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MacBook not recognizing USB flash drives recently

At a case presentation meeting this week we had two MacBook Pro 14inch laptops with up to date Sequoia 15.0.1 macOS and neither would recognise any of the USB flash drives presented - a third person confirmed that their MacBook Pro has also recently stopped recognizing usb flash drives. Is this a bug in the recent macOS updates?

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.0

Posted on Nov 23, 2024 2:07 AM

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5 replies

Nov 23, 2024 2:33 AM in response to KendrewS

Firstly, the current version of Sequoia in now version 15.1.1


As to the USB flash Drive issue


Refer to Link Below from Apple on this very topic


If your Mac asks you to allow an accessory to connect - Apple Support


Excerpt from link above


When you use a new or unknown USB accessory, Thunderbolt accessory, or SD card with your Mac laptop with Apple silicon and macOS Ventura or later,

Nov 23, 2024 3:17 AM in response to KendrewS

Welcome KendrewS


Sorry this is happening


Fat32 Flash Drives used only macOS


Or Fat32 Flash Drives that jump from MS Windows back to macOS ?


It remains that on at least 2 Laptops I use with macOS 15.1.1 Sequoia


When a New or Unknown new Flash Drive formatted in exFat, Fat32, Mac Extended Journaled /GUID or APFS / GUID


They have always presented as per below


So the assertion " Is this a bug in the recent macOS updates " seems unfounded


Nov 23, 2024 2:59 AM in response to PRP_53

Thanks PRP_53.

On one occasion I got the "allow to connect" message, clicked on "allow", or whatever that option said, and the device promptly disappeared and did not open the drive. Mostly, though, when the device is connected there is no sign of it anywhere in Finder nor the desktop (as it is set to show). Like I said this is happening on a number of MacBook Pro's owned by a variety of people, so it seems to me to be a software issue and not a device issue.

Also, my external SSD hard drives will connect without any problems, it seems to be only Falsh Drives which will nto connect (they are mostly formatted as FAT32).

Nov 23, 2024 5:00 AM in response to PRP_53

Thanks PRP_53. This is exactly how my settings are. Still having no joy in recognising any flash drives.

For the record, I have not made any assertions, it was a question as to whether this could be a bug - just hoping that if otehrs are also having a similar problem, maybe someone from Apple can look into it?

MacBook not recognizing USB flash drives recently

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