How do I see all devices connected to my Mac?

Answered by Randy McIntyre

To see all devices connected to your Mac, you can check both the Finder sidebar and the desktop.

1. Finder Sidebar:
– Open a Finder window on your Mac by clicking on the Finder icon in the Dock or using the Command + N shortcut.
– In the top menu, click on “Finder” and then select “Preferences” or use the Command + , shortcut.
– The Finder Preferences window will open. Click on the “Sidebar” tab.
– Scroll down the list of options until you reach the “Devices” section.
– Here, you can select the checkboxes next to the devices you want to see in the sidebar. The available options include hard disks, external disks, CDs, DVDs, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and connected servers.
– Once you have selected the devices you want to see, close the Preferences window.
– Now, you should be able to see the selected devices in the sidebar of any Finder window.

2. Desktop:
– If you prefer to see the devices on your desktop, you can enable that option in the Finder Preferences as well.
– Follow the steps mentioned above to open the Finder Preferences window.
– Click on the “General” tab this time.
– In the “Show these items on the desktop” section, you will find a list of items you can choose to display on your desktop.
– Select the checkboxes next to the devices you want to see on the desktop, such as hard disks, external disks, etc.
– Once you have made the selections, close the Preferences window.
– Now, the icons for the selected devices should appear on your desktop.

By customizing the Finder sidebar and desktop settings, you can easily view the icons for various devices connected to your Mac. This allows for quick access to important devices and simplifies the management of your files and data.

Personal Experience:
As a Mac user, I find it convenient to have the devices I frequently use displayed in both the Finder sidebar and on my desktop. It helps me quickly access important files and transfer data between devices. For example, when I connect an external hard drive to my Mac, I can easily drag and drop files to or from it by simply dragging the files to the icon on my desktop. Similarly, having the icons in the sidebar allows me to navigate to specific devices without having to search through multiple folders.

Bullet List Summary:
– Open Finder Preferences by clicking on “Finder” > “Preferences” or using Command + ,
– In the “Sidebar” tab, select the checkboxes for devices you want to see in the sidebar.
– In the “General” tab, select the checkboxes for devices you want to see on the desktop.
– Close the Preferences window.
– The selected devices should now be visible in the Finder sidebar and on your desktop.