How to Use a USB Flash Drive on a Mac

A USB flash drive (also called a thumb drive or memory stick) is a small portable storage device that lets you carry files with you or back them up away from your main computer. On a Mac, connecting a flash drive is quick — the drive appears right on your desktop so you can work with it like any folder.

Newer Macs (made after 2016) usually use USB-C ports instead of the older, larger USB-A ports. If your flash drive has the rectangular USB-A connector and your Mac only has USB-C ports, you'll need a small USB-C to USB-A adapter, available for a few dollars at any electronics or office supply store.

Once connected, the flash drive icon shows up on your Mac desktop and in the Finder sidebar. You can drag files onto it to save copies there, or drag files off it to move them to your Mac.

Common uses for flash drives on a Mac: - Backing up important files like photos, documents, and financial records - Moving files between a Mac and a Windows PC - Giving someone a file that's too large to email - Saving a copy of work before making major changes

Flash drives are reusable, durable, and inexpensive. A 32GB drive holds roughly 10,000 photos or several thousand documents. Storing a spare copy of your tax returns or medical records on a flash drive kept somewhere safe is a smart habit.