What do I need to use an external hard drive?

Quick Answers

To use an external hard drive, you need:

An external hard drive
A computer with a USB port

A USB cable to connect the hard drive to your computer
An external power source if your hard drive does not get power through USB
A file system on the hard drive (usually FAT32 or exFAT for cross-platform compatibility)

Optionally, formatting software to format the drive if needed

What is an External Hard Drive?

An external hard drive is a type of hard drive that is external to your computer and connected via a USB cable or wireless connection. It provides additional storage space and the ability to back up your data or transfer files between devices.

External hard drives come in different shapes and sizes from portable pocket-sized drives to larger desktop models. They also have different amounts of storage capacity, typically ranging from 500GB to 10TB for desktop models. Portable drives max out around 5TB currently.

Benefits of an External Hard Drive

There are several benefits to using an external hard drive:

Extra storage space: External hard drives provide expanded storage for large files like photos, videos, music libraries, games, and more.
Backups: Store backups of your important files as an extra precaution against data loss.

Privacy: Keep private files separate from your main computer.
Portability: Portable external drives allow you to transfer files between devices and access your data anywhere.
Convenience: Easy plug-and-play functionality – just connect the USB and you’re ready to go.

Types of External Hard Drives

There are primarily two types of external hard drives:

Portable External Hard Drives

These are compact and lightweight drives that are easy to carry around. They are USB powered and do not require a separate power connector. Capacities typically range from 500GB to 5TB.

Desktop External Hard Drives

Desktop drives require a power adapter and are designed to stay in one place. They offer large capacities ranging from 3TB to 10TB, but are bulkier and heavier than portable drives.

What Do I Need to Use an External Hard Drive?

Here are the basic requirements for using an external hard drive with your computer:

1. An External Hard Drive

First and foremost, you need the physical external hard drive itself. There are many brands and models to choose from like Seagate, WD, LaCie, Samsung, etc. Key factors are the storage capacity, form factor (portable vs desktop), and connections provided.

2. Computer with USB Port

Most modern computers have USB ports to connect external hard drives. Common USB port types are:

USB 2.0 – Basic USB port, speeds up to 480 Mbps
USB 3.0 – Faster USB standard, speeds up to 5 Gbps
USB-C – Latest type of USB port, up to 10 Gbps, reversible connector

Thunderbolt 3 – Supports USB and faster transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps

Check that your computer has a compatible USB port before getting a drive. USB-A ports are rectangular in shape while USB-C ports are oval. Thunderbolt 3 uses USB-C connectors.

3. USB Cable

To connect your external drive to your computer, you need a USB cable compatible with your drive and computer’s USB ports. Most external drives come with the required cable. Typical options are:

USB-A to USB-B – For USB 3.0/2.0 hard drives
USB-C to USB-C – For USB-C hard drives and computers
USB-C to USB-A – Can adapt USB-C drive to USB-A port

4. External Power Source (If Required)

Desktop external hard drives need to be plugged into an electrical outlet as they consume more power. Portable drives typically get enough power through their USB connection.

5. File System

The external drive needs to be formatted with a file system to organize data into files and folders. Common file systems are:

FAT32 – Compatible with all operating systems, but has 4GB file size limit

exFAT – Also cross-platform compatible, no file size limit
NTFS – Used by Windows, not readable on Mac by default
HFS+ – Used by macOS, not readable in Windows by default

For wide compatibility, FAT32 or exFAT are recommended. NTFS is best for exclusive Windows use, while HFS+ is solely for Macs.

6. Optional Formatting

If your drive did not come preformatted with a file system, you may need to initialize and format it before you can use it. This can be done using free software tools like Windows Disk Management, macOS Disk Utility, or third-party formatting tools.

Formatting will erase all data on the drive, so only do this on a new or backed up drive.

How to Use an External Hard Drive in Windows

Here are the steps to connect and use a new external hard drive on a Windows PC:

Physically connect the hard drive using the USB cable.
Power on the external drive if it has a separate power input.

Wait for Windows to detect and install the device drivers automatically.
Open File Explorer to find the external hard drive listed under Devices and Drives.
To format it, right-click and choose Format. Pick a file system then start the process.

Once formatted, the drive will be ready to store and access files.
To safely disconnect, eject the drive using the Safely Remove Hardware icon before unplugging it.

If your drive already has a file system, it will show up ready to use instantly without formatting. You can access it like any other disk drive and use it for storage, creating backups, transferring files, etc.

Tips for Using an External Drive on Windows

For best performance, connect to a USB 3.0/3.1 Gen 1 port if available.
Use the Safely Remove Hardware tool before unplugging the drive.
To backup your data automatically, enable File History backup to the external drive.

You can encrypt the drive data for added security through BitLocker.
For network access, map the drive as a network drive within File Explorer.

How to Use an External Hard Drive on Mac

On a Mac, using an external hard drive is very similar:

Connect the drive using the USB cable.
Turn on external power if needed.
The drive should appear on the desktop or in the Finder sidebar under Devices.

To format it, open Disk Utility, select the drive, click Erase, pick a file system, then click Erase.
Once formatted, you can access the drive to store and manage files.
Eject the drive before unplugging it by right-clicking and selecting Eject.

If already formatted, your drive will be ready to use out of the box. You can easily move files by drag and drop or drive utilities like Time Machine for backups.

Tips for Using an External Drive on Mac

Connect to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 port for fastest speeds.
Use Finder to move files by drag and drop for a simple interface.

Enable Time Machine backups to the drive for automated backups.
If using for Time Machine, format the drive as APFS first.
For network access, connect with the Finder Go menu > Connect to Server.

Compatibility Considerations

A major benefit of external drives is that they can be used across platforms with some care around formatting:

exFAT drives work perfectly with both Windows and Mac.
NTFS drives work directly on Windows but need reformatting for Mac.

HFS+ works great on Mac but requires reformat for Windows.
FAT32 works on both but has the 4GB file size limit per file.

Ideally, have one external drive formatted as exFAT if you want to transfer data between Windows and Mac computers.

Additionally, make sure your drive and cable connections match. Some examples:

Drive Connection	Compatible Computer Port
USB-A	USB-A, USB-C with adapter
USB-C	USB-C, USB-A with adapter
Thunderbolt	Thunderbolt, USB-C

While a USB 3.0 drive will work in a USB 2.0 port, the speeds will be limited to USB 2.0 maximum. Always connect to USB 3.0 or USB-C ports when available for much better performance.

Troubleshooting External Hard Drive Issues

External hard drives are convenient but can sometimes run into problems. Here are some common issues and solutions:

External Hard Drive Not Showing Up

Check USB connections – disconnect and reconnect cables.
Try a different USB port, cable, or computer if possible.
Verify if the drive shows up in Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac).

Check if the drive needs external power and is plugged into power.
For older drives, ensure your OS supports the file system.

External Hard Drive Not Recognized

Update your USB and external hard drive drivers.

Try on a different computer to isolate the issue.
Use manufacturer diagnostics or Disk Management for errors.
Contact the hard drive manufacturer for potential drive defects.

External Hard Drive Not Formatting

Close non-essential programs and try formatting again.
Connect the drive to a different USB port directly on the computer.
Check for connection issues by wiggling cable connections.

Try quick format instead of full format which can take much longer.

External Hard Drive Errors

Diagnose the specific error code if displayed.
Run CHKDSK on Windows or First Aid on Mac for drive errors.

Update drivers for USB and external hard drive.
Test with manufacturer diagnostic tools.
Attempt formatting drive or trying a different file system.

External Hard Drive Slow Transfer Speeds

Connect drive to USB 3.0, USB-C, Thunderbolt port for better speeds.
Use a faster drive with higher RPM and better cache.
Format drive with exFAT instead of FAT32 to remove file size limits.

Disable USB power saving settings under Device Manager in Windows.

Conclusion

Using an external hard drive is very easy with the right connections and formatting. Cross-platform drives like exFAT work seamlessly between Windows and Mac. Top uses for external drives are expanded storage, backups, transferring files, and privacy. Carefully eject the drive before removing it to prevent data issues. With large capacities and fast USB 3.0 speeds, external hard drives are convenient for most users’ data needs.