Fix: SanDisk Pen Drive Not Detected on Mac

Fix 1: Restart your Mac

The first step to fixing issues with your pen drive not being detected is restarting your Mac. Restarting often fixes several software bugs and glitches that could be causing an issue. It’s a simple process and shouldn’t take more than a minute. Here’s how to restart your Mac:

Remove the pen drive from your Mac.
Click on the Apple menu at your screen’s top left corner.
Select the “Restart” option from the drop-down menu.
Allow your Mac to restart completely.
Once your Mac has finished booting up, re-insert the pen drive.
Check if your Mac is now detecting the pen drive.

Fix 2: Check the USB Port

The second step is to check the USB port you’re using to connect your pen drive through. The USB port may malfunction, causing the pen drive to go undetected. Here are the steps to follow:

Check the USB port for any damages. If the USB port is frayed or bent from the inside, try straightening it using a pair of tweezers.
If the USB port has dust or debris accumulated inside, use a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol to remove all the dirt swiftly. Once the port is all clean, re-insert the pen drive and see if the problem is fixed.
If the issue persists, try connecting through another USB port. Keep trying until you exhaust all the ports available.
Also, try connecting to another device to test if the USB port is functioning properly. If the USB ports are fine, move on to the next step.

Fix 3: Show the Pen Drive on the Desktop

If your pen drive isn’t showing up on the desktop, it’s for a reason. You need to allow the pen drive to appear on the desktop manually. Follow these steps to get your pen drive to appear on the desktop:

Insert the pen drive into your Mac.
Launch Finder by either clicking its dock icon or selecting it from the “Applications” folder.
Click on “Finder” in the menu bar and choose “Preferences.”
In the “Preferences” window, switch to the “General” tab.
In the “Show these items on the desktop” section, check the box next to “External disks.”
Close the “Preferences” dialogue.
Your pen drive should now be visible on the desktop of your Mac.

Fix 3: Show the Pen Drive in the Finder

If your pen drive isn’t showing up in the Finder, it’s for a reason. You need to manually allow the pen drive to appear on the Finder sidebar. Follow these steps to get your pen drive to appear on the Finder sidebar:

Insert the pen drive into your Mac.
Launch Finder by either clicking its dock icon or selecting it from the “Applications” folder.
Click on “Finder” in the menu bar and choose “Preferences.”
In the “Preferences” window, switch to the “Sidebar” tab.
Under the “Locations” section, check the box next to “External disks.”
Close the “Preferences” dialogue.
Your pen drive should now be visible on the sidebar of the Finder.

Fix 4: Check the Pen Drive in System Information

You also need to check if the pen drive is showing up in the System Information utility or not. The System Information shows your Mac components and connected devices, in addition to other information. If the pen drive is connected, it should show up here. Here’s how to check if the pen drive is showing up in the System Information or not:

Click the Dock icon or use the Finder to open the “Applications” folder.
Find the “Utilities” folder in the Applications folder and open it.
Now, locate the “System Information” application in the Utilities folder and double-click it. This will open the “System Information” window.
Click on “USB” from the left panel.
Your pen drive should show up here. If your pen drive is not connected firmly, make sure you remove and re-insert it.
Make sure that the pen drive appears on the system information page. If it doesn’t, then you may need to reset the USB ports.

Fix 5: Reset the USB Ports

If the issue with the USB ports persists, you can reset the USB ports. Resetting the USB ports will help clear out any temporary glitches with the USB ports on the software side. So, follow these steps to reset the USB ports on your Mac:

Make sure to remove all peripherals from your Mac before proceeding.
Then, you’ll need to restart your Mac by clicking the Apple icon in the top bar and selecting “Restart.”
Insert the USB flash drive. If it still won’t show, select “Sleep” from the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
After a few seconds, press any key on your keyboard to wake your Mac.
Next, restart your Mac by clicking the Apple menu icon and selecting “Shut Down.”
Wait 15 seconds after turning off the Mac and unplugging it.
You should plug in your Mac again and turn it on.
The USB ports have been successfully reset. Now, check to see if the pen drive shows up.

Fix 6: Repair the Pen Drive Using First Aid

First Aid is a built-in utility that helps repair drives connected to your Mac. You can use this utility to repair your pen drive if it has corrupted data or files. Be sure to try this before formatting your pen drive. Follow these steps:

Insert the memory card into your Mac.
Click the Dock icon or use the Finder to open the “Applications” folder.
Find the “Utilities” folder from the Applications folder and open it.
Now, locate the “Disk Utility” application in the Utilities folder and double-click it. This will open the “Disk Utility” window.
In the Disk Utility window, locate and select the drive corresponding to your pen drive.
Navigate to the toolbar and click on the “First Aid” option.
Click the “Run” button to initiate the first aid process. The Disk Utility will analyze the pen drive and attempt to resolve any detected issues.
Allow some time for the repair process to complete.
Once the repair finishes, check if your Mac now recognizes the pen drive.

Fix 7: Check for Errors Using the Terminal

If First Aid didn’t fix the issue with your pen drive, then you should try fixing it via the terminal. Doing this should fix the issue, and your pen drive should be detected by your Mac. Follow these steps:

Click the Dock icon or use the Finder to open the “Applications” folder.
Find the “Utilities” folder from the Applications folder and open it.
Open the Terminal from here.
Type “diskutil list” in the terminal and hit Return.
Then, type “diskutil info disk2” (change “2” with the appropriate disk number) in the terminal and hit Return.
Now, type “diskutil list” into the Terminal and hit Return to verify that the USB device has disappeared.
If the USB device is no longer visible in Terminal, you can exit the program.
If you think your pen drive might have problems, you should close Terminal and open Console.
If your pen drive is giving you trouble, check the Console’s “Errors and Faults” section.
Connect the pen drive to your Mac once again.
If there are no alerts or issues, the USB drive is probably fine and ready for use.

Fix 8: Update your Mac Software

If your Mac is running on an outdated version of macOS, you may run into occasional bugs and issues. Not only does this pose a security risk, but it can also hamper the performance of your Mac. Updating your macOS software will also update your device drivers. If there are any pending updates, you need to install them right away. Follow these steps to update your Mac:

Click on the Apple menu > “System Preferences” or “System Settings,” depending on your macOS version.
Select “Software Update” from the System Preferences/System Settings menu.
You can now wait while your Mac checks for software updates. Select “Update Now” to install any available updates.
Just finish the update by following the on-screen prompts.
Restart your Mac after the installation is finished.
After the restart, try re-inserting the pen drive to see if it is detected.

Fix 9: Reformat your Pen Drive

An unformatted pen drive can pose compatibility issues with your Mac. If you don’t remember the last time you formatted your pen drive, it’s about time that you do it. Reformatting will delete all your files and data on the pen drive, so be sure to take a backup before proceeding with the steps below:

Before reformatting, it’s important to back up any important files and data stored on your pen drive. Copy them to a safe location on your computer or another storage device.
Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility to launch the Disk Utility application.
In the Disk Utility window, locate and select your pen drive from the list of available drives and volumes.
Click on the “Erase” tab at the top of the Disk Utility window.
Choose the desired format for your pen drive. If you intend to use the pen drive with both Mac and Windows computers, select the “exFAT” format. If you only use it with Mac, choose the “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” format.
Optionally, you can give your pen drive a new name in the “Name” field.
Click on the “Erase” button to start the reformatting process. This will erase all the data on your pen drive, so make sure you have a backup.
Disk Utility will reformat your pen drive according to the selected format. Wait for the process to finish, and a confirmation message will appear.
After the reformatting is complete, you can safely eject your pen drive from your Mac.

Fix 10: Check for Physical Damage

Finally, if none of the above solutions worked, check your pen drive for physical damage, as it will definitely cause detection issues with your Mac. Look for broken corners, dents, and other signs of damage on your pen drive. If you find any physical damage, then you need to contact SanDisk support for further assistance.

However, since physical damage isn’t covered by warranty, you might not get a free replacement. Therefore, it is always recommended to handle your storage devices, such as pen drives, with care.

Tips to Keep Your Pen Drive Safe

Now that you have fixed the issue on your SanDisk pen drive, it is important to use it safely so that the issue does not repeat in the future. Here are some tips to keep your pen drive safe:

Handle with care: Don’t drop it or otherwise mishandle it, and keep it in a safe place.
Store correctly: Store in a cool, dry place with plenty of ventilation. You can also use a protective case for it.
Avoid external contact: Keep out moisture and dust, and don’t touch the wiring.
Never fill it up completely: To improve wear leveling, remove unnecessary files.
Do proper ejection: Before disconnecting the pen drive, make sure you eject it.
Avoid extreme conditions. Keep away from moisture and extreme temperatures.
Check for malware: Keep the drive virus- and malware-free by scanning it regularly.
Do not defragment: Defragmentation is unnecessary for a flash storage device or pen drive.

Final Words

SanDisk pen drives are usually reliable, but issues may sometimes arise where your Mac is unable to detect them. We have mentioned ten solutions to fix this issue in this guide. We hope that you have followed those solutions, and now your pen drive is being detected. If the issue still persists, you can contact the SanDisk support team for assistance. Let us know if you know of any other solutions in the comments section below.