{"id":1845,"date":"2024-06-25T09:44:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T09:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/?p=1845"},"modified":"2024-06-25T09:44:01","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T09:44:01","slug":"external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Change External Hard Drive Read Only on Mac?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There is nothing more annoying than having to deliver a very important file stored on your external hard drive, only to find an error like &#8220;Mac is unable to write to the disk,&#8221; or you\u2019re just not able to save or move the file. Questions like, &#8220;What does that even mean?&#8221; or &#8220;Is my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-data-recovery\/recover-data-from-mac-hard-drive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Mac external hard drive<\/a> read-only?&#8221; can send one into a state of anxiety, especially when a deadline is looming. However, worrying doesn&#8217;t solve the issue. That&#8217;s why, in this article, I will be showing you how to change an external hard drive from read-only on a Mac. Enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac\/#Why_External_Hard_Drive_Read_Only\" title=\"Why External Hard Drive Read Only?\">Why External Hard Drive Read Only?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac\/#How_to_Fix_External_Hard_Drive_Read-only_Issue\" title=\"How to Fix External Hard Drive Read-only Issue\">How to Fix External Hard Drive Read-only Issue<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac\/#Method_1_Reformat_the_External_Hard_Drive_to_Fix_External_Hard_Disk_Read_Only_Mac\" title=\"Method 1: Reformat the External Hard Drive to Fix External Hard Disk Read Only Mac\">Method 1: Reformat the External Hard Drive to Fix External Hard Disk Read Only Mac<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac\/#Method_2_Change_the_Permissions_of_Mac_to_Fix_Hard_Drive_Read-only_Error\" title=\"Method 2: Change the Permissions of Mac to Fix Hard Drive Read-only Error\">Method 2: Change the Permissions of Mac to Fix Hard Drive Read-only Error<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac\/#Method_3_Use_the_Third-party_Apps_to_Access_and_Write_to_NTFS_Drives_on_MacOS\" title=\"Method 3: Use the Third-party Apps to Access and Write to NTFS Drives on MacOS\">Method 3: Use the Third-party Apps to Access and Write to NTFS Drives on MacOS<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/external-hard-drive-read-only-on-mac\/#FAQs_on_External_Hard_Disk_Read_Only_Mac\" title=\"FAQs on External Hard Disk Read Only Mac\">FAQs on External Hard Disk Read Only Mac<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_External_Hard_Drive_Read_Only\"><\/span>Why External Hard Drive Read Only?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you jump to the solution part, have you considered what could cause a situation where your Mac can only read an external hard drive? I mean, it doesn\u2019t just make sense for a hard drive working flawlessly to suddenly start popping up errors like &#8216;you can only read external hard drive Mac&#8217;, don\u2019t you think? That said, here are some of the common causes that could lead to this ordeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table aligncenter\"><table><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Reasons<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Explanations<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\ud83c\udf4f<strong>NTFS File System<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Macs can read but not write to NTFS-formatted drives without third-party software due to Microsoft&#8217;s proprietary design. APFS is the default file system for modern macOS devices, replacing HFS+, and exFAT is compatible with both Windows and macOS.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u274e<strong>Permission Issues<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">External drives might be read-only due to permission settings, particularly if used on different computers.macOS employs ownership and permissions for security. If a drive was formatted or used on another system, macOS might restrict write access due to original permissions.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2757<strong>Formatting Errors or Corruption<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">External hard drives can corrupt from unsafe removal, power failures, or viruses. macOS may mount these drives in read-only mode to protect data from further damage.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2699\ufe0f<strong>System Integrity Protection (SIP)<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">SIP on Mac enhances macOS security by restricting write access to protected system files and folders, even for administrators. This security measure can make external hard drives read-only to safeguard against harmful software.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\ud83d\udd28<strong>Physical Damage or Connection Issues<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">If your external hard drive has incurred physical damage, like a fall or exposure to moisture, it might not work properly. This type of damage could hinder the drive&#8217;s capacity to handle data correctly, leading your Mac to set it in read-only mode.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, with all that being said, how about you finally say goodbye to these annoying external hard disk read-only Mac errors? Yes, you can change the format so these errors can be fixed following the next guide below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Fix_External_Hard_Drive_Read-only_Issue\"><\/span>How to Fix External Hard Drive Read-only Issue<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you try using your external hard drive with a different operating system like switching from Windows to Mac, and now it\u2019s restricting you to read-only access? Below are the methods you can use to solve this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method_1_Reformat_the_External_Hard_Drive_to_Fix_External_Hard_Disk_Read_Only_Mac\"><\/span>Method 1: Reformat the External Hard Drive to Fix External Hard Disk Read Only Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If at any point you formatted your external hard drive with NTFS, a file system primarily used by Windows, then it will appear as read-only on a Mac because macOS by default can only read, not write to NTFS formatted drives. However, you can fix this problem by reformatting the external hard drive, by following the steps below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Before you begin, back up any important data on your external hard drive because formatting will erase everything.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure that your external hard drive is securely connected to your Mac so that no issues arise during formatting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Navigate to Finder, go to Applications, then Utilities, or use Spotlight (Command + Space), type \u201cDisk Utility,\u201d and hit enter to open Disk Utility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"552\" height=\"573\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/type-disk-utility.png\" alt=\"type Disk Utility\" class=\"wp-image-1853\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/type-disk-utility.png 552w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/type-disk-utility-289x300.png 289w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 552px) 100vw, 552px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Disk Utility, select from the list of drives shown there the one you want to format externally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/select-from-the-list-of-drives.png\" alt=\"select from the list of drives\" class=\"wp-image-1855\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/select-from-the-list-of-drives.png 668w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/select-from-the-list-of-drives-300x259.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For access to formatting options, click the Erase button. Choose a name for the disk, select ExFAT if it needs compatibility with both Mac and Windows or APFS\/Mac OS Extended if it\u2019s just for Mac usage. Then set the scheme as GUID Partition Map.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"817\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/usb-flash-memory-media-erase-button.png\" alt=\"usb flash memory media erase button\" class=\"wp-image-1856\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/usb-flash-memory-media-erase-button.png 817w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/usb-flash-memory-media-erase-button-300x204.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/usb-flash-memory-media-erase-button-768x522.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 817px) 100vw, 817px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"722\" height=\"547\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/choose-mac-os-extended.png\" alt=\"choose mac OS extended\" class=\"wp-image-1857\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/choose-mac-os-extended.png 722w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/choose-mac-os-extended-300x227.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 722px) 100vw, 722px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click on the Erase button when done in order to reformat, which wipes out all the data and creates a new file system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"666\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/click-the-erase-button.png\" alt=\"click the erase button\" class=\"wp-image-1858\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/click-the-erase-button.png 666w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/click-the-erase-button-300x243.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 666px) 100vw, 666px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Once you are through with formatting, close Disk Utility. Check whether files can be moved onto it in order to verify proper operation and writability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method_2_Change_the_Permissions_of_Mac_to_Fix_Hard_Drive_Read-only_Error\"><\/span>Method 2: Change the Permissions of Mac to Fix Hard Drive Read-only Error<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your Mac might have specific settings set up for security reasons, which can cause the display of the &#8220;Mac external hard drive read-only&#8221; error. However, changing the permissions on your Mac can easily solve this issue. But why this method? Well, it addresses fundamental macOS settings that control how files and folders can be accessed and modified. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc49Here are the steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Find your external hard drive either on your desktop or in the Finder sidebar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-click the drive icon and choose &#8216;Get Info&#8217; to open a window with more details.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"754\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/get-info-1024x754.png\" alt=\"get info\" class=\"wp-image-1859\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/get-info-1024x754.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/get-info-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/get-info-768x566.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/get-info.png 1047w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Scroll to &#8216;Sharing &amp; Permissions&#8217; at the bottom of the &#8216;Get Info&#8217; window.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click the triangle icon to expand this section if it&#8217;s not already visible. Then, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, and enter your administrator password.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"325\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/enter-password.png\" alt=\"enter password\" class=\"wp-image-1860\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/enter-password.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/enter-password-300x98.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/enter-password-768x250.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the &#8216;Privilege&#8217; column within this section, click on the existing permission setting (usually &#8216;Read only&#8217;). From the drop-down menu that appears, select &#8216;Read &amp; Write&#8217; to modify the access level.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"520\" height=\"562\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/read-only-button-mac.png\" alt=\"read only button on mac\" class=\"wp-image-1861\" style=\"width:350px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/read-only-button-mac.png 520w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/read-only-button-mac-278x300.png 278w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click the lock icon once more to re-lock and save your changes. Close the &#8216;Get Info&#8217; window after making these adjustments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To confirm that you have changed permission settings well, try creating a folder or copying files to the drive. This proves that permission settings have been updated successfully.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method_3_Use_the_Third-party_Apps_to_Access_and_Write_to_NTFS_Drives_on_MacOS\"><\/span>Method 3: Use the Third-party Apps to Access and Write to NTFS Drives on MacOS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When the errors seem undefeatable after using the other methods above, using a third-party app is a method that proves very reliable in this situation. This is because the software often comes with additional tools for disk health monitoring, data protection, and recovery options, which are not typically available in macOS&#8217;s native tools. Some third-party apps that you can use in this situation are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/iboysoft.com\/ntfs-for-mac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\"><strong>iBoysoft NTFS for Mac<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2705<strong>Pros<\/strong>: Automates the mounting of NTFS drives in read-write mode; supports all major macOS versions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u274c<strong>Cons<\/strong>: It is a paid tool; hence, users will have to purchase it once their trial.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"516\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iboysoft-ntfs-for-mac-1024x516.png\" alt=\"iboysoft ntfs for mac\" class=\"wp-image-1862\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iboysoft-ntfs-for-mac-1024x516.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iboysoft-ntfs-for-mac-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iboysoft-ntfs-for-mac-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iboysoft-ntfs-for-mac-1536x774.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/iboysoft-ntfs-for-mac.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"2\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paragon-software.com\/home\/ntfs-mac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\"><strong>Paragon NTFS for Mac<\/strong><\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2705<strong>Pros<\/strong>: Offers reliable read-write access to NTFS drives; known for its high transfer speeds and stability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u274c<strong>Cons<\/strong>: Commercial software which means it requires purchase.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"556\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/paragon-ntfs-for-mac-1024x556.png\" alt=\"paragon ntfs for mac\" class=\"wp-image-1863\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/paragon-ntfs-for-mac-1024x556.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/paragon-ntfs-for-mac-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/paragon-ntfs-for-mac-768x417.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/paragon-ntfs-for-mac-1536x833.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/paragon-ntfs-for-mac.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"3\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ntfsformac.tuxera.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\"><strong>Tuxera NTFS for Mac<\/strong><\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2705<strong>Pros<\/strong>: Provides solid support for NTFS drives and is designed with data safety maintained during transfers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u274c<strong>Cons<\/strong>: The full version is paid, though a trial is available.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"511\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tuxera-ntfs-for-mac-1024x511.png\" alt=\"tuxera ntfs for mac\" class=\"wp-image-1864\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tuxera-ntfs-for-mac-1024x511.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tuxera-ntfs-for-mac-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tuxera-ntfs-for-mac-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tuxera-ntfs-for-mac-1536x767.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tuxera-ntfs-for-mac.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"4\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.4ddig.net\/ads\/bing\/ultdata-windows-mac.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">Disk Drill<\/a><\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2705<strong>Pros<\/strong>: Supports not only NTFS but also includes some data-recovery tools, along with disk-health monitoring features.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u274c<strong>Cons<\/strong>: More expensive than some other options and features may be more extensive than some users require.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"541\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-drill-for-mac-1024x541.png\" alt=\"disk drill for mac\" class=\"wp-image-1866\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-drill-for-mac-1024x541.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-drill-for-mac-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-drill-for-mac-768x406.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-drill-for-mac-1536x811.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-drill-for-mac.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>However, if you&#8217;re using a third-party app, you must bear in mind that most of them are not free, and users may need to purchase a license. Using third-party software can sometimes lead to conflicts with system updates or other applications. There is a risk involved when third-party software interacts deeply with system-level functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When encountering a &#8220;mac external hard drive read only&#8221; error, common causes include NTFS formatting and permission settings. Solutions involve reformatting to a compatible file system, adjusting permissions, or using third-party software&nbsp; to enable full access and resolve compatibility issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_on_External_Hard_Disk_Read_Only_Mac\"><\/span>FAQs on External Hard Disk Read Only Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re still experiencing difficulties with issues concerning your external hard disk not discussed in the guide above, and you need some answers, here you go:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How to Check Permissions on Mac?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you facing problems accessing software after installing new software? This could be due to incorrect permissions set during the installation. You can check for it by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Locating the file in Finder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-clicking on the file or folder, then pressing Command + I.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"671\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/check-mac-permission-1024x671.png\" alt=\"check mac permission\" class=\"wp-image-1868\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/check-mac-permission-1024x671.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/check-mac-permission-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/check-mac-permission-768x503.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/check-mac-permission.png 1183w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Selecting &#8220;Get Info,&#8221; scroll to &#8220;Sharing &amp; Permissions&#8221; to see users and their permissions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"847\" height=\"781\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/sharing-and-permissions.png\" alt=\"sharing and permissions\" class=\"wp-image-1870\" style=\"width:450px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/sharing-and-permissions.png 847w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/sharing-and-permissions-300x277.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/sharing-and-permissions-768x708.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 847px) 100vw, 847px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>How to Fix <\/strong><strong>External Hard Drive Keeps Failing to Read<\/strong><strong> on Mac?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0Are you still struggling with retrieving a file from your external hard drive or flash drive because your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/storage-device-tips\/sd-card-wont-read\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">drive just keeps failing to read on your Mac<\/a>? Use any of the methods below to address it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check and swap USB cables or ports.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use Disk Utility&#8217;s First Aid.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"642\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-utility-mac-1024x642.png\" alt=\"disk utility mac\" class=\"wp-image-1871\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-utility-mac-1024x642.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-utility-mac-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-utility-mac-768x481.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/disk-utility-mac.png 1245w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ensure the drive&#8217;s format is macOS-compatible; reformat if needed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reset NVRAM\/PRAM.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Update macOS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manually mount via Terminal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"389\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/terminal.png\" alt=\"Terminal\" class=\"wp-image-1872\" style=\"width:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/terminal.png 389w, https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/terminal-300x289.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 389px) 100vw, 389px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Consider third-party repair tools.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is nothing more annoying than having to deliver a very important file stored on&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1846,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hard-drive"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1845"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1873,"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1845\/revisions\/1873"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tinyfrom.com\/mac-tips\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}