Apple has begun to stop installing CD/DVD drives since the introduction of MacBook Air in January 2008. Later Apple discontinued manufacturing MacBook and iMac with optical drives in 2016 and mid-2011 respectively. With your new Mac devices, you are not able to run CDs or DVDs. For this purpose, you need to rely on external CD/DVD drives. Moreover, you need an external drive to import movies and music to iTunes. If you have got the latest MacBook or iMac (released after 2012 and 2016), you need to buy the best external CD/DVD drives.
- Macbook Air External Hard Drive
- Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Air
- Best External Hard Disk For Macbook Air
The Best Mac External Hard Drive and SSD Deals This Week. WD My Passport 5TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard Drive — $119.99 (List Price $149.99) WD Elements 4TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard.
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#1. Apple USB SuperDrive
Apple claims that its USB SuperDrive has everything you need in an optical drive. With simplicity, this external drive has state-of-the-art technology. You can connect this SuperDrive with your MacBook Pro with Retina display, MacBook Air, iMac, or Mac mini with a single USB Type A cable, which is built into this SuperDrive.
The design of this drive is compact as it is slightly bigger than a CD case. You can carry this SuperDrive anywhere in your travel bag or laptop bag. Use this drive on your desk or tray table. Check out the compatible devices.
USP: Compact design
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Check out on Apple
#2. VersionTECH
- 17-32 of 271 results for 'macbook air hard drive' KESU Portable External Hard Drive Type C USB3.0 HDD Storage Compatible for PC, Mac, Desktop, Laptop, MacBook, Chromebook (White) (250GB) 4.4.
- Samsung Portable SSD T5. Starting off Samsung Portable SSD T5 which is an outstanding storage.
VersionTECH is one of the leading brands in manufacturing high-quality CD/DVD drives for Mac. The most useful feature on this drive is that there is no eject button. And you are not supposed to use any driver program or extra power supply as it can be powered by the USB port.
VersionTECH has created a stylish design that features a durable metal finish with an elegant silver lid. The ultra-slim drive is convenient to carry anywhere. Among other notable features, this drive boasts are embedded cable, premium wire drawing material, low noise, and high durability.
USP: Ultra-thin design
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Check out on Amazon
#3. LG
LG is a renowned brand in the world of electronics. The brand has also manufactured top-notch accessories like power banks, Bluetooth headphones, keyboards, stylus and more. For your Mac, LG brings an ultra-slim DVD external drive. With its 8X DVD-R writing speed, you can quickly transfer data from your DVD or CD to your MacBook or iMac.
During the style evolution, LG’s optical drive has achieved a new status from slimmer to the slimmest. The product occupies little space on your desk and delivers the best performance every time you insert a CD or DVD.
USP: Superior data protection
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Check out on Amazon
#4. Cocopa
With its high-speed interface of USB 3.0, Cocopa can quickly transmit your data at the maximum speed of 5GBPS. This makes Cocopa an excellent choice of marketing executives, who have to make presentations in offices. The strong fault tolerance gives a stable performance.
For fashion-forward users, Cocopa has used brushed texture shell that gives you a good touch feeling. With its small size, you can carry this portable DVD drive with your laptop anywhere.
USP: Stable performance
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Check out on Amazon
#5. Gipow
Beating USB 2.0 and USB 1.0, Gipow has designed a USB 3.0 external drive for your Mac. Whether it is your movies, videos, or audio contents, you can quickly transfer everything to your Mac. If you don’t want to transfer audio/visual contents, you can watch or listen to the contents directly from the drive.
This CD/DVD drive is compatible with multiple operating systems, apart from macOS. It’s a plug-and-play drive you can install and use without any software or driver.
USP: Fashionable design
Check out on Amazon
Check out on Amazon
#6. Rioddas
When I opened the package, I wondered there was no cable attached to this drive. Then I realized that the cable is smartly embedded at the bottom of this drive. This intelligent design can impress any user. This is the best portable drive for Mac owners, who have to travel extensively. The drive doesn’t occupy space in your travel bag or laptop bag.
For better stability on any glossy surface, Rioddas has put a non-slip pad on the bottom. This non-slip pad prevents your drive from falling off your table or desk. The multi-functional CD/DVD drive can burn movies and music.
USP: Embedded cable design
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Check out on Amazon
#7. ISKE
Unlike other external CD/DVD drives that show eject button, ISKE doesn’t have that eject button. When you want to eject a CD or DVD from the drive, you can perform this action from your Mac.
ISKE’s external drive boasts intelligent design as it offers embedded cable design; users should not underrate this feature as it can protect the cable and makes your drive more portable.
USP: No eject button
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Check out on Amazon
#8. Botee
Botee has come up with a unique feature: voltage stabilization system. This system avoids high or low voltage lead. Thus, it can protect your computer from any damage. Bootee offers you free lifetime product warranty, 30-day product replacement or refund.
Universal compatibility of this drive enables it to work with multiple operating systems aside from macOS. This means you can smoothly transfer your data from Windows computer to Mac or vice versa.
USP: Voltage stabilization
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Check out on Amazon
#9. ivkey
![Best Best](https://www.windowscentral.com/sites/wpcentral.com/files/styles/large/public/field/image/2017/01/macbook-pro-windows-5.jpg?itok=1LIpUbe5)
ivkey presents unique design in its external CD drive that works with USB 3.0 high-speed interface. For faster data transmission speed, use this product and achieve a maximum speed of up to 5GBPS. Along with speed, you get stable performance and strong fault tolerance.
Ivkey has unparalleled intelligent burning technology and brand new chip to correct the errors. You can play your audio/visual contents without any log or distortion.
USP: Intelligent burning technology
Check out on Amazon
Check out on Amazon
#10. VicTsing
VicTsing brings a multi-function external CD/DVD drive with which you can watch DVD movies, burn files, music, videos to another CD or DVD. You can also install software and create backup discs etc.
VicTsing offers robust anti-shock and noise-reduction technology. The drive consumes low power, and it can be powered by the USB port; you are not supposed to use any external adapter. Don’t miss its slim and lightweight design, which provides a stylish appearance.
USP: Error-correction ability
Check out on Amazon
Check out on Amazon
That’s all!
Summing up…
For smooth, hassle-free, fast, and secure transmission of your data, external CD/DVD drive is the best solution for your Mac. Note that you can buy any CD or DVD with maximum data storage capacity and then transfer your data from one computer to another.
You may also like to refer:
Which external CD/DVD drive would you like to buy for your Mac?
Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com who has a keen eye for news, rumors and all the unusual stuff that happens around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting contents on social media. Backup software free. download full version.
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Erasing your disk: For most reasons to erase, including when reformatting a disk or selling, giving away, or trading in your Mac, you should erase your entire disk.
Erasing a volume on your disk: In other cases, such as when your disk contains multiple volumes (or partitions) and you don't want to erase them all, you can erase specific volumes on the disk.
Erasing a disk or volume permanently deletes all of its files. Before continuing, make sure that you have a backup of any files that you want to keep.
How to erase your disk
- Start up from macOS Recovery. Then select Disk Utility from the Utilities window and click Continue.
If you're not erasing the disk your Mac started up from, you don't need to start up from macOS Recovery: just open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder of your Applications folder. - Choose View > Show All Devices from the menu bar in Disk Utility. The sidebar now shows your disks (devices) and any containers and volumes within them. The disk your Mac started up from is at the top of the list. In this example, Apple SSD is the startup disk:
- Select the disk that you want to erase. Don't see your disk?
- Click Erase, then complete these items:
- Name: Type the name that you want the disk to have after you erase it.
- Format: Choose APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Disk Utility shows a compatible format by default.
- Scheme: Choose GUID Partition Map.
- Click Erase to begin erasing your disk and every container and volume within it. You might be asked to enter your Apple ID. Forgot your Apple ID?
- When done, quit Disk Utility.
- If you want your Mac to be able to start up from the disk you erased, reinstall macOS on the disk.
How to erase a volume on your disk
- Start up from macOS Recovery. Then select Disk Utility from the Utilities window and click Continue.
If you're not erasing the volume your Mac started up from, you don't need to start up from macOS Recovery: just open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder of your Applications folder. - In the sidebar of Disk Utility, select the volume that you want to erase. The volume your Mac started up from is named Macintosh HD, unless you changed its name. Don't see your volume?
- Click Erase, then complete these items:
- Name: Type the name that you want the volume to have after you erase it.
- Format: Choose APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Disk Utility shows a compatible format by default.
- If you see an Erase Volume Group button, the volume you selected is part of a volume group. In that case, you should erase the volume group. Otherwise, click Erase to erase just the selected volume. You might be asked to enter your Apple ID. Forgot your Apple ID?
- When done, quit Disk Utility.
- If you want your Mac to be able to start up from the volume you erased, reinstall macOS on that volume.
Macbook Air External Hard Drive
Reasons to erase
You can erase at any time, including in circumstances such as these:
- You want to permanently erase all content from your Mac and restore it to factory settings. This is one of the final steps before selling, giving away, or trading in your Mac.
- You're changing the format of a disk, such as from a PC format (FAT, ExFAT, or NTFS) to a Mac format (APFS or Mac OS Extended).
- You received a message that your disk isn't readable by this computer.
- You're trying to resolve a disk issue that Disk Utility can't repair.
- The macOS installer doesn't see your disk or can't install on it. For example, the installer might say that your disk isn't formatted correctly, isn't using a GUID partition scheme, contains a newer version of the operating system, or can't be used to start up your computer.
- The macOS installer says that you may not install to this volume because it is part of an Apple RAID.
Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Air
About APFS and Mac OS Extended
Disk Utility in macOS High Sierra or later can erase using either the newer APFS (Apple File System) format or the older Mac OS Extended format, and it automatically chooses a compatible format for you.
How to choose between APFS and Mac OS Extended
Disk Utility tries to detect the type of storage and show the appropriate format in the Format menu. If it can't, it chooses Mac OS Extended, which works with all versions of macOS. If you want to change the format, answer these questions:
- Are you formatting the disk that came built into your Mac?
If the built-in disk came APFS-formatted, Disk Utility suggests APFS. Don't change it to Mac OS Extended. - Are you about to install macOS High Sierra or later for the first time on the disk?
If you need to erase your disk before installing High Sierra or later for the first time on that disk, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled). During installation, the macOS installer decides whether to automatically convert to APFS—without erasing your files. - Are you preparing a Time Machine backup disk or bootable installer?
Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for any disk that you plan to use as a Time Machine backup disk or as a bootable installer. - Will you be using the disk with another Mac?
If the other Mac isn't using macOS High Sierra or later, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Earlier versions of macOS don't work with APFS-formatted volumes.
How to identify the format currently in use
If you want to know which format is currently in use, use any of these methods:
- Select the volume in the Disk Utility sidebar, then check the information shown on the right. For more detail, choose File > Get Info from the Disk Utility menu bar.
- Open System Information and select Storage in the sidebar. The File System column on the right shows the format of each volume.
- Select the volume in the Finder, then choose File > Get Info from the menu bar. The Get Info window shows the Format of that volume.
If your disk or volume doesn't appear, or the erase fails
- Shut down your Mac, then unplug all nonessential devices from your Mac.
- If you're erasing an external drive, make sure that it's connected directly to your Mac using a cable that you know is good. Then turn the drive off and back on.
- If your disk or volume still doesn't appear in Disk Utility, or Disk Utility reports that the erase process failed, your disk or Mac might need service. If you need help, please contact Apple Support.
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Best External Hard Disk For Macbook Air
- If you can't start up from macOS Recovery, you can use a different startup disk instead.
- If Disk Utility shows a Security Options button in the Erase window, you can click that button to choose between a faster (but less secure) erase and a slower (but more secure) erase. Some older versions of Disk Utility offer the option to zero all data instead. These secure-erase options aren't offered or needed for solid-state drives (SSDs) and flash storage.