For most external hard drives, a “factory reset” means erasing and reformatting the drive with Windows or macOS. Back up anything you want to keep first: erasing deletes the drive’s contents. If you mean removing a manufacturer’s password or security configuration, ordinary formatting may not do that; use the maker’s instructions for your exact model.
Before you reset the drive
- Back up files you need. Copy them to a different storage device or another safe location. Apple warns that erasing a storage device deletes everything on it, and WD describes formatting as destructive and irreversible. Apple’s erase guidance and WD’s format instructions explain the risks.
- Identify the correct drive. Check its name and capacity in the disk utility before erasing. Selecting the wrong disk can delete the wrong files.
- Choose the right kind of reset. Reformatting is appropriate for routine reuse or changing file systems. If you need to remove a proprietary password or security configuration, check the drive maker’s instructions; a regular format is not a universal hardware-security reset.
Choose a file system for the computers you use
The format determines which operating systems can read and write the drive. WD lists these compatibility options:
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| Format | Windows | macOS | Practical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| exFAT | Read and write | Read and write | Useful when sharing files between Windows and Mac. |
| NTFS | Read and write | Read-only | Suitable when Windows is the main destination; macOS can read but not write to it under WD’s compatibility guidance. |
| APFS | Not stated by WD | Read and write | A Mac-compatible choice. |
| HFS+ | Not stated by WD | Read and write | A Mac-compatible choice. |
These compatibility notes are from WD’s external-drive formatting guide; they are not a guarantee that every device or configuration supports every format. Formatting erases existing data, so choose based on the computers that need to use the drive.
Format an external drive in Windows
- Connect the external drive and open File Explorer.
- Select This PC and locate the external drive.
- Right-click the drive and choose Format.
- Choose a file system. Use exFAT for read/write access on both Windows and macOS according to WD, or NTFS if Windows use is the priority and Mac write access is not needed.
- Click Start, then confirm the warning to begin formatting.
WD recommends NTFS in its instructions, but its compatibility notes say macOS is read-only for NTFS. Pick the format for your actual use rather than following that recommendation automatically. See WD’s Windows and macOS formatting steps.
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Erase and reformat an external drive on Mac
- Open Disk Utility.
- In the menu bar, choose View > Show All Devices.
- Select the external drive in the sidebar. To change its partition scheme, select the physical device at the top of the hierarchy, not just a volume beneath it.
- Click Erase, enter a name, then choose a scheme and format.
- If available, choose GUID Partition Map as the scheme, as Apple’s guide specifies. Choose a format for the computers that will use the drive; exFAT is listed by WD as read/write on both Windows and macOS, while APFS and HFS+ are listed as read/write on macOS.
- Click Erase and then Done.
If the Scheme menu is unavailable, Apple says to select the device at the top of the sidebar hierarchy. Erasing deletes the selected device’s contents. Follow Apple’s Disk Utility erase steps and review WD’s format compatibility notes.
When a drive has Seagate Secure
Some supported Seagate Secure drives have a separate security reset in Toolkit. It is not a general step for external drives, and you should verify that your exact product supports the feature before proceeding.
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- Open Toolkit and select the Seagate Secure activity.
- Choose Factory Reset and confirm.
- Enter the drive’s 32-character PSID, then continue through the system authorization prompt.
Seagate says Factory Reset erases all data and removes security settings, including the password. The PSID may be on the original insert or drive enclosure; certain LaCie models place it under the protective bumper, and a QR code may be available if it is not printed. Seagate’s Toolkit manual also describes Crypto Erase, which deletes data but retains security settings and the password. These two operations have different outcomes.
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Do not assume that a routine format makes old data unrecoverable. Apple says Disk Utility’s secure-erase options are available only for some storage devices; if the option is unavailable, Disk Utility cannot perform a secure erase on that device. Apple also says those options are unavailable for SSDs in Disk Utility and suggests enabling FileVault when starting to use an SSD. That guidance is not a universal sanitization guarantee for every external SSD. For sensitive data or disposal, consult the current instructions for the exact drive model and use a supported manufacturer sanitization method if available. See Apple’s Disk Utility guidance.
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- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
If the reset does not work
The available Windows and Mac instructions describe formatting a detected drive; they do not establish a universal fix for an external drive that is missing, password-locked, or failing. If the drive is not listed, stop before selecting another disk and consult the manufacturer’s current troubleshooting instructions for the exact model and operating system. For a security lock, use the product-specific security procedure rather than assuming a format will remove it.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
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