How to Fix WD My Passport Not Showing Up on Windows/Mac

Understanding the Issue

What Does "Not Showing Up" Mean?

When people say their WD My Passport is not showing up, they usually mean:

• It doesn’t appear in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
• It shows up in Device Manager or Disk Management, but not as a usable drive.
• It lights up but doesn't respond.
• It makes clicking or beeping noises.

Each of these symptoms points to a different kind of problem.

Common Situations Users Face

You may see:

• "USB device not recognized".
• No drive letter assigned.
• My Passport visible but marked as "Unallocated".
• Mac saying "The disk you inserted was not readable".

Sound familiar? Let’s break down what’s happening.

Possible Reasons WD My Passport Is Not Showing Up

1. Connection & Cable Issues

• Damaged or Low-Quality USB Cable: A faulty cable is one of the most common causes. Even if it charges correctly, it may not support data transfer.
• USB Port Malfunction: Some ports don’t provide enough power or simply malfunction over time.

2. Drive Letter Conflict

If another device already uses the drive letter WD needs, it won’t appear.

3. Outdated or Missing Drivers

Windows may not recognize the drive if its USB or disk drivers are outdated.

4. File System Corruption

A corrupted file system prevents the OS from mounting the drive properly.

5. Partition Loss or Unallocated State

Sometimes partitions disappear or become RAW due to improper ejection or system crashes.

6. Hardware Failure

If your drive makes clicking or grinding noises, the internal components may be damaged.

How to Fix WD My Passport Not Showing Up on Windows

There are the top 7 ways to solve the problem. Let’s get started.

Method 1: Try Basic Hardware Checks

• Reconnect the drive.
• Try another USB port.
• Restart your PC.
• Try it on a different computer.

You’d be surprised how often this works.

Method 2: Change USB Port or Cable

Use a USB-A 3.0 port if possible. Swap the cable with another compatible one.

Method 3: Check Disk Management

Disk Management shows whether the drive is detected but not usable.

👉1. Assign or Change Drive Letter

Step 1. Right-click the WD drive.

Step 2. Choose "Change Drive Letter and Paths…".

Step 3. Assign a new letter.

👉2. Create a New Partition

If the drive is unallocated:

Step 1. Right-click the unallocated area.

Step 2. Select "New Simple Volume".

Step 3. Follow the wizard.

Method 4: Update or Reinstall Drivers

Step 1. Open Device Manager.

Step 2. Expand Disk drives.

Step 3. Right-click WD My Passport → Uninstall device.

Step 4. Reconnect the drive to reinstall drivers automatically.

Method 5: Run CHKDSK to Repair File System Errors

CHKDSK fixes logical file system issues.

Command:

chkdsk X: /f /r /x

Replace X with your drive letter.

What the parameters do:

• /f repairs errors
• /r locates bad sectors
• /x forces dismount

What to expect: If the drive is heavily corrupted, the scan may take a long time.

★Signs CHKDSK is working:

You see "Correcting errors in the master file table".

Sectors are repaired.

File records are rebuilt.

Method 6: Enable USB Root Hub

Step 1. Open Device Manager.

Step 2. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.

Step 3. Right-click USB Root Hub → Properties.

Step 4. Under Power Management, uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device".

Method 7: Use DiskPart to Clean and Rebuild Partitions

Diskpart can fix partition errors that GUI tools cannot.

Steps:

Step 1. Open CMD as admin.

Step 2. Run:

diskpart

list disk

select disk #

Confirm the disk you select is your WD drive. Running the wrong clean command wipes your wrong disk.

Step 3. To clean:

clean

This erases partitions and corrupt structures.

How to Fix WD My Passport Not Showing Up on Mac

There are 3 options for Mac users.

Method 1: Check Finder Preferences

Step 1. Open Finder.

Step 2. Go to Preferences.

Step 3. Under Sidebar, check External disks.

Method 2: Run First Aid in Disk Utility

First Aid is a built-in Mac tool that fixes small disk problems. If your WD My Passport shows up in Disk Utility but won’t open, try this:

Step 1. Open Disk Utility.

Step 2. Look for your WD My Passport under External.

Step 3. Click the parent drive (not just the volume).

Step 4. Click First Aid > Run.

First Aid will check the drive and try to repair any errors.

If First Aid fails: That means the file system is too damaged. Don’t erase the drive yet—recover your data first with recovery software.

Method 3: Reformat the Drive

If the drive appears in Disk Utility but still won’t mount or gives errors, reformatting may fix it.

⚠️ This will erase all data, so recover important files first.

How to reformat:

Step 1. Open Disk Utility.

Step 2. Select WD My Passport.

Step 3. Click Erase.

Step 4. Choose a format:

• exFAT – works on both Mac and Windows
• APFS – for Mac only

Step 5. Click Erase to confirm.

After formatting, the drive should show up normally.

If it still doesn’t show up: The drive may have hardware problems and may need professional repair or replacement.

How to Recover Data If It Is Lost?

Losing your files can be terrifying, but recovery is usually possible. MyRecover can restore photos, videos, documents, and many other file types—even from formatted or corrupted drives.

Important Notes Before Starting Recovery

• Stop using the drive immediately.
• Never format or write new data.
• Never run DiskPart or CHKDSK before recovery if you hear clicking noises.

Step-by-Step Data Recovery Using MyRecover

1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer.

2. Connect your WD My Passport.

3. Click on the drive in the main interface.

4. Allow the software to perform a Scan.

5. Preview recoverable files.

6. Select the files you want and click Recover.

Tips to Prevent WD My Passport Not Detecting in the Future

• Always eject the drive safely.
• Avoid unplugging during data transfer.
• Keep the drive away from magnetic fields.
• Use a surge protector to prevent power damage.
• Replace cables regularly.
• Back up your data in multiple places.

Conclusion

When your WD My Passport is not showing up, it can definitely be stressful—but the good news is that most issues are completely fixable. Whether it’s a simple cable problem, a driver issue, or a corrupted file system, the solutions above can help you get your drive working again. And even if your files seem lost, tools like MyRecover give you a strong chance of getting everything back. Just follow the steps carefully, keep calm, and you’ll likely resolve the issue faster than you think.