Read only on New Mac

WD External and Portable SSD External SSD for macOS
1

My external hard drives are read only and I cannot copy any new files on my new Mac. I tried changing permissions on the old computer but I still can’t add files to the hard drive on my new Mac

2

I have the same problem.
There’re four APFS options. Is one for read and write permission?

3

Apple Support over a call partitioned 1TB of 2TB on the EHD and now I’m able copy items over to that freed up space/memory.

5

Your external drives are read-only on your new Mac. Here’s why:

Possible Reasons:

  • Windows format (NTFS): Macs can’t write to NTFS drives.
  • Incorrect permissions: You might lack permission to write to the drives.
  • Other issues: Drive corruption or software conflicts could be at play.

Solutions:

  1. Check format: In Disk Utility, see if the format is NTFS. If so, reformatting (erases data) to a Mac format is needed.
  2. Repair Permissions: If the format is Mac-compatible, repair disk permissions in Disk Utility.
  3. Advanced options: Consider resetting SMC/NVRAM, disabling conflicting software, or seeking professional help if needed.

Remember: Reformatting erases data. Back up crucial information before proceeding.

6

External hard drives formatted with NTFS are read-only on macOS by default. If your external drives are NTFS formatted, macOS can only read them, but not write to them. To fix this, you can either reformat the drives to a macOS-compatible format like APFS or exFAT, or you can use third-party software to make write support for NTFS drives.

7

If I reformat the drive to macOS-compatible format, will it erase all its currently held data? (the irony that I cannot move it to back it up anywhere else :slight_smile: )

and if so, what is the third party option (in non-IT person speak)

8

Yes, reformatting a drive to macOS-compatible format will erase all its currently held data. Try getting a Mac Recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery or Recoverit. These tools works better on Mac and support all Mac devices.

10

You can try the following steps to resolve the issue:

  1. Reconnect your external hard drive:
    Eject the external hard drive, restart your Mac, and then reconnect it slowly and securely to the USB port.
  2. Check the file system of the external drive:
    Go to Launchpad > Others, open Disk Utility, and select your external hard drive from the left pane.

Scenario 1:
If your external hard drive is formatted as FAT32, exFAT, APFS, or Mac OS Extended, you may be able to fix the read-only issue caused by internal errors by running Disk Utility First Aid. Check if the problem persists after this.

Scenario 2:
If your external hard drive is formatted with the NTFS file system, you will see “Windows NT File System” under the drive’s name. Since macOS only supports reading from NTFS drives, not writing to them, you won’t be able to modify the drive.

You can transfer your files to your Mac and then reformat the drive to a macOS-compatible file system like APFS or Mac OS Extended (Note: reformatting will erase all data, so be sure to back up).

Alternatively, you can use third-party software to enable full read/write access to NTFS drives on macOS, preventing the need for reformatting. For a detailed guide, you may refer to: How to Fix USB Drive is Read Only on Mac Error?

11

This usually happens if the drive is formatted in NTFS, which macOS can read but not write to by default. Here’s what u can try:

Check drive format
Go to Disk Utility > Select the drive > check at the bottom if it says Windows NT File System (NTFS).

If it’s NTFS, u can try this:

    • Open Disk Utility
    • Select the external drive
    • Click Erase
    • Choose format: exFAT
    • Done (:warning: this wipes all data!)

Hope that helps to fix the external drive read-only on a Mac! It’s essential to back up your files or pick reliable Mac data recovery software to avoid data loss.