How to Format a WD My Passport Back to Its Original State

The WD My Passport external hard drives come pre-formatted with a file system optimized for either Windows (typically NTFS) or macOS (HFS+ or APFS, depending on the model). If you've reformatted the drive, partitioned it, or it's no longer functioning as expected, you may want to restore it to its original state. This includes formatting the drive back to the factory file system and removing any additional partitions or data.

Here’s how to do it safely and correctly on both Windows and Mac systems.

Before You Begin

Back up your data: Formatting will erase all data on the drive.

Check the original format:

Most WD My Passport drives for Windows come formatted as NTFS.

Drives designed for Mac are usually formatted in HFS+ (Mac OS Extended Journaled) or APFS.

WD drives labeled "for Mac" can be reformatted for Windows and vice versa.

On Windows: Format to Original (NTFS)

1. Connect the Drive

Plug your WD My Passport into a USB port on your Windows PC.

2. Open Disk Management

Press Windows + X and select Disk Management.

Locate the external drive in the volume list (check capacity to identify it).

3. Delete Existing Partitions (If Needed)

If the drive has multiple partitions, right-click on each and choose Delete Volume until only unallocated space remains.

4. Create a New NTFS Partition

Right-click the unallocated space > New Simple Volume.

Follow the wizard:

Assign a drive letter.

Select NTFS as the file system.

Choose Default Allocation Unit Size.

You can name the drive (e.g., “My Passport”).

Check Perform a quick format, or uncheck for a full format (slower but more thorough).

Click Finish to complete the process.

On macOS: Format to HFS+ (Mac OS Extended)

1. Connect the Drive

Plug the drive into your Mac and open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility).

2. Erase and Reformat

Select the external drive (not just the volume).

Click Erase.

Choose the following settings:

Name: My Passport

Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) – HFS+ (or APFS if the drive originally came with macOS 10.13+).

Scheme: GUID Partition Map

Click Erase to begin.

The process may take a few minutes. Once complete, the drive will be ready for macOS use.

For Cross-Platform Use: exFAT Format

If you plan to use the drive with both Windows and macOS, format it as exFAT:

Windows: Choose exFAT in the formatting dialog.

Mac: In Disk Utility, choose exFAT as the format and GUID as the partition scheme.

This allows full read/write support on both systems without additional drivers.

Conclusion

Restoring your WD My Passport to its original state involves reformatting it with the correct file system (NTFS for Windows or HFS+ for Mac) and removing any unwanted partitions. This process ensures optimal compatibility and performance, similar to how the drive was when first unboxed. Always back up any important data beforehand, and choose the file system based on how you intend to use the drive.