Summary: Here is how to fix Seagate Backup Plus drive not recognized/detected/showing up on Mac computewer and how to recover data from unrecognizable Seagate Backup Plus drive with iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery.
By Katrina | Posted to Mac Data Recovery, updated on March 15th, 2019 |
I use a Seagate 2TB Backup Plus Portable HD as my Time Machine backups drive and it had been working fine. Since I upgrade to Yosemite (may be coincidental?) the HD is no longer recognized by my MacBook Pro. I can see the light on HD so I am sure it is getting power. I searched for all day but no Seagate firmware update available (attempt to update shows it to be current) and no other help available from Seagate 'support.' Can anybody help me cuz I'm really in need of the files on this drive.
- Post from Apple Communities Dvd maker for macbook.
Shop for seagate external hard drive for mac at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Looking for easy, on the go storage? Seagate Backup Plus Portable for Mac offers just that with 4TB of huge capacity. The perfect compliment to personal aesthetic, this portable external hard drive features a minimalist metal enclosure and easy USB 3.0 connectivity.
Seagate Backup Plus drive is a popular external hard drive that has many cool features. However, there are times when you plug in Seagate Backup Plus drive but it isn't showing up on your Mac computer or you can't access data on it at all. Actually, it's a common issue that people discussed in Apple Community – the Seagate Backup Plus drive is not recognized or detected, and sometimes the external hard drive even greyed out in Disk Utility. The reason for this could be various and this page will illustrate the possible causes behind this problem briefly along with the solutions.
The causes for Seagate Backup Plus Portable drive not detected issue could be:
• A recent macOS update
• Faulty connection such as wobbly USB port and broken cable
• File system corruption in this Seagate Backup Plus drive
• Virus infection
• External drive hardware errors
• Other unknown reasons
• A recent macOS update
• Faulty connection such as wobbly USB port and broken cable
• File system corruption in this Seagate Backup Plus drive
• Virus infection
• External drive hardware errors
• Other unknown reasons
Then how can you fix the problem that Seagate Backup Plus Drive is recognized/detected/showing up on Mac?
- Table of contents
- 1. Have some basic checks
- 2. Show Seagate Backup Plus drive in Finder or on desktop
- 3. Check whether Seagate Backup Plus drive can be found in Disk Utility
First of all: Have some basic checks
Once your Seagate Backup Plus drive is not recognized on your Mac computer, you can try some routine checks first.
1. Re-plug the Seagate Backup Plus drive and check if it is connected properly.
2. Try a different USB port or cable to see whether the USB port or cable is bad.
3. Connect Seagate Backup Plus drive to another Mac or PC and see if it is compatible with.
All checks seem to be OK? Then you can fix this issue with the following solutions one by one.
Show Seagate Backup Plus drive in Finder or on desktop
For many Mac users, when they say Seagate Backup Plus drive is not showing up, they mean their drives can't show up in Finder or on the desktop. In this case, you can try to show your external drives through resetting Finder Preferences.
Step 1: Go to Finder >Preferences > Sidebar.
Step 2: Tick 'External disks' in Sidebar tab to show external hard drives in Finder.
Step 3: Shift to the General tab.
Step 4: Check 'External disks' under 'Show these items on the desktop' and you’re your connected Seagate Backup Plus drive will appear on the desktop.
Check whether Seagate Backup Plus drive can be found in Disk Utility
After setting 'External disk' to show up in the Finder or on desktop, your Seagate Backup Plus drive is still not showing up on Mac? you maybe need to check whether the Seagate Backup Plus drive can be found in Disk Utility because it really means a lot.
Scenario 1. Seagate Backup Plus drive shows up in Disk Utility
If Seagate Backup Plus drive is listed in Disk Utility, then you can have a relief because it means your drive has no serious hardware problem. And you can follow the below solutions to fix the unrecognizable Seagate Backup Plus drive.
a. Mount Seagate Backup Plus drive
Sometimes, external hard drives cannot be automatically mounted on Mac. But you still have a way to mount Seagate Backup Plus drive manually in Disk Utility:
Step 1: Open Disk Utility.
Step 2: Right click the Seagate Backup Plus drive from the left sidebar and then click the Mount button.
b. Repair Seagate Backup Plus drive via First Aid
If the above method doesn't work, it might refer to some file system errors on the Seagate Backup Plus drive. We should check and verify Seagate Backup Plus drive by First Aid.
![Seagate For Mac Seagate For Mac](/uploads/1/3/3/9/133933110/974228384.jpg)
Step 1: Launch Disk Utility.
Step 2: Choose the grayed-out Seagate Backup Plus drive.
Step 3: Select First Aid in the top center and click Run.
c. Reformat Seagate Backup Plus drive
If First Aid fails to correct errors on Seagate Backup Plus drive, the last choice is to reformat Seagate Backup Plus drive. But reformatting will erase all data stored on Seagate Backup Plus drive. If data stored on the external hard drive are for you and you don't have any backup, you'd better recover data from the unrecognizable Seagate Backup Plus drive at first with Mac data recovery software, like iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery.
Step 1: Recover data from Seagate Backup Plus drive
iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery is afree Mac data recovery software that can recover deleted files from emptied Mac trash, recover data from formatted, inaccessible, corrupted, unmountable, unreadable drive, etc. in macOS 10.15/10.14 Mojave/10.13 High Sierra/10.12 Sierra and Mac OS X 10.11/10.11/10.10/10.9/10.8/10.7.
Tutorial to recover data from Seagate Backup Plus drive drive with iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery
1. Download and install iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery on Mac.
2. Launch iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery.
3. Select the drive you want to recover data from and click 'Next' button to scan for all lost data.
4. Preview the searching results, choose files you need, and click 'Recover' to get them back.
Step 2: Reformat Seagate Backup Plus drive
1. Launch Disk Utility.
2. Select the Seagate Backup Plus drive on the left part of the window.
3. Click the Erase on the top of the Disk Utility window.
4. Complete the related information (name, format, scheme), then click Erase.
Scenario 2: Seagate Backup Plus drive can't show up in Disk Utility
If Seagate Backup Plus drive can't show up in Disk Utility, unfortunately, your Seagate Backup Plus drive may have some physical problems.
a. Try iBoysoft Data Recovery
In some situations, Disk Utility fails to recognize Seagate Backup Plus drive, but it can be recognized by some data recovery software.
b. Send it to a local technician for help
If unfortunately, iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery cannot detect your Seagate Backup Plus drive either, in this case, you'd better send the drive to a local data recovery service and see if they could help.
Still have questions?
You’ve looked at buying a Seagate Backup Plus – Ultra Touch, Slim or Portable. But it says that it works with a Windows PC only.
You’re freaking out.
How can you make this portable external drive workwith your Mac?
The answer is yes. You can.
There are two ways:
- Use a software driver. And you can find out about it in my article here.
- Or Format your Seagate Backup Plus on your Mac.
And in this article I tell you all about it.
You can learn more about Seagate Backup Plus on this site by clicking on the picture above
How to Format your Seagate Backup Plus for Mac
Hold on!
Seagate Ntfs For Mac
Before you jump in and format your Seagate Backup Plus on your Mac or Macbook. Know that formatting deletes all the information on the drive.
If you have documents on the drive either from aWindows PC or from your Mac, copy them off first. Or you will lose them.
1. Turn on your Mac. Log yourself in.
Then plug your USB cable into your Seagate Backup Plus first.
Whether you have an Ultra Touch, Slim or Portable your hard drive is powered by its USB cable.
This means that your Backup Plus takes its power from your iMac or MacBook.
And if you’re low on battery power then plug your Macinto external power.
Put the drive on a stable safe surface before you plugit into your Mac and power it up.
These aren’t rugged drives and it’s better not toknock or shake them while they are working.
Media converters for mac. All the Seagate Backup Plus drives except the Ultra Touch come with USB A plug connections for the end that goes into your Mac.
This is fine if you have 2015 or earlier iMac or MacBook. Later MacBook’s come with USB C (3.1) or Thunderbolt connections.
And if you have a USB C port on your Mac you’ll needan adaptor cable. This adaptor cables changes the USB A end to USB C.
They are easy to get on Amazon. And if you want to stick to the Apple brand then the Apple USB-C to USB Adapter (Commissions Earned) is the one to use. Follow the link to see it on Amazon.
The Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Touch comes with a USB-C adaptor plug. This means that you’ll be able to plug it into an earlier or later Mac and use the adaptor if you need too.
When you’ve connected your Seagate Backup Plus Slim, Ultra Touch or Portable. Its LED light should light and the drive starts up.
2. Look for the Backup Plus external hard drive iconon your desktop.
Don’t see it?
Check your finder window preferences.
Open a new finder window. And then choose to see yourfinder window preferences.
Click the boxes to show ‘Hard Disks’ and ‘ExternalDisks’ on your desktop.
Then you’re Seagate Backup Plus will show up.
3. Open Disk Utility.
Seagate External Hard Drive For Mac
Disk Utility is the software on your Mac that willchange your Seagate Backup Plus’ drive format.
You can find Disk Utility by doing a spotlight search.
The spotlight search magnifying glass is at the top ofyour desktop screen. Click on it there.
Then type in Disk Utility.
Double click on Disk Utility
4. The left side of the Disk Utility window shows you all the drives you have connected to your Mac.
Both the Internal and External drives. Your Seagate Backup Plus drive is listed under the External Drives List.
If for some reason its not there take a look at my FAQquestions at the end of this article.
Click on your Seagate Backup Plus in the External drives list. The little arrow head to the left of your drive name will open up the different levels.
Take care to click at the top level.
The level the yellow arrow in the picture points at.
The formatting won’t work if you click on the drive atthe wrong level.
Your Disk Utility window not showing you the drivelevels?
Look to the top left of your Disk Utility pop upwindow. Click to open up the view options.
Then select to show all devices. That will show the drive and the volume.
5. Then take a look at the top of the Disk Utilitywindow and click on Erase.
Concerned about clicking on Erase?
Don’t worry. Erase is the Mac’s way of reformattingyour Seagate Backup Drive. Nothingactually happens until you fill in some information on the next screen.
Seagate For Mac Windows Driver
6. The next window is where you set up how you wouldlike your Seagate Backup Plus formatted.
The first thing for you to do on this window is giveyour Seagate Backup Plus external drive a name.
It’s best to have a name that makes it easy for you tofind the Backup Plus on your desktop. Or a name that tells you what you’re usingthis hard drive for.
Once you have typed in the name. Next set the format.Click on the up, down arrows to pick a format.
You choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) if you plan toonly use the Backup Plus on your Mac.
And you want to copy and paste your documents to theSeagate drive.
This is the format you choose when you want yourSeagate Backup Plus for Time Machine backups on your Mac.
If you’re planning to share the Seagate Backup Pluswith a Windows PC choose ExFAT.
ExFAT is the file system format both iMac or Macbookand a Windows PC can understand and use.
But Time Machine can’t use an ExFat formatted Seagate Backup Plus drive for backup.
7. Check the Scheme says GUID Partition Map.
And then Click on Erase to begin your Backup Plusformatting.
Formatting only takes a few minutes. You’ll besurprised how quickly it finishes.
Formatting takes a little longer on a larger SeagateBackup Plus drive.
When your Backup Plus drive formatting finishes youcan get rid of the Disk Utility window.
8. Your Seagate Backup Plus will be on your desktop.
As an external hard drive icon with the name you gave it.
Now you can use the drive. Want some pointers on how?
Have a look at my article all about how to use your Seagate Backup Plus at this link.
When You’re finished Formatting or Using Your SeagateBackup Plus
When you’re done with your Seagate drive be sure toeject the drive. Do this before unplugging your USB cable out from your Mac.
While you’re busy copying and pasting files to yourBackup Plus. Or just using the drive day to day your Mac keeps some informationfor your drive in memory. By ejectingyou tell your Mac to write anything it is holding in memory down to yourSeagate Backup Plus. Closing everything off nicely.
If you forget to do this you risk ruining theinformation on your drive.
You do this by right clicking on your Seagate BackupPlus on your desktop.
And choosing Eject from the Menu.
Wait till the drive icon has disappeared from yourdesktop. And the light stops flashing on your Backup Plus drive.
Then you can plug out your USB cable and put yourSeagate Backup Plus Drive away.
And now you’re done. You have found out how to formatyour Seagate Backup Plus in 8 easy steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Format Seagate Backup Plus – Why Would You?
Seagate Technology sells a few portable hard drives with the Backup Plus name. The Seagate Backup Plus Slim and the Seagate Backup Plus Portable were sold with a HFS+ option.
HFS+ is the file system a Mac uses.
The Seagate Backup Plus Slim now come in an ExFAT format. You’d reformat if you wanted to use the drive for a Time Machine backup.
You’ll find that the Backup Plus Ultra Touch and Backup Plus Portable are NTFS formatted.
When you’ve an NTFS formatted Seagate Backup Plus. Andyou want to use it on your iMac or Macbook Pro without a special driver.
Or lift the restriction of ‘Read Only’. So you can write to this drive or update the files on there.
You use the format steps above to change a NTFS orExFAT Backup Plus to the format you want. Adobe flash player for mac chrome.
When do you Format Seagate Backup Plus for a Mac?
When your Seagate Backup Plus has an ExFAT or NTFS file system on it and you want to change to HFS+
When you want to wipe the Backup Plus drive clear ofeverything on it.
When you want to change an NTFS file system to ExFAT so that you can share your Backup Plus between a Mac and a PC. Having an ExFAT file system allows you swap your Backup Plus drive between a Mac and a Windows PC.
I Don’t Understand, What is NTFS Format on a SeagateBackup Plus
NTFS describes the Seagate Backup Plus portable’s layout. This layout is called a file system. And it’s how a Windows PC understands what’s written on and to the Backup Plus drive.
NTFS is a file system your Mac can read. You can copyfiles off your Backup Plus onto your Mac. But you can’t update any of the fileson the drive.
Your Mac sees a Seagate Backup Plus as read only.
Recipe for baked mac and cheese with velveeta. And you can’t use a NTFS Backup Plus as a place tostore your Time Machine backups.
Luckily, you’re not stuck with that file systemforever.
You can change it. And formatting it is a way you canput on a file system your Mac can read and write to.
Help! My Seagate Backup Plus Doesn’t Appear on theDesktop or in Disk Utility.
There are a few answers to this. One of these will bethe issue.
1. You may have a problem with the USB software on the USB port you’re using on your Mac. Try plugging into another port.
2. The previous device you had on that USB port may not have ejected properly.
A restart of your Mac will reset the software driveron your Mac’s USB port.
3. You might have a broken USB cable. Try a USB cable you know works.
4. Put your Backup Plus on a Windows PC to see if you can see it there. It may respond to be being formatted on a Windows PC and then your Mac can see the drive.
5. You may be unlucky and have a corrupted Seagate Backup Plus drive.
How Do I Password Protect or Encrypt the Files on MySeagate Backup Plus
When you format your Seagate Backup Plus you canchoose to set up a password. You can do this as well as encrypting yourportable.
You do this by clicking on the Security option. It’s onthe Disk Utility window where you put in the settings for your formatting.
Watch Out!
You’ll find this software feature very secure on aMac.
Even the FBI has problems accessing Mac data that hasbeen secured.
If you lose your password you will have a sad face fora very long time.
Last Words
I hope you enjoyed my article How to Format SeagateBackup Plus for Mac Help! Don’t Freak Out.
And you stopped freaking out and you’refeeling nice and calm about it. So calm you’re going to do it on the SeagateBackup Plus you have. Go on I dare you.
In no time you’ll have your Seagate BackupPlus working on your own Mac.