2025 Best External Hard Drives and SSDs for Mac/MacBook

To expand the storage of your Mac, an external hard drive is a practical solution. Additionally, backing up your Mac to an external drive can help protect your data and prevent permanent loss. What is the best external hard drive for Mac? This post provides a list of top options for your reference.

2025 Best External Hard Drives for Mac

Many external hard drives are compatible with Mac and offer reliable performance. Below are some of the best options for Mac users.

1. LaCie Rugged USB-C Portable Hard Drive

This durable external hard drive is built to withstand tough conditions and is compatible with the latest MacBook Pro models. It supports macOS 10.12 or later and Windows 7 or later. It is also Time Machine-compatible for easy Mac backup.

• Capacities: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 5TB
• Starting price: $84.95
• Extras: USB-C cable, 2 years of Rescue Data Recovery Services

2. WD Easystore External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive

This affordable and reliable external hard drive offers:

• Capacities: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 5TB
• Interface: USB 3.0 for fast transfers
• Extras: WD Backup software for automatic backups, hardware encryption

3. Western Digital My Passport for Mac

A popular choice among Mac users, this drive provides:

• Capacities: Up to 5TB
• Compatibility: Comes with both USB-C and USB-A cables
• Extras: Time Machine support, cross-platform use

4. Seagate Ultra Touch HDD

A well-rounded external hard drive with:

• Interfaces: USB-C or USB 3.0
• Capacities: 1TB to 5TB
• Security: Password protection, hardware encryption
• Compatibility: macOS, Windows, ChromeOS

5. Seagate Backup Plus Slim

Known for its slim and lightweight design, this drive includes:

• Capacities: Up to 5TB
• Extras: Seagate Dashboard backup software, USB-C and USB-A compatibility, USB-C adapter included

6. G-Technology G-Drive USB-C External Hard Drive

A high-performance drive tailored for demanding Mac users:

• Capacities: 1TB to 18TB
• Transfer Speed: Up to 560MB/s
• Features: USB-C interface, Time Machine compatibility
• Use Case: Ideal for video editing and other data-heavy tasks

2025 Best External SSDs for Mac

For faster performance, consider one of these top external SSDs.

1. LaCie Rugged SSD Pro External Drive

A rugged and high-speed SSD that utilizes Thunderbolt 3:

• Speed: Up to 5x faster than traditional SATA SSDs
• Durability: IP67 waterproof, 3-meter drop resistance
• Capacities: 1TB, 2TB
• Price: Starting at $299.95
• Extras: 5-year limited warranty, Rescue Data Recovery Services

2. SanDisk Extreme Portable External USB-C NVMe SSD

A great option for MacBook Pro/Air users:

• Capacities: 500GB to 2TB
• Speed: Up to 1050MB/s
• Security: 256-bit AES encryption
• Design: Rugged and water-resistant

3. Samsung T5 SSD

This compact and reliable SSD includes:

• Capacities: 250GB to 2TB
• Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2
• Speed: Up to 540MB/s
• Compatibility: Mac and Windows

4. Western Digital My Passport SSD

This sleek and portable SSD offers:

• Capacities: Up to 4TB
• Speed: Up to 1050MB/s
• Features: USB-C cable included, compact and pocket-friendly
• Compatibility: Mac and Windows

5. G-Technology G-Drive Mobile SSD

This rugged SSD is ideal for on-the-go users:

• Capacities: 500GB to 2TB
• Speed: Up to 1050MB/s
• Extras: USB-C cable, durable build

How to Connect an External Hard Drive to MacBook

Most external hard drives come with a USB or USB-C cable. Simply plug the drive into your Mac’s USB port.

If the drive includes a USB-A cable, you can use a USB-C to USB adapter to connect it to your MacBook Pro or Air.

How to Find and Open an External Hard Drive on Mac

Once connected, the drive should appear on your Mac desktop. Double-click it to open.

If it doesn’t show on the desktop, open the Finder app and look under Devices to locate and access it.

Mount External NTFS Drive Read-Write on Mac

Drives formatted as APFS, HFS+, exFAT, or FAT32 will work on a Mac.

For drives used on both macOS and Windows, exFAT or FAT32 is recommended.

If your drive is NTFS-formatted, macOS can only read it by default. To enable write access, you can use a free NTFS for Mac tool like BuhoNTFS.

With BuhoNTFS, you can read and write NTFS drives on your Mac easily in one click.

Best Mac Cleaner Tool – BuhoCleaner

If your Mac runs slow or frequently freezes, you can clean it up using BuhoCleaner, a professional Mac cleaning tool.

• Remove junk files and free up space
• Uninstall apps completely
• Detect and delete large or duplicate files
• Manage startup items to boost boot speed

Install BuhoCleaner on your Mac and use it to speed up your Mac with ease.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best external hard drive for your Mac depends on your needs—whether it's backup, storage, speed, or portability. Consider storage capacity, performance, durability, and price when choosing. This post introduces top external HDD and SSD options to help you find the right one.