My Passport Ultra is “Read Only” After Re-Formatting – How to Fix It

Discovering that your WD My Passport Ultra external hard drive is stuck in read-only mode after reformatting can be frustrating—especially when you're trying to save or transfer files. Fortunately, this issue is often caused by formatting compatibility, permission settings, or file system limitations. In this article, we’ll walk you through the most common causes and how to fix them on both Windows and macOS.

Why Is My Drive “Read Only” After Re-Formatting?

Several factors could cause your My Passport Ultra to become read-only:

Formatted with an incompatible file system (e.g., NTFS for macOS or HFS+ for Windows).

Permissions issues that restrict writing access.

Drive errors or corruption during the reformatting process.

Write protection set by the system or third-party software.

Solution 1: Check File System Compatibility

The most common reason for a read-only drive is that it's formatted in a file system that’s not fully supported by your operating system.

NTFS (default for Windows): macOS can read, but not write, to NTFS without third-party software.

HFS+ (Mac OS Extended): Windows cannot access this file system without special drivers.

exFAT and FAT32: Compatible with both macOS and Windows for read/write.

Fix:

Reformat your drive using a file system that works for your operating system(s).

On Windows:

Right-click the drive in File Explorer > click Format.

Choose exFAT under File System.

Uncheck “Quick Format” if you suspect corruption, then click Start.

On macOS:

Open Disk Utility > Select your drive.

Click Erase, choose exFAT (for cross-platform use) or APFS (Mac-only).

Click Erase to reformat the drive.

Important: Reformatting erases all data. Back up important files first.

Solution 2: Repair Disk Permissions (macOS)

If you formatted correctly but the drive is still read-only on a Mac:

Go to Disk Utility.

Select the drive and click First Aid.

Run the tool to fix minor file system errors and permission issues.

You can also manually check permissions:

Right-click the drive > Get Info.

Scroll to Sharing & Permissions.

Click the lock icon to unlock, and change the privilege to Read & Write.

Solution 3: Disable Write Protection (Windows)

If you're on Windows and see a write-protection error:

Open Command Prompt as administrator.

Type diskpart and press Enter.

Type list disk and note your drive number.

Type select disk X (replace X with your drive number).

Type attributes disk clear readonly and press Enter.

This command removes the read-only flag if set by the system.

Solution 4: Use Third-Party Drivers (macOS NTFS Support)

If you must use NTFS on macOS, consider third-party tools like:

Paragon NTFS for Mac

Tuxera NTFS for Mac

These drivers allow full write access to NTFS drives on macOS.

Final Thoughts

A “read-only” My Passport Ultra after formatting is typically a result of file system incompatibility or permission issues. By ensuring the correct format (like exFAT), repairing permissions, and clearing write-protection flags, you can regain full access. If the issue persists, checking for firmware updates or contacting WD support may help resolve deeper hardware problems.

Let me know if you’d like help formatting the drive step-by-step for your specific OS.