Can't view photos on your external hard drive? Start here

Why you can't view photos on an external hard drive

Can't see your pictures on your external hard drive? If the drive doesn't appear, check the cable, port and power, then look for it in Disk Utility (Mac) or Disk Management (Windows). If it appears but photos won't open, check the format, file type and permissions. Never format, erase or initialize a drive holding your only copies. Each one wipes it.

Fix 1: Check the drive shows up

Trying to view pictures on a Seagate external hard drive, or one from WD, SanDisk or LaCie? These steps are the same whatever the brand.

Start with the hardware. Microsoft's troubleshooting guide says cables fail often, so try another one, and use a port directly on the computer. Some USB ports don't supply enough power for a disk, and Microsoft says that's especially common with hubs. If the drive has a power adapter, check it's plugged in and on.

On a Mac: Disk Utility

Open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities) and choose View > Show All Devices. Drive in the sidebar? Select it and run First Aid, which checks for errors; Apple recommends a current backup first. Not listed? Apple says to shut down, unplug other devices you don't need, try again, and check the drive's cable, connections and power.

On Windows: Disk Management

Microsoft's route: search the taskbar for Computer Management, run it as administrator, then open Storage > Disk Management. Replug the drive and choose Action > Rescan Disks. Then read its status:

• Offline. Right-click the disk and choose Online.
• Healthy, but no drive letter. Add a drive letter by hand; Microsoft's guide links to the steps.
• Not Initialized, RAW or Unallocated. Stop. Microsoft's fixes here are for disks you know are empty, and it warns that formatting erases all data. If the drive came from a Mac, try a Mac first.

Fix 2: Check the format

A healthy drive can still refuse to open on a device that doesn't read its format (file system). On a Mac, select the drive in the Finder and choose File > Get Info to see the Format line. On Windows, Disk Management lists each partition's file system.

Apple also requires a single data partition for iPhone and iPad. In the Files app, tap Browse, then the drive's name under Locations (tap Browse again if Locations is hidden).

One drive for a Mac, a PC and an iPhone

For a drive shared between a Mac and a Windows PC, Apple suggests exFAT (or MS-DOS (FAT) at 32 GB or less). Apple's iPhone and iPad list includes exFAT too, so it covers all three. On Android, check your phone maker's instructions. Reformatting erases the drive, so copy the photos to a second drive first.

Fix 3: Check the file type

External hard drive not showing photos, even though the folders open? Check the file extension.

HEIC photos

Apple calls HEIC the default image format for Apple devices. On Windows, Microsoft's Store listing says the HEIF Image Extension lets Windows read HEIF files, and the HEVC Video Extensions must also be installed to view .heic images.

RAW files

RAW support depends on the camera. Microsoft's Raw Image Extension (Windows 10 version 1903 or later) adds viewing for many cameras' RAW files in File Explorer and Photos. On a Mac, Apple publishes the list of cameras whose RAW files macOS supports. Camera not on the list? Use the maker's software or a RAW editor that supports it.

If you'll catalog the drive with CachePix

CachePix catalogs JPEG, PNG, WebP and 15 RAW formats, including CR3, NEF, ARW and DNG. HEIC and TIFF photos are cataloged and searchable, and previews for them are coming. Video isn't supported.

• JPEG
• PNG
• WebP
• 15 RAW formats
• HEIC and TIFF: cataloged and searchable, no preview yet
• No video

Fix 4: Look for a Mac Photos library

One item named Photos Library instead of folders? That's likely a library from Photos for Mac, which can keep its library on an external drive. Apple says an external drive used for a Photos library must be formatted APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). To open the library, follow Apple's steps:

1. Connect the drive and turn it on before you open Photos.
2. Quit Photos if it's open, then hold the Option key while you open it.
3. Select the library on the drive and click Choose Library.

Empty library? According to Apple, if Photos can't find the external drive holding a library, it stops using the library stored there and creates a new, empty library in its default location. Reconnect the drive and switch back with the Option key.

To use the photos on a PC, a phone or in another app, export them. Apple's guide says to select them in Photos, then choose File > Export > Export [number] Photos (JPEG, HEIC, TIFF or PNG) or File > Export > Export Unmodified Original.

Fix 5: Check permissions

On a Mac

When macOS asks whether an app can use external or removable storage, click Allow. To change an earlier answer, Apple points to System Settings > General > Storage. Privacy & Security > Files & Folders also sets each app's access by location; Apple's security guide lists removable volumes among them.

Can you open photos but not save to the drive? Apple suggests File > Get Info, then turning on Ignore ownership on this volume under Sharing & Permissions.

On Windows

File Explorer may say "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" and offer Continue. Microsoft explains that if Windows can get administrator rights, Continue changes the permissions on that folder, its subfolders and its files to give your account access. The dialog calls the change permanent, so use it only on your own drive.

Fix 6: Power for phones and tablets

External drive not working on your iPhone? You can connect an iPhone or iPad to an external hard drive and open it in the Files app, but Apple says external hard drives often need an external power source. Watch for drives that don't supply their own power (bus-powered drives: no adapter, just the cable). Apple's options:

• iPhone with USB-C: connect the drive through a powered USB hub.
• iPad with Thunderbolt or USB 4: a powered USB hub works here too.
• iPhone or iPad with Lightning (including iPhone SE): use the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter with a USB power adapter connected to it.

For an Android phone, check the phone maker's instructions for USB drives and power.

Fix 7: Skip the cable entirely

Once the drive opens on your Mac or PC, stop plugging it into your phone. CachePix is a photo catalog app for Mac and Windows. It catalogs the photos on your drives, then syncs a searchable catalog to free iPhone and Android companion apps. Your photos never go to the cloud.

1. Catalog the drive. In Drives & Folders, choose Catalog a Folder… and pick the drive or a folder on it.
2. Pair your phone. Open Pair Phone…, click Turn On, and scan the QR code with the phone app. The catalog syncs one way, from your computer to your phone, over your local network.
3. Put the drive away. Browse and search on your phone. HD previews download for a capture-date window you choose (1 year by default).

Cataloging never modifies, moves, renames or deletes your files. CachePix writes metadata only when you edit it, and only the fields you changed, as standard XMP in the file or in a sidecar next to RAW files.

Wondering about phone space? See how much space it uses on your phone, measured on a real library, or read the full guide to view external hard drive photos on your phone.

What you need. Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later) on macOS 12 or later. 64-bit Windows (x64). iPhone and iPad on iOS 18 or later. Android 9 or later. Download CachePix.

Keep reading

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