/ How to

How To Add and Connect External Drives to Expand Mac Storage

Running out of storage space on your Mac can be frustrating. Whether you have a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, or Mac mini, there are several options to add more storage capacity or connect external drives. This guide covers everything you need to know.

Types of External Drives

There are two main types of external drives you can use with a Mac – traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs):

  • HDDs – HDDs use spinning platters and a read/write head to store data. They are cheaper per gigabyte compared to SSDs but are slower, more prone to failure, and not as portable. HDD capacities range from 500GB to 16TB.
  • SSDs – SSDs use flash memory with no moving parts, making them faster, smaller, and more reliable than HDDs. However, they are more expensive per gigabyte, with capacities ranging from 250GB to 8TB currently.

Key Differences:

  • Speed – SSDs can read/write over 500 MB/s, while HDDs max out around 100-200 MB/s
  • Reliability – SSDs are more resistant to shock, run cooler, and have a lower failure rate
  • Price – HDDs are significantly cheaper per terabyte compared to similarly sized SSDs

Connection Types

External drives connect to your Mac and transfer data through either a cable or wireless connection. Here are the most common methods:

  • USB – The most universal connection type. Supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds up to 10Gbps.
  • Thunderbolt 3 – Provides speeds up to 40Gbps. Requires a Thunderbolt 3 port on your Mac.
  • USB-C – Supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds up to 10Gbps. Uses the USB-C connector, common on newer Macs.
  • Wireless – Portable wireless SSDs connect via WiFi, similar to a wireless router. Offer more flexibility but slower speeds.

For the fastest transfer speeds, Thunderbolt 3 is the best choice if available. Otherwise, USB 3.1 Gen 2 or USB-C can provide fast enough performance for most users’ needs.

Adding External Storage

Here are step-by-step instructions for adding external storage to your Mac:

1. Choose Your External Drive

Determine your needed capacity and speed, then select either an HDD or SSD based on budget. Portable drives are convenient for travel while desktop drives offer larger capacities. Popular recommendations:

  • WD My Passport (portable HDD)
  • Samsung T5 (portable SSD)
  • Seagate Backup Plus Hub (desktop HDD)

2. Connect the Drive

For cable connections, simply plug the drive into your Mac via the appropriate port (USB, Thunderbolt, etc.).

For wireless connections, power on the drive and connect to it like you would a WiFi network.

3. Format the Drive

New drives need to be formatted for macOS before you can store files on them. Use Disk Utility to easily format your drive:

  1. Open Disk Utility
  2. Select your external drive
  3. Click “Erase”
  4. Choose a name, format (APFS or exFAT is recommended), and scheme
  5. Click “Erase” to confirm

4. Use the External Drive

The drive should now show up on your Mac desktop. You can access and move files to/from the drive like you would with internal storage.

Use it for backups, extra photo/video storage, project archives, or anything else needing more capacity!

Tips for Using External Storage

Follow these tips to get the most out of your external storage:

  • Use drives solely for backups to prevent data loss if they fail
  • Disconnect drives while not in use to prevent power surge/static damage
  • Look into RAID drive systems for storing really critical data redundantly
  • Use cloud backup services like iCloud or Backblaze for offsite backups

Expanding Internal Storage

While external drives are the easiest way to get more storage, internal storage can also be expanded on some Macs:

  • SSD Upgrades – The SSD on various MacBook, Mac mini, and iMac models can be upgraded. This requires opening up the computer to access internal components.
  • Add a Second Internal Drive – Some iMac and Mac Pro models provide room for an additional internal hard drive or SSD. This also requires disassembling the computer.

Internal upgrades are great for a permanent storage boost but require advanced technical know-how. External drives are plug-and-play simple for most users.

Conclusion

With many options for drive types, connections, and usage, expanding your Mac’s storage is straightforward. For maximum convenience and simplicity, an external HDD or SSD is recommended for easily offloading files and backups. But power users can also consider internal drive upgrades for a permanent storage increase if they have the technical expertise. Follow the tips outlined here to choose and utilize expanded Mac storage.

Related Posts