching the USB flash drive to a different USB port on your Mac.

2. Corrupted or Incompatible File System on the USB Flash Drive

USB flash drives formatted in unsupported file systems may not be recognized by macOS Sequoia. Similarly, if the file system is corrupted, macOS won't be able to mount it properly.

Symptoms:

• The drive appears in Disk Utility but can't be mounted.
• Error messages appear when you try to access the drive.

Possible Fix: You might need to repair or reformat the drive (explained later in the article).

3. Outdated macOS or Missing System Updates

Running an outdated version of macOS Sequoia can cause compatibility issues with USB flash drives, especially newer models. Keeping your system up to date ensures your Mac has the latest drivers and fixes for external device handling.

Symptoms:

• The drive doesn't show up in Finder, but it works on other Macs or devices.

Possible Fix: Ensure that your macOS is fully updated.

4. USB Drive Hardware Failure

Hardware issues with the USB flash drive itself can also prevent it from being recognized. This can happen due to physical damage or internal component failure, which is more common in older or overused USB drives.

Symptoms:

• The USB drive doesn't work on any device.
• It heats up unusually fast or produces strange noises.

Possible Fix: In such cases, the USB drive may need to be replaced.

5. macOS Permissions or Security Settings Preventing Access

macOS security settings or permission issues may block USB drives from being recognized or mounted.

Symptoms:

• You receive a notification that macOS doesn't allow access to external devices.
• The drive is listed but cannot be opened.

Possible Fix: Adjust your macOS security settings to permit external devices (explained in detail later).

9 Methods to Fix Unrecognized USB Drive on macOS Sequoia

If you're unsure of the exact cause, it's best to start with some basic troubleshooting steps. These are simple actions that can solve many of the common issues without needing advanced solutions.

1. Check the USB Port and Cable

Start by checking the simplest components: the USB port and cable. You can do this by trying to connect the USB flash drive to a different port. If you're using a USB-C hub or a third-party USB-C to USB-A adapter, switch it out for another one to rule out any potential connection issues.

2. Restart macOS Sequoia

Sometimes, macOS Sequoia may fail to properly detect devices due to temporary system glitches. Restarting your Mac can resolve such issues and refresh the system's ability to detect the USB drive.

1. In the upper-left corner of the screen, click the Apple Menu.
2. Select Restart, then watch as your Mac restarts.

3. After the restart, reconnect your USB flash drive and see if it appears in Finder or on the desktop.

3. Test the USB Flash Drive on Another Device

Before diving into more complex fixes, it's worth checking whether the problem lies with the USB flash drive itself. Plug the drive into another Mac or a PC to see if it works there. If it's recognized by the other system, you know the issue is specific to your Mac. If it’s not recognized anywhere, the issue may be with the drive itself.

4. Check for Software and System Updates

If your USB flash drive works on other devices but not on your Mac, your operating system might be outdated. macOS Sequoia may require the latest updates to ensure full compatibility with external devices, including USB flash drives.

How to Check for macOS Updates

1. In the upper-left corner of your screen, select the Apple Menu.
2. Click General after selecting System Settings.
3. Look for any available macOS updates under Software Update.
4. Click Upgrade Now to install any available updates.

Once your system is updated, reconnect the USB flash drive to see if it is recognized.

5. Verify the USB Drive in Disk Utility

If your USB flash drive isn't appearing on the desktop or in Finder, the next step is to check if macOS Sequoia recognizes it in Disk Utility. You can manage all of the drives and volumes connected to your Mac with the help of the built-in macOS utility called Disk Utility.

How to Open Disk Utility:

1. To launch Spotlight Search, press Command + Spacebar.
2. To start the application, type Disk Utility and hit Return.

Once you're in Disk Utility, check the sidebar to see if your USB flash drive is listed under External devices.

If the Drive Is Listed but Not Mounted

If your USB flash drive is visible in Disk Utility but not mounted, follow these steps:

1. Select your USB flash drive in the left sidebar.
2. Click Mount in the toolbar at the top of the window.

If this works, your USB flash drive should now appear in Finder.

Repairing the USB Flash Drive Using First Aid in Disk Utility

If your USB flash drive appears in Disk Utility but isn't functioning properly, there could be issues with the drive's file system. macOS Sequoia includes a tool called First Aid that can attempt to repair the drive.

How to Use First Aid:

1. Open Disk Utility and select the USB flash drive from the left-hand menu.
2. Click the First Aid button at the top of the window.

3. A prompt will appear. Click Run to allow Disk Utility to scan and attempt to repair the drive.

Once First Aid completes, you'll see a message indicating whether the repair was successful. If First Aid fails, your drive may be too damaged, and you might need to proceed to more advanced options.

6. Change macOS Security Settings

Sometimes, macOS Sequoia's security and privacy settings can prevent external devices, like USB flash drives, from being mounted or recognized.

Allow External Devices:

To adjust your macOS security settings:

1. Open System Settings from the Apple Menu.
2. Select Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll down to find External Drives and ensure it is set to allow access to USB drives.

By adjusting this setting, macOS should now allow USB drives to be recognized and accessed.

7. Reformat the USB Flash Drive

If all else fails and your USB flash drive is still not recognized, you may need to reformat it. This will erase all data on the drive, so only proceed if you have a backup of the data or don't mind losing the information on the drive.

Backup Before Reformatting:

If you can access the drive on another device, back up its contents before proceeding with reformatting.

How to Reformat the USB Flash Drive:

1. Open Disk Utility and select your USB flash drive.
2. Click the Erase button at the top of the window.
3. In the dialog box that appears, select a name for your drive and choose a file system format (for most uses, ExFAT or FAT32 is recommended).

4. Click Erase to reformat the drive.

Once the reformat is complete, your USB flash drive should now be recognized by macOS Sequoia.

8. Reset NVRAM and SMC on Your Mac

Resetting the NVRAM and SMC can sometimes resolve hardware recognition issues, including USB flash drives.

How to Reset NVRAM:

1. Turn off your Mac.
2. Press and hold Option + Command + P + R as soon as you turn it on.
3. Release the keys after holding them for around 20 seconds.

How to Reset SMC:

For Macs with Apple silicon, simply restarting the system resets the SMC. For Intel-based Macs:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold Shift + Control + Option along with the power button for 10 seconds.
3. Release all keys and turn your Mac back on.

After resetting both NVRAM and SMC, reconnect the USB flash drive to see if the issue is resolved.

9. Use NTFS for Mac Tool

If the USB flash drive has been formatted to NTFS file system, macOS Sequoia may not recognize it. You can use NTFS for Mac tool to mount the USB flash drive on Mac and allow the Mac read-write the NTFS USB flash drive.

Step 1. Download and install the reliable NTFS for Mac tool - Donemax NTFS for Mac.

Step 2. Open Donemax NTFS for Mac, select the NTFS USB flash drive, click on Mount button.

Step 3. Click on Enable Writable button to allow your Mac read-write the NTFS drive on Mac.

How to Recover Lost Data from Unrecognized or Erase USB Flash Drive on Mac?

Mac data recovery software - such as Donemax Data Recovery for Mac can help you recover lost data from unrecognized USB flash drive or erased USB flash drive on Mac.

Step 1. Download and install Donemax Data Recovery for Mac on your Mac and connect the USB flash drive to the Mac.

Step 2. Open Donemax Data Recovery for Mac, select the USB flash drive to start data recovery.

Step 3. Click on Scan button to deeply scan the USB flash drive and find all recoverable files including inaccessible files, deleted/formatted/lost files.

Step 4. Once the scan is completed, you just need to select the wanted files, click on Recover button to save them.

Advanced Solutions (If the USB Still Isn't Recognized)

If none of the above solutions work, you may need to explore more advanced troubleshooting options.

Third-Party Tools:

There are several third-party tools available that can help you access or repair unrecognized USB flash drives. These tools often provide deeper diagnostic capabilities than Disk Utility and can sometimes recover data from failing drives.

Popular options include:

• Donemax Data Recovery for Mac: A powerful tool for recovering data from malfunctioning drives.
• Donemax Data Eraser for Mac: Repair damaged USB flash drives on Mac.
• EaseUS Data Recovery: Useful for both data recovery and diagnosing drive issues.

Hardware Issues:

If your USB drive isn't recognized on any device, it may have a hardware issue. In this case, the only option may be to replace the drive. If your data is valuable, consider professional data recovery services, though these can be expensive.

Conclusion

Having your USB flash drive go unrecognized by macOS Sequoia is a frustrating experience, but as this article shows, there are several steps you can take to resolve the issue. From basic troubleshooting, like checking the USB port and cable, to more advanced fixes such as resetting NVRAM and SMC, these methods cover a range of possibilities to restore access to your drive.

Remember to always back up your data when dealing with USB drives and perform regular system updates to prevent future recognition issues. If the problem persists despite all troubleshooting efforts, it may be worth consulting a professional or reaching out to Apple support.

If you follow the steps described in the above article, you will be able to handle any USB recognition issues in macOS Sequoia and keep your workflow running smoothly.