How to Unlock Your External Hard Drive on Mac?

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External hard drives are one of the most versatile and convenient tools for storing data. They’re easy to use and can be found in a wide variety of sizes and storage capacities, making them perfect for both personal and professional use. But there is one issue that can arise when using an external hard drive – how to unlock it if it becomes locked or protected.

If you’ve ever experienced this problem, don’t worry – unlocking an external hard drive is relatively simple and can be done in just a few steps. The process varies slightly depending on whether you’re using a Windows PC or a Mac, but both are relatively straightforward.

For Windows PC users:
The first step is to run a disk check by installing the boot disk or USB drive and powering it on the computer. Then, run a system file check by booting from the disk or USB as you did in Step 1. Once this is done, complete a startup repair, then try a system restore in order to unlock the drive.

For Mac users:
The first step is to select the drive in the Finder. Then press Command-I to display the Get Info window, which will show permissions at the bottom of the window. Click on the Privilege menu next to your username and choose Read & Write in order to unlock the drive. Lastly, select the disk again, then choose File > Get Info and click on the lock at the bottom right if it is locked in order to unlock it.

Unlocking an external hard drive is not difficult once you know what steps need to be taken – however, it’s important that you take care when doing so as incorrect steps could potentially cause damage to your device or data stored on it. If you’re ever unsure about how best to proceed with unlocking your external hard drive, contact an IT specialist for further assistance.

How to Unlock Your External Hard Drive on Mac? 1

Unlocking an External Hard Drive

Unlocking an external hard drive can be done in a few simple steps. First, you’ll need to connect the drive to your computer via a USB cable. Once it is connected, open your system’s “Disk Management” feature to locate the drive. You should see the external hard drive listed as an unallocated or locked volume. Right-click on the drive and select “Change Drive Letter and Paths,” then click “Add.” In the next window, assign a new letter to the external device and click “OK” to save your changes. This should unlock the device and make it available for use on your computer.

unlock external hard drive mac
Source: storables.com

Unlocking a Read-Only External Hard Drive on a Mac

To unlock a read-only external hard drive on a Mac, first, make sure the external hard drive is connected to your Mac. Then open the Finder window and select the drive. Press Command-I to open the Get Info window. At the bottom of the window, click the arrow next to Sharing & Permissions to display permissions. Click on the Privilege menu next to your username and choose Read & Write. Finally, close the Get Info window and your external hard drive should now be unlocked and ready for use.

Unlocking a Seagate External Hard Drive on a Mac

To unlock your Seagate external hard drive on a Mac, you can use the Seagate Toolkit. First, connect your drive to your Mac and open the Seagate Toolkit. Then click ‘Seagate Secure’ on the main menu, and select ‘Unlock’. You will be prompted to enter your password – once you’ve done that, click ‘Continue’ to unlock your drive. Your data should now be accessible!

Enabling a Disabled External Hard Drive on a Mac

In order to enable a disabled external hard drive on Mac, you need to make sure that the Sharing & Permissions section is unlocked. To do so, select the disk, then choose File > Get Info. Click the arrow next to Sharing & Permissions to expand that section. If the lock at the bottom right is locked, click it to unlock the permissions. Once it is unlocked, you should be able to access and modify your external hard drive.

Conclusion

In conclusion, external hard drives are a great way to store and access large amounts of data. They offer an easy solution for backing up important files, as well as providing a portable means of transferring data between computers. With the right security measures in place, such as disk encryption or password protection, external hard drives can also be used to ensure data privacy and security. Overall, external hard drives are a convenient and reliable way to store data for both personal and business use.

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Sanjeev Singh

Sanjeev is the tech editor at DeviceMAG. He has a keen interest in all things technology, and loves to write about the latest developments in the industry. He has a passion for quality-focused journalism and believes in using technology to make people's lives better. He has worked in the tech industry for over 15 years, and has written for some of the biggest tech blogs in the world. Sanjeev is also an avid photographer and loves spending time with his family.