I just got my first big external hard drive, a 22TB Western Digital My Book with USB 3.2 Gen 1. I'm wondering if it's safe to leave it connected to my MacBook 24/7 using a USB to Type-C adapter. I also have a 2TB Toshiba Canvio Basic drive. If it is safe to keep one plugged in all the time, which one should I use, the 2TB or the 22TB, given their different disk types?
3 Answers
Absolutely no problems with leaving it connected 24/7.
Yep, it's 100% safe to keep it plugged in all the time,
It's totally fine to leave an external HDD plugged in all the time. I've had mine connected for over 10 years! It usually spins down when not in use, which is a nice feature. Just be aware that if your system queries the drives, the HDD may take a moment to spin back up, which could cause a slight lag, especially with a 5400RPM drive. But overall, no issues. Just consider using a UPS since your HDD won’t have a battery backup like your laptop does. Make sure it has a good spin-down time too!
Wow, 10 years! I’ve only had mine plugged in for 10 days at most.