My MacBook Air stopped recognizing My Book?

If your MacBook Air stopped recognizing your WD My Book, the problem can be caused by the cable, USB adapter, power supply, macOS settings, drive formatting, or the external drive itself. Before attempting repairs or reformatting, protect any important data stored on the drive.

Check the Power and Connections

WD My Book desktop drives generally require their own power adapter. Make sure the power cable is securely connected to both the drive and a working electrical outlet. Check whether the drive's indicator light turns on.

Next, inspect the USB cable for visible damage. Disconnect and reconnect it firmly. If possible, test another compatible cable.

If your MacBook Air has USB-C or Thunderbolt ports, a USB adapter or hub may be involved. Try connecting the drive directly to the MacBook Air rather than through a hub or docking station.

Check Finder Settings

The drive may actually be detected by macOS but hidden from the Finder sidebar.

Open Finder > Settings and select the General and Sidebar sections. Make sure external disks are enabled where appropriate.

If the My Book appears on the desktop or in Finder, try opening it and immediately copy important files to another location.

Check Disk Utility

If the drive does not appear in Finder, open Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities. Select View > Show All Devices.

Look for the WD My Book in the device list. If the physical drive appears but its volume is greyed out or unavailable, the problem may involve the filesystem or volume structure.

If Disk Utility offers Mount, you can try mounting the volume. If the drive contains important files, avoid selecting Erase, because formatting can destroy accessible data.

Try Another Port or Computer

Testing the My Book with another compatible computer can help determine whether the issue is with the MacBook Air or the external drive.

If the drive works on another computer, check the MacBook Air's port, adapter, cable, and software configuration. If it is not recognized anywhere, the drive, enclosure, power supply, or cable may be the source of the problem.

Consider File-System Compatibility

A drive formatted for Windows may have limited write support on macOS depending on the filesystem. However, this usually does not prevent the Mac from detecting the physical drive.

If the drive uses a filesystem that macOS cannot natively access, third-party software may be required. Do not reformat the drive simply because macOS cannot open it if the existing data is important.

If the Drive Is Making Unusual Sounds

Pay attention to clicking, grinding, repeated spin-up attempts, or other unusual mechanical noises. These can indicate a possible hardware problem with a traditional hard disk.

If the My Book contains valuable files and is making abnormal noises, minimize further use and consider professional data recovery rather than repeatedly powering it on.

Final Thoughts

When a MacBook Air stops recognizing a WD My Book, begin with the power supply, cable, port, and adapter. Then check Finder and Disk Utility before considering more advanced solutions. Most importantly, do not erase or reformat the drive if you need the files. If the drive is physically failing or unavailable on multiple computers, prioritize data recovery before attempting repairs.