How to See USB Devices on Mac

Why USB device may not show up on macOS

There are many reasons why you can’t see USB devices on Mac. We find this issue commonly occurs when users try to connect a USB storage device that was first used on another operating system, such as Windows or Linux, and uses a format that macOS doesn’t recognize, like ext4.

Alternatively, it may be that the device you’ve connected requires a piece of software to be installed before your computer can recognize it, or that your device is refusing to mount for whatever reason. We’ve also found USB not showing up on Mac as a result of a virus or malware.

A note from our experts: 

 

It’s not always obvious when a Mac is infected by a virus. However, if you start noticing odd behavior, like USB devices not showing up, a sudden drop in system performance, or more frequent crashes, you should scan your laptop and remove any threats as soon as possible using MacKeeper’s Antivirus.

 

Here’s how:

1. Download and install MacKeeper.
2. Click Antivirus in the MacKeeper sidebar, then choose Start Scan.
3. Select any threats that are found, then click Move to Quarantine.
4. Click the Restart button when prompted.
5. When MacKeeper reopens, select Delete to remove all viruses.

How to find USB on Mac

When you find USB accessories disabled on Mac, there are several steps you can take to find them, such as:

• Check USB connections on Mac to ensure devices are plugged in properly.
• Open Finder to see if your USB device appears in the sidebar.
• Use Disk Utility to mount external storage drives.

If you still can’t see your external device, it’s possible the USB port isn’t working on your Mac. Try connecting your device via a different port, then use these solutions to find USB on Mac:

1. Check USB devices via Finder: We can see a list of devices connected to a MacBook in the Finder sidebar.
2. Using Disk Utility to view USB devices: We’ve found the easiest way to mount an external storage device on Mac is by using Disk Utility.
3. See USB devices via Terminal: It may be that your Mac can’t detect a USB device you’ve connected; our advice is to use Terminal to see if that’s the case.
4. Use third-party tools to show USB devices: Your USB device may require a special piece of software or tool before your Mac will recognize it.

1. Check USB devices via Finder

By far the easiest way to view USB on Mac is in Finder. Try this:

1. Open the Finder app and look for your USB device in the sidebar under Locations.
2. If your device isn’t appearing, go to Finder > Settings in the menu bar.
3. Select the Sidebar tab.
4. Under Locations, enable Hard disks, External disks, and any other devices you might use.

A hint from us: 

 

You should now be able to see your USB device in Finder. Our readers often ask if it’s possible to access USB devices via Mac Control Center. Unfortunately, there’s no way to view external peripherals there, but the Finder method above is just as fast.

2. Using Disk Utility to view USB devices

If the USB device you want to use on your MacBook is a storage drive, we suggest using Disk Utility to mount and manage it, like so:

1. Open Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities in Finder.
2. Look for your USB drive under External in the Disk Utility sidebar.
3. If you don’t see it, go to View > Show All Devices in the menu bar.
4. Now select your drive in the Disk Utility sidebar and click the Mount button.

Once your drive is mounted, you can manage and repair it in Disk Utility, or access your files via Finder.

3. See USB devices via Terminal

If you’ve tried the solutions above and your USB device still isn’t showing up, it’s time to confirm whether or not your Mac is even recognizing it. We can do this with Terminal by following these steps:

1. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities in Finder.
2. Enter system_profiler SPUSBDataType, then press return to list all USB devices.

Now see if your USB device appears in the list. If it doesn’t, there’s likely a problem with either your Mac’s USB port, the cable you’re using, or the USB device itself. We always recommend a system restart first just to rule out macOS glitches, but then it’s time to check for hardware failures.

4. Use third-party tools to show USB devices

There may be times when you need to use third-party tools to show USB devices on Mac. For instance, some specialized accessories come with accompanying software that must be installed before macOS can communicate with them. Or if you’re trying to connect a storage drive first used on another OS, you may need an app that allows macOS to read the drive format.

Alternatively, you can use third-party tools like iStat Menus or USB Prober just to see the USB accessories connected to your MacBook.

Conclusion

When you need to see a USB device on Mac, first try looking for it in the Finder sidebar, or mounting it in Disk Utility if it’s an external storage device. If that doesn’t work, use Terminal to check your Mac recognizes the accessory, and try third-party tools that reveal all USB devices.

If none of these fixes let you use USB peripherals on Mac, you may have a virus that is stopping macOS from functioning correctly. Use MacKeeper’s Antivirus to safely remove dangerous viruses, malware, and other threats as soon as possible.