Files Not Showing Up on Flash Drive Mac | How to Fix

What should you do if files don't show up on a flash drive on a Mac? We'll introduce three methods to help you find missing USB files in this passage. If the files are deleted, download the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and restore USB files directly.

Usually, you can copy, paste, and edit files or folders on the USB flash drive on a Mac or Windows computer. Files not showing up on a flash drive on a Mac when you plug it in can be caused by various issues, ranging from simple user errors to more complex technical problems. Here are some common causes:

• ✨Files & folders are hidden on the USB flash drive.
• ✨The USB drive file system is incompatible with the macOS operating system.
• ✨Files on the USB drive are moved to a new location or deleted.
• ✨The USB flash drive is corrupted, and all the files on the Mac are invisible.
• ✨Computer viruses and malware can cause the file to disappear from the USB drive.

Due to different causes, you should apply corresponding solutions. Keep reading to find a suitable method, and you may try to restart the Mac or reconnect the USB to troubleshoot.

Method 1. Recover Not Showing Files on Flash Drive with Mac Recovery Software

If the files on the USB drive are deleted, you can check Mac Trash or recent backups to recover deleted files on Mac. If you cannot find useful files on the USB drive, try to apply professional USB recovery tool.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a good choice; it can help you recover missing files and folders from a Mac's USB flash drive. Download this software now by clicking the following button.

Don't feel frustrated if the files disappear from the flash drive on your Mac; you can easily restore them with the EaseUS recovery tool. With this reliable USB recovery tool, you can find most missing photos, documents, videos, and audio files.

This tool has a user-friendly interface and is fully compatible with the macOS operating system. Now, follow this step-by-step guide to recover data from a flash drive on Mac:

Step 1. Connect your USB drive to your Mac

Correctly connect your USB flash drive to your Mac. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac. Start selecting the flash drive and click "Search for lost files" to let the software scan for lost files on it.

Step 2. Find lost data on the USB drive

After the scan, all files will be presented in the left panel in the scan results.

Step 3. Recover data from flash drive

Select the files you want to recover and click the "Recover" button. Don't save the recoverable files to the USB drive itself in case of data overwriting.

Please share this guide on social media to help more USB users!

Method 2. Unhide Not Showing Files on Flash Drive Mac in Finder

If you are pretty sure files have not been moved or deleted on the USB flash drive, these files may be hidden somehow. Check the following steps to show hidden files on Mac:

Step 1. The easiest way to show hidden files is by applying the keyboard shortcut. Press the Command + Shift + Dot keys together to make files show up in Finder.

Step 2. Another way to make the hidden files available is by entering command lines in the Terminal. You can launch Terminal with the Spotlight.

Step 3. After entering the Terminal, type in defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles ture. Then, restart Finder to check if all the files appear.

Method 3. Repair the USB Flash Drive to Make Files Show on the Mac

A corrupted USB flash drive may cause files to not show up on the drive. The corrupted file system will also prevent the Mac from recognizing the files.

The free way to repair a USB flash drive on a Mac is to apply the built-in feature Disk Utility. It's a handy tool to fix USB issues or formatting the drive.

Step 1. Use the Spotlight and type in Disk Utility to launch the app on Mac.

Step 2. The USB drive will appear on the left side. Select it and click "First Aid."

Step 3. A new window will appear. Choose "Run" to start the USB repair.

Summary

In most situations, files cannot be seen on the USB flash drive because they are hidden. If you find that the USB files have been deleted, download the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to recover lost files.

Don't forget to heed our advice to prevent problems in the future. By taking these actions, you may help your USB drives last longer and operate more smoothly.

USB Flash Drive Not Showing Files on Mac FAQs

You can find more questions here about USB flash drives not showing files on Mac:

1. Why is my Mac not showing files on a USB flash drive?

Many reasons can cause the files not to appear on the USB drive, such as hidden files, accidental deletion, USB corruption, or computer viruses.

2. Why is my USB drive full but no files showing?

When the USB drive says it's full but no files are showing up, the data stored on the USB might have been corrupted due to malware or viruses.

3. How do I see hidden files on a USB drive Mac?

If your files are hidden on the USB drive by accident, you can quickly show hidden files on Mac with the keyboard shortcut. Press the Command + Shift + Dot to hide or unhide files/folders.