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External Hard Drives

Discover Seagate external hard drives, designed to fuel your passions at home or on the go. Our high-speed, reliable storage solutions cater to gamers, personal users, and professionals. Find the perfect external drive with unmatched performance and style. Trust Seagate for exceptional quality and design.

External hard drive compatibility.

A green computer display icon.
Windows compatible.
Seagate external hard drives are fully compatible with Windows® 10 and higher, offering seamless plug-and-play functionality for effortless data storage and backup.
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MacOS compatible.
Designed for macOS® X 10.15 and higher, Seagate external hard drives provide smooth integration, ensuring reliable performance for your Mac® storage and backup needs.
A cell phone icon in green.
iOS compatible.
Seagate external hard drives with USB-C support can connect to iPhone® 15 and newer models. Access, transfer, and manage files easily through the iPhone Files app.
A green laptop icon.
ChromeOS compatible.
Seagate external hard drives are compatible with ChromeOS®, allowing easy drag-and-drop file transfers and storage expansion for Chromebook® users.

Key features of external hard drives.

Seagate external hard drives offer performance, reliability, and style. Whether for personal use, professional projects, or anything in between, here’s what sets our external hard drives apart:

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Plug-and-play compatibility.
Start using your external hard drive instantly! With plug-and-play support for Windows and macOS, no setup is needed—just connect, transfer, and go!
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High storage capacities.
Seagate external hard drives offer up to 24TB of storage, providing ample space for all your storage needs—from extensive media collections to critical backups.
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Fast data transfer speeds.
Designed for efficiency, our external hard drives deliver fast data transfer speeds, resulting in quick and effortless backups and seamless access to your files.
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Sleek and compact designs.
With their portable, sleek designs, Seagate external drives are perfect for users on the go, combining aesthetic appeal with practical functionality.
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Broad compatibility.
Seagate external hard drives are compatible with various devices and operating systems, including Windows OS, Mac OS, iOS, Linux, and Chrome OS.
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Advanced security.
Many of our external hard drives utilize password protection and hardware encryption to safeguard your data, ensuring your private and sensitive information is kept safe.
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Comprehensive warranty and support.
Enjoy peace of mind with Seagate’s robust warranty and dedicated customer support, providing assistance and coverage for your external hard drive.
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Durability and reliability.
Seagate's proven reliability means your data is safe. Built with robust materials and long-life components, our external hard drives are designed to endure daily use.

External hard drive use cases.

Choosing the Best External Hard Drives

Select Seagate external hard drives and elevate your data storage experience. Our extensive range of external drives covers all your needs, from high capacity drives perfect for video projects to fast, reliable options for professionals on the move. Benefit from quick data transfers with USB 3.0, enjoy added protection with shock resistance, and secure your data with hardware encryption. Our robust warranties and dedicated customer support mean your data stays safe and accessible. Seamlessly integrate our drives with your existing systems and experience unparalleled performance and reliability.

External hard drives FAQs.

Find answers to common questions about Seagate external hard drives, including compatibility, setup, data transfer, and support for multiple devices.

Seagate offers a diverse range of external hard drives to meet various needs. Our portable drives are lightweight for on-the-go storage, while desktop drives provide larger capacities for extensive backups and media. Specialized gaming drives enhance storage and performance for Xbox® and PlayStation®. Seagate also offers themed special edition external hard drives with unique designs, versatile personal storage drives for everyday use, and high-capacity professional storage drives for demanding tasks. These options cater to casual consumers, gamers, and professionals alike.

Windows 11 Backup to External Hard Drive:

  1. Connect your external hard drive.
  2. Go to Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Backup options.
  3. Click Add a drive and select your external drive.
  4. Enable File History for automatic backups or use Backup and Restore (Windows 7) for a full system image.

Windows 10 Backup to External Hard Drive:

  1. Connect your external hard drive.
  2. Open Settings > Update & Security > Backup.
  3. Click Add a drive and choose your external drive.
  4. Enable File History to back up files automatically or use Backup and Restore (Windows 7) for a full system image.

Here is how to backup your Mac to an external hard drive:

  • Connect your external hard drive.
  • Open System Preferences > Time Machine (System Settings > General > Time Machine on macOS Ventura+).
  • Click Select Backup Disk and choose your external drive.
  • Turn on Time Machine for automatic backups.
  • Time Machine will back up your files periodically in the background.

You can backup your iPhone to an external hard drive:

  • On Mac (macOS Catalina+): Connect your iPhone to your Mac, open Finder, select your device, choose Back up all data to this Mac, then manually move the backup to an external drive.
  • On Windows or older Macs: Use iTunes to back up, then move the backup folder to an external drive.
  • Use third-party software for direct backups.

To format a hard drive for both PC and Mac:

  1. Connect the drive to your computer.
  2. On Windows: Open Disk Management, right-click the drive, select Format, and choose exFAT (compatible with both systems). 
  3. On Mac: Open Disk Utility, select the drive, click Erase, choose exFAT, then click Erase.

Note: exFAT works on both macOS and Windows without file size limits.

Eject an external hard drive on Windows:

  1. Click the USB/Drive icon in the taskbar.
  2. Select Eject [Drive Name].
  3. Wait for the confirmation message, then unplug safely.

Eject an external hard drive on Mac:

  1. Open Finder and locate the drive under Devices.
  2. Click the Eject icon next to the drive name.
  3. Wait for it to disappear, then unplug safely.

Follow these steps to find your external hard drive:

  • Check Finder: Open Finder, then look under Locations in the sidebar for your drive.
  • Check Desktop: If enabled, the drive should appear on your desktop.
  • Use Disk Utility: Open Disk Utility (from Spotlight or Applications > Utilities) to see if the drive is recognized but not mounted. 
  • Check Connections: Ensure the cable and ports are working properly.

Follow these steps to find your external hard drive:

  • File Explorer: Open File Explorer (press Windows + E), then check under This PC for the external drive listed under Devices and Drives.
  • Disk Management: Right-click the Start menu and select Disk Management to see if the drive is recognized but not yet formatted or mounted.
  • Device Manager: Check Device Manager for any issues with the drive under Disk Drives.

Yes, Seagate offers backup software with its external hard drives. Some of our drives may come with Seagate Toolkit software, which provides easy-to-use backup and restore functionalities. This software allows users to schedule automatic backups, create mirror folders for real-time file synchronization, and manage their data efficiently. This ensures that important files are consistently backed up and easily recoverable.

External hard drives work by connecting to your computer or console via USB ports, including USB 3.0 and USB-C. They allow quick and easy file transfers and backups, and are excellent for expanding your storage capacity without opening your device.

Yes, Seagate external hard drives are compatible with both Xbox® and PlayStation®. Seagate offers specialized gaming drives designed to enhance storage capacity and performance for these gaming consoles. These drives provide additional space for games, faster load times, and are easy to set up, making them a popular choice among gamers looking to expand their console storage.

Yes, Seagate offers gaming external hard drives that are specifically designed for use with gaming consoles to store and back up games and game data. These drives ensure fast load times and a smooth gaming experience. They’re fully compatible with PS4®, PS5®, and Xbox® gaming consoles, providing an easy and effective way to expand your storage capacity and keep your game library organized.

Seagate external hard drives can be used for various purposes, including:

  1. Data backup: Regularly back up important files, documents, photos, and videos to prevent data loss.
  2. Gaming storage: Expand the storage capacity of gaming consoles like Xbox® and PlayStation®, and store additional games and save files.
  3. Media storage: Store large media collections, such as movies, music, and photos, freeing up space on your primary device.
  4. Portable storage: Easily transport files between different locations and devices, making it convenient for on-the-go use.
  5. Professional use: Store and manage large files for work, such as design projects, video editing files, and business documents.
  6. File sharing: Share large files between colleagues, friends, or family members without relying on internet connectivity.
  7. System backup and recovery: Create system backups for disaster recovery, allowing you to restore your system quickly in case of a failure.

Our versatile external drives are designed to meet a wide range of storage needs for both personal and professional use.

Seagate external hard drives are built for reliability and durability. We ensure our external hard drives meet rigorous testing standards to handle various environments and usage scenarios, offering dependable storage you can trust.

Yes, Seagate external hard drives are formatted to be compatible with both PC and mac OS® out of the box. Our external hard drives can be easily reformatted to suit any specific requirements, making them versatile for all users.

Seagate offers a broad range of reliable, high-performance drives designed for various needs—from everyday backups to gaming and creative workflows. With innovative tools like Seagate Toolkit and Rescue Data Recovery Services, you get peace of mind and superior performance.

Consider your primary use. For simple backups, the Seagate Backup Plus is ideal. For gamers, the Seagate Game Drive is optimized for speed. Need massive storage? The Seagate Expansion offers up to 24TB. Check compatibility with your device and select a drive with the right capacity and speed.

Seagate Rescue Data Recovery Service provides expert data recovery if your external hard drive experiences mechanical failure, accidental damage, or software corruption. Available with select drives, it offers a simple claims process and industry-leading success rates, ensuring your important files are recoverable even in tough situations.

To extend your drive’s life, keep it in a cool, dry environment, safely eject it after use, and avoid physical shocks. Use Seagate Toolkit for regular health monitoring and backups. Additionally, update firmware as needed to ensure optimal performance.

External hard drives are more affordable and ideal for large storage needs than solid-state drives (SSDs). SSDs offer faster speeds, making them perfect for gaming and creative tasks. Seagate provides both options, so you can choose based on your performance and budget needs.