how to force format external hard drive mac

Set the 'Name' of the device, if you so wish. If you're planning to use the drive with your Mac only, then choose 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled).' If you plan to use your drive with both Windows and a Mac as well, then opt for 'MS DOS (FAT).'ĥ. Click on the 'Format' drop-down menu and select the format you wish to go for. Click on the disk you wish to erase / format, and then click on the 'Erase' tab on the top right hand side.Ĥ. With your USB or hard drive connected to your Mac, you'll see your disk on the left hand side of Disk Utility.ģ. In order to do this, simply bring up Spotlight search using the Command + Spacebar key combination and type in 'Disk Utility.'Ģ. First of all, you need to launch the 'Disk Utility' app on your Mac. To be sure you have set the top level, click the right-pointing arrow. Make sure you dont select the lower level of your external drive, as this will cause formatting issues.

Erase, Change Format Of USB / External Hard Drive In Mac OS Xġ. In the left pop-up window, your external hard drive should appear listed under your Macs internal drive under 'External.' Click on the first level of your external drive. But don't fret, we're here to help and we will thoroughly guide you through the process, making sure you get everything right in the first go. Here's how you can erase and change format of an external hard drive or USB stick on Mac OS X.Ĭompletely erasing a disk drive / formatting it is a rather easy task to pull off on OS X, but for a lot of users, it can be a rather daunting routine to follow.

How to force format external hard drive mac