When you insert a USB flash drive into your Mac, it might not instantly show up on the desktop or in Finder. Most of the time, this isn’t because the drive is faulty. Instead, macOS may be running background security protocols or verifying the device before making it available.
You can manually prompt your Mac to recognize and mount the drive with a straightforward Terminal command, avoiding the need for a full reboot.
- Open Terminal:
Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, and hit Enter. - Paste and run the following command:
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This command safely activates a quick macOS check that refreshes external drive connections, without requiring additional software or manual system modifications.
Once completed, your USB flash drive should become visible in Finder, with no need to restart your Mac.
