If you purchase an external SSD other than what is recommended above, check with the manufacturer to find out if it uses USB 3.2 technology and can be used as a startup disk for a Mac computer.īack up your Mac with Time Machine and iCloudīefore starting, it is recommended to use Time Machine, the built-in backup feature of your Mac, to automatically back up your personal data, including apps, music, photos, email, and documents. If you have an iMac (Late 2015) and earlier, or a Mac mini, you'll need a special USB-C to USB-A adapter cable, such as this one, to connect to this SSD with your previous generation Mac.Īlthough many external SSDs may work as an external SSD startup disk for Mac, some may not have the correct connection or startup disk functionality. Additionally, an external SSD should utilize USB 3.2 technology and have the functionality of being used as a startup disk for Mac.Ī recommended external SSD, sold from the Apple Store, is the LaCie Mobile SSD Secure USB-C Drive - Gray - Apple. It's important to use an external SSD with enough storage for your documents, photos, music, and apps, as well as extensive video libraries and large data files. To check, open Disk Utility (located in Applications > Utilities), and within Disk Utility, select View > Show All Devices, and look for an entry titled “APPLE HDD” or 'Fusion Drive'. The Mac models above must be equipped with an Apple hard disk or Fusion Drive for an external SSD to provide additional performance. These Mac models are compatible with an external SSD startup disk: An SSD will make your Mac 10 to 40 times faster for storage, and in turn, make your entire Mac faster and more capable. Your USB 3-equipped Mac with a hard disk or Fusion Drive can have improved system performance by connecting to an external solid-state drive (also known as an SSD).Īn external SSD as your startup disk can give your Mac additional performance for system responsiveness, apps, startup, and more.

Best external drive for m1 mac mini