How to Format WD Elements For Mac? Simple Guide

Summary: If you don’t know about WD Elements, it is a reliable external storage option. To use it with a Mac, formatting may be needed for compatibility and performance. Like, if you need to transfer your files, optimize it for macOS, or want to use them as backups. Then, formatting your WD Elements drive plays an important role for all these. This guide will explain to you why formatting is needed and how to format WD Elements for mac manually.

Reasons to Reformat WD Elements For Mac

Firstly, you should know the causes before you take the step to format WD Elements for Mac operating system. Let’s get into the following points:

• WD Elements drives are usually pre-formatted in NTFS, which macOS can read but not write to.
• Formatting your drive makes it compatible with macOS which ultimately provides smooth operation, faster speeds, and no file size limits.
• It also makes the drive ready for specific tasks like Time Machine backups or file transfers.
• Also, it helps you to start your system from scratch and have a better control on managing files.

How to Format WD Elements For Mac Using Manual Methods

In this part, you will see two ways on how to delete files from WD Elements on Mac. Follow the steps carefully to prevent errors.

#1. Format a WD Hard Drive For Mac Using Disk Utility

Formatting a WD Elements drive on a Mac with Disk Utility method is easy and prepares it for use with macOS and perfect for backups or storage.

• Firstly, connect the WD Elements drive to your Mac through USB cable.
• Then, you need to press command + space and type “Disk Utility” and hit Enter.
• Now, select your drive in the left panel and click Erase.
• Next, name the drive and choose a format (e.g., APFS, Mac OS Extended, or exFAT), and click Erase to start the process.
• Once the process is completed, the drive is now formatted and ready to use.

#2. Format WD Elements For Mac – Formatting For Time Machine

To make your WD Elements drive work with Time Machine on your Mac, just format it. This will ensure smooth backups and great performance for your data. Have a look into the following steps:

• Follow the steps above to open Disk Utility and erase the drive.
• Open System Preferences (or System Settings) and select Time Machine.
• Click Select Backup Disk (or Add Backup Disk).
• Choose your WD Elements drive and click Use Disk.
• Time Machine will set up the drive and start automatic backups. Keep the drive connected or plug it in regularly for updates.

#3. Format WD External Hard Drive For Mac with Terminal Command

Format a WD Elements for Mac using Terminal is an easy and effective way to control your drive’s file system. Whether it’s a new or old drive, Terminal helps you set it up correctly for macOS with just a few commands.

Step 1. Connect the WD hard drive to your Mac.

Step 2. Open ‘Utilities’ and launch ‘Terminal’.

Step 3. Type ‘diskutil list’ to view the drives.

Step 4. Select the hard drive you want to format.

Step 5. Enter this command to format the drive.

diskutil eraseDisk APFS MBRFormat /dev/disk2

Follow These Quick Steps to Format your WD Elements on Mac – Professional Tool

Step 1. Open the Start menu, go to All Programs, and select SysTools Data Wipe Software.

Step 2. Right-click on the software and choose Open.

Step 3. Click Add File or Add Folder, depending on your need.

Step 4. Select the folder to wipe.

Step 5. Click Next to start scanning the desired folder.

Step 6. Choose a data-wiping method.

Step 7. Click the Wipe button to begin the process.

Step 8. Once done, view the details of the deleted file/folder on the screen.

Conclusion

To use your WD Elements drive with a Mac, format it for compatibility. In this write up, we have discussed how to format WD Elements for mac using manual & automated steps.. Always backup your data before formatting to prevent any kind of data loss. Formatting ensures your drive works smoothly for tasks like backups or file sharing, whether for Time Machine or general use.