Unable to Copy Files from Mac to External Hard Drive: How to Fix It?

There are various reasons why you might encounter difficulties copying files to an external hard drive from your Mac. Common issues include a faulty connection, incorrect disk formatting, restrictive permissions, insufficient storage space, or software malfunctions on either your Mac or the external drive. These problems can interrupt your file transfer process.

1. Verify disk connections

If your Mac fails to recognize the external hard drive or shows errors during file transfer, the problem could be due to a loose or defective connection. We suggest ensuring the drive is firmly connected to your MacBook or computer port.

2. Check available space on the external hard drive

In addition to connection issues, insufficient storage space is another frequent cause of file transfer problems. We recommend checking the available space on your drive to ensure there's enough room for larger files.

3. Examine permissions on the external hard drive

Our team has observed that incorrect permission settings can prevent your Mac from accessing your external drive. If the disk is set to read-only, we advise adjusting the drive permissions before attempting to copy or move files to your USB.

How to resolve the 'unable to copy files to external hard drive from Mac' issue

If you're unable to copy files from your Mac to an external hard drive, here are some steps you can take:

1. Clear space on the external hard drive.
2. Restart your Mac.
3. Examine the file system format of the external hard drive.
4. Update your Mac.
5. Execute First Aid to repair the drive.
6. Reformat the external hard drive (if needed).
7. Explore alternative file transfer methods.

1. Clear space on the external hard drive

One common issue that prevents you from downloading new files to your hard drive is that it's full. Our first suggestion is to check its storage and delete any large or hidden files before proceeding.

Here's how to check and clear space on your external hard drive:

1. Click on the Apple Icon and select About This Mac.
2. Click More Info…
3. Navigate to the Storage tab.
4. Locate your external hard drive to view its available storage.
5. If it's full, open your hard drive in Finder and remove any unnecessary files.

2. Restart your Mac

Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve hard drive issues—restarting can initiate new system processes and eliminate temporary glitches that may be hindering file transfers.

Here's how we suggest safely restarting your Mac:

1. In Finder, navigate to Locations and find your external hard drive.
2. Right-click and select Eject.
3. Click the Apple Icon and choose Restart.
4. After your Mac restarts, reconnect your external drive.

3. Check the file system format of the external hard drive

If there's ample space but you're still unable to copy files from your Mac to an external hard drive, the issue might be related to the file system format. Our team has noted that some formats, like NTFS, are read-only on macOS, thus limiting your options.

To address this, follow our steps to check and reformat your external drive:

1. In Finder, go to Applications > Utilities.
2. Launch Disk Utility.
3. Select your external drive.
4. Check the right panel to see the listed system format (NTFS, exFAT, APFS, FAT32).
5. If it's NTFS, consider reformatting to exFAT or FAT32 for full Mac compatibility.

4. Update your Mac

Surprisingly, an outdated macOS version can interfere with compatibility, causing issues with file readability and transfer. We recommend ensuring your software is up-to-date before attempting to move files to your USB.

Here's how to check and update your Mac:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Go to the General Tab > Time Machine to first create a backup of your files.
3. Then, navigate back to General > Software Update.
4. If an update is available, click Upgrade Now.

5. Run First Aid to repair the drive

Still struggling to transfer files from your MacBook to your external drive? We recommend checking for any errors that might be impacting performance. In our experience, running First Aid is the most effective way to verify if your drive is functioning properly.

Here's how to run First Aid to repair your external drive:

1. In Finder, go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utilities.
2. Select your external drive.
3. Click First Aid and then Run.
4. Once the process finishes, Disk Utility will inform you of any errors it fixed.

6. Reformat the external hard drive (if necessary)

If you need to reformat your external hard drive, proceed with caution, as this will erase all your existing data. If reformatting is necessary, we'll guide you through it, but ensure you have a backup of your data first.

After backing up, here's how to reformat an external hard drive:

1. Open Disk Utility.
2. Choose your external drive.
3. Click the Erase button at the top.
4. Select a format like exFAT or APFS (recommended for macOS).
5. Click Erase again to complete the reformatting.

7. Use other file transfer methods

If you're still unable to copy files from your Mac to an external hard drive, consider using alternative methods like AirDrop or Cloud Storage. We've found that wireless transfers can be more reliable than using USBs or third-party NTFS drivers.

Alternative ways to transfer files:

• AirDrop enables wireless file transfers between Apple devices.
• Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox are great cloud storage options that allow you to upload files and download them to your chosen drive.

Resolving USB file transfer issues with MacKeeper’s assistance

We've provided our tips to help you prepare your Mac for transferring large files to an external drive, including solutions for common issues like incorrect permissions or insufficient disk space.

For additional support, you can access MacKeeper’s Premium Services to live chat with one of our team members. They'll assist you in diagnosing and resolving any privacy errors or storage limitations that might be preventing file transfers to your external drive.

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