MyBook Drives Stuck in Read-Only? Here’s How to Fix It

Western Digital’s MyBook external hard drives are popular for backing up and storing large amounts of data. However, some users run into a frustrating issue where the drive becomes stuck in read-only mode, meaning you can view or copy files from it—but you can’t add, modify, or delete anything.

This read-only status can make your drive nearly useless for active storage or backups. Thankfully, there are several proven ways to fix this, whether you're using Windows, macOS, or connecting to other devices.

Why Is My MyBook Drive Read-Only?

A MyBook drive can become read-only for several reasons:

The file system is incompatible with your OS (e.g., NTFS on macOS)

The drive’s permissions have been restricted

The drive was ejected improperly, leading to corruption

It’s been formatted as read-only by another system

Drive errors or bad sectors may cause your OS to lock it

macOS security settings or Time Machine use can enforce read-only access

Understanding the cause is the first step to the fix.

🪟 On Windows: How to Remove Read-Only from MyBook

1. Check Drive Properties

Right-click the MyBook drive in File Explorer

Click Properties

Under the General tab, uncheck Read-only if it’s enabled

Click Apply > OK

2. Use DiskPart to Clear Read-Only Attributes

Press Windows + R, type cmd, and open Command Prompt as Administrator

Type:

diskpart

list volume

select volume X (replace X with the number for your MyBook)

attributes disk clear readonly

exit

Close the Command Prompt and try writing to the drive again

3. Run Error Check

Right-click the drive > Properties > Tools > Check

Fix any detected file system errors

🍎 On macOS: How to Fix Read-Only MyBook Drive

1. Check Format Compatibility

Open Disk Utility

Select the MyBook drive and check the Format

If it's NTFS, macOS can only read it natively

To write, either:

Install a third-party NTFS driver (e.g., Paragon NTFS, Tuxera)

Reformat the drive to exFAT or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) (Note: This erases data)

2. Repair with First Aid

In Disk Utility, select the drive

Click First Aid to scan and repair file system issues

Important Note Before Reformatting

If you decide to reformat your MyBook drive to remove read-only status:

Back up your data first (reformatting will erase everything)

Choose a universal file system like exFAT if you want to use the drive on both Windows and macOS

Other Fixes

Update your drive’s firmware via the WD Discovery app

Try a different USB port or cable

Scan for malware or ransomware if you notice other drive issues

Check permissions on macOS via Get Info > Sharing & Permissions

✅ Conclusion

If your MyBook drive is stuck in read-only mode, it doesn’t mean the drive is broken. In most cases, it’s due to a file system conflict, improper disconnection, or basic permission settings.

By following these steps—whether on Windows or Mac—you can usually restore full access to your drive without losing any data. And if nothing works, WD’s support team can assist with more advanced recovery options.