How to Use Show All Devices in Disk Utility on Mac

Disk Utility normally displays only volumes, such as “Macintosh HD.” To view the complete storage structure—including the physical drive, containers, and volumes—choose View > Show All Devices in Disk Utility.

This view is especially useful when you need to erase an entire drive, check how storage is organized, select the correct device for First Aid, or troubleshoot a disk that does not appear as expected.

Quick Answer

Open Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities.
In the menu bar, choose View.
Select Show All Devices.
Use the sidebar to expand a physical drive and view its containers and volumes.

To return to the simpler view, choose View > Show Only Volumes.

Warning: Be careful when selecting a physical disk or container. Erasing the wrong item can delete multiple volumes and their data. Confirm the disk name and contents before using Erase or any other destructive option.

What “Show All Devices” Displays

Disk Utility can show storage at several levels. In the expanded device view, you may see:

Physical disk: The actual internal or external storage device.
Container: A storage area used by some file systems to hold one or more volumes.
Volume: The item you normally open in Finder, such as “Macintosh HD.”
Partition: A section of a physical disk created using a partition scheme.

The exact hierarchy depends on the drive’s format and partition scheme. For example, an internal Mac drive may contain a physical device, an APFS container, and several APFS volumes. An external drive might contain one physical disk and a single volume formatted as exFAT, APFS, or another supported format.

The default view often hides the physical disk and container. That makes the sidebar easier to understand for everyday file access, but it can also hide the level you need for storage management or repair.

How to Turn On Show All Devices

Open Disk Utility.
– Open Finder, select Applications in the sidebar, open the Utilities folder, and double-click Disk Utility.
– You can also press Command-Space, type Disk Utility, and press Return.
Look at the menu bar at the top of the screen and click View.
Select Show All Devices.
Review the sidebar. Physical drives should appear above their related containers and volumes.
Click the disclosure arrow next to a drive or container to expand or collapse its contents.

Disk Utility may display internal storage, connected external drives, disk images, and other storage devices. If a device is not connected, powered on, or recognized by macOS, it may not appear.

How to Read the Disk Utility Sidebar

After enabling the expanded view, inspect the indentation and icons in the sidebar:

The top-level item is generally the physical storage device.
Items indented beneath it may be containers, partitions, or volumes.
A volume is usually the item that appears in Finder and on the desktop when mounted.
A container can hold multiple volumes and may not appear as a normal drive in Finder.
A disk image, such as a mounted installer image, may appear separately from physical storage.

Select each item to view its details in the main Disk Utility window. Information can include the device name, capacity, connection type, file system, partition map, S.M.A.R.T. status, and whether the item is mounted.

The names and available details vary by device. Do not assume that the item with the most familiar name is the physical drive. “Macintosh HD,” for example, is normally a volume rather than the entire internal storage device.

When to Use Show All Devices

Preparing to erase an entire drive

If you want to reuse an external drive or remove all of its existing partitions, you generally need to select the physical device in the sidebar before clicking Erase. Selecting only a volume may erase that volume without changing the rest of the disk’s structure.

Before erasing:

Back up any files you need.
Connect the correct external drive.
Enable View > Show All Devices.
Select the physical device, not just one of its volumes.
Confirm the drive’s capacity, name, and connection details.
Click Erase only after verifying the selection.

Warning: Erasing a physical device can remove all volumes and data stored on it. This cannot be undone through Disk Utility. For more detailed preparation and security considerations, see How to Erase a Mac Drive Securely in Disk Utility.

Running First Aid at the correct level

First Aid checks a disk for file-system problems and attempts repairs. With Show All Devices enabled, you can run it on a volume, container, or physical device.

A practical approach is to start with the volume that is reporting problems. If necessary, work upward through the container and physical device. Disk Utility may automatically check related items or recommend a particular sequence.

To run First Aid:

Select the item you want to check.
Click First Aid in the toolbar.
Read the confirmation message.
Click Run or Continue, depending on what Disk Utility displays.
Wait for the process to finish before disconnecting the drive or closing Disk Utility.

Warning: First Aid can temporarily unmount a volume. Close files and quit apps that are using the affected drive first. Save your work before starting.

For a focused repair procedure, see How to Repair a Mac Disk with First Aid.

Checking whether a disk is mounted

A mounted volume is available to macOS and can usually be opened in Finder. An unmounted volume remains connected but is not currently available for normal file access.

Show All Devices helps you distinguish between:

A physical disk that macOS detects
A volume that exists but is not mounted
A volume that is mounted but does not appear in Finder
A disk or volume with a damaged file system

If a volume is listed but unavailable, select it and look for Mount in the toolbar. Mounting makes the volume available without erasing it.

Warning: Do not choose Erase simply because a volume is not mounted. First confirm that you have selected the correct item and that the files are backed up.

You can also follow the steps in How to Mount and Unmount a Disk in Disk Utility on Mac.

Inspecting partitions and containers

The expanded view makes it easier to see whether a drive contains multiple partitions or volumes. This is useful when:

An external drive has more than one volume
A previously used drive contains old partitions
A storage device has less usable space than expected
You are preparing a disk for a different computer or operating system
You need to identify which volume belongs to a particular container

Select each level and review the information shown in Disk Utility. Capacity values can differ between a physical device, container, and volume because space may be reserved, allocated, or shared.

How to Hide Physical Devices Again

If you prefer the simpler sidebar:

Open Disk Utility.
Click View in the menu bar.
Select Show Only Volumes.

This hides physical disks and containers and displays the volumes that are normally used for storing and opening files.

Use the simplified view for routine tasks such as checking whether a volume is mounted. Switch back to Show All Devices whenever you need to inspect the complete storage hierarchy or select a physical disk.

Using Show All Devices in macOS Recovery

Disk Utility is also available from macOS Recovery, where it can help with startup-disk problems or repairs that cannot be completed while macOS is running.

The general process is:

Start the Mac in macOS Recovery.
Open Disk Utility from the Recovery utilities window.
Choose View > Show All Devices.
Select the relevant volume, container, or physical device.
Run a non-destructive check such as First Aid, if appropriate.

The exact steps for entering macOS Recovery depend on the type of Mac. If you are troubleshooting a missing startup disk, do not erase anything until you have confirmed that the disk is recognized and that your data is backed up. See How to Fix a Startup Disk Not Showing on Mac for additional troubleshooting guidance.

Troubleshooting Show All Devices

The option is missing or unavailable

Make sure Disk Utility is the active app, then click View in the macOS menu bar. The option is a Disk Utility display setting, not a Finder setting.

If you are using a restricted account or a managed Mac, some actions may require an administrator password. However, the display option itself should normally be available when Disk Utility is open.

The external drive does not appear

Try these checks:

Confirm that the drive is powered on.
Disconnect and reconnect the cable.
Try another cable or port.
Connect the drive directly instead of through a hub or adapter.
Check whether the drive appears in Apple menu > System Settings > General > About and select System Report.
Test the drive with another Mac, if possible.

If it does not appear in Disk Utility at all, Show All Devices cannot make macOS detect it. The problem may involve the cable, adapter, power supply, enclosure, or drive hardware.

The physical disk appears, but the volume does not

A physical device may be detected even when its volume is damaged or not mounted. Select the device and expand its hierarchy. If a volume is listed, try selecting it and clicking Mount.

If Disk Utility reports errors, run First Aid on the volume and, if needed, the container and physical device. If the data is important, avoid repeated repair or erase attempts until you have considered data recovery options.

The volume is visible but cannot be opened

Check whether it is mounted. If it is mounted but still inaccessible, select it in Disk Utility and review its file-system format and error messages. Do not reformat the disk unless you have a backup and are certain that erasing is acceptable.

A volume formatted for another operating system may be readable only with compatible software, and some formats may be read-only in macOS.

Disk Utility shows an unexpected hierarchy

Different storage formats create different structures. APFS commonly uses containers and multiple volumes, while other formats may show a simpler disk-and-volume arrangement. A disk may also contain recovery, system, or other supporting volumes that you should not delete casually.

If you are unsure which item to select, use the capacity, connection type, and indentation in the sidebar to identify the physical device and its volumes. Avoid changing partitions or containers simply to make the sidebar look simpler.

First Aid reports that the disk cannot be repaired

First Aid is not a substitute for a backup or data-recovery service. If the disk still mounts, copy important files to another storage device immediately. Then check cables, power, and the disk’s behavior on another Mac if possible.

Do not erase the disk until you have recovered the files you need. If the drive is failing physically, continued use may make recovery more difficult.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Show All Devices erase anything?

No. Selecting View > Show All Devices only changes what Disk Utility displays. It does not modify, erase, mount, or repair a disk.

Should I select the device or the volume?

Select the volume for tasks that apply to a particular mounted storage area, such as checking its file system. Select the physical device when you need to work with the entire drive, such as erasing all partitions. Always read Disk Utility’s confirmation message before proceeding.

Why do I see several volumes on my Mac’s internal drive?

Modern macOS installations can use multiple volumes for system files, user data, recovery functions, and other operating-system components. Do not delete unfamiliar internal volumes unless you understand their purpose and have a complete backup.

Can Show All Devices fix a missing disk?

No. It reveals storage items that macOS already detects. It cannot repair a failed cable, restore a damaged drive, or make unsupported hardware appear. If the device is missing entirely, investigate the connection, power, adapter, and hardware.

Is Show All Devices required to run First Aid?

No. You can run First Aid from the standard view, but the expanded view lets you see and select the physical disk, containers, and volumes individually.

What is the difference between Show All Devices and Show Only Volumes?

Show All Devices displays the complete storage hierarchy. Show Only Volumes hides physical disks and containers and shows the volumes used for everyday file access.

Final Thoughts

View > Show All Devices gives you a complete picture of storage in Disk Utility. Use it to identify the physical disk behind a volume, inspect containers and partitions, run First Aid at the appropriate level, and troubleshoot missing or unmounted storage. Because actions on a physical disk can affect everything stored on it, verify the selected item and back up important data before making changes.