I've been using a Samsung T7 external SSD as my main backup drive for months without issues on my Windows PC. Recently, I switched to a MacBook Air M2 for work, and suddenly the SSD starts disconnecting randomly whenever I plug it into the MacBook's Thunderbolt port. It only happens when using that specific port; if I use a USB-A adapter on my older iMac, the drive is stable. I've tried different cables, updated macOS to the latest version, and reset the SMC and NVRAM, but nothing has helped. The disconnects are annoying because Time Machine backups fail midway, and I risk corrupting data. I need the drive to be reliable for daily backups and large file transfers. Has anyone experienced random disconnects with external SSDs on M2 MacBooks? Could this be a compatibility issue with Thunderbolt or a hardware problem? What else can I try to stop these disconnects without buying a new drive?

On 02/04/2026 at 6:45 PM, HappyCloud684 said:

I've been using a Samsung T7 external SSD as my main backup drive for months without issues on my Windows PC. Recently, I switched to a MacBook Air M2 for work, and suddenly the SSD starts disconnecting randomly whenever I plug it into the MacBook's Thunderbolt port. It only happens when using that specific port; if I use a USB-A adapter on my older iMac, the drive is stable. I've tried different cables, updated macOS to the latest version, and reset the SMC and NVRAM, but nothing has helped. The disconnects are annoying because Time Machine backups fail midway, and I risk corrupting data. I need the drive to be reliable for daily backups and large file transfers. Has anyone experienced random disconnects with external SSDs on M2 MacBooks? Could this be a compatibility issue with Thunderbolt or a hardware problem? What else can I try to stop these disconnects without buying a new drive?

Sounds super frustrating, especially since the drive works fine on other machines. Since you’ve ruled out cables and done the usual resets, I wonder if it’s a power management or Thunderbolt handshake issue specific to the MacBook Air M2’s port. Sometimes macOS can be picky with certain external drives on newer hardware. Have you tried using a powered Thunderbolt hub or dock between the SSD and your Mac? That sometimes stabilizes connections by buffering power and data.

Also, check if the Samsung T7 firmware is fully up to date - Samsung occasionally releases updates that improve Mac compatibility. If the disconnects only happen on that one port, it might be worth testing the other Thunderbolt port (if available) or even running a quick Apple Diagnostics to rule out a hardware glitch in the port itself.

Others here have mentioned similar quirks with external drives on M1/M2 Macs, so you’re not alone. Hopefully one of these tweaks helps keep

On 02/04/2026 at 6:45 PM, HappyCloud684 said:

I've been using a Samsung T7 external SSD as my main backup drive for months without issues on my Windows PC. Recently, I switched to a MacBook Air M2 for work, and suddenly the SSD starts disconnecting randomly whenever I plug it into the MacBook's Thunderbolt port. It only happens when using that specific port; if I use a USB-A adapter on my older iMac, the drive is stable. I've tried different cables, updated macOS to the latest version, and reset the SMC and NVRAM, but nothing has helped. The disconnects are annoying because Time Machine backups fail midway, and I risk corrupting data. I need the drive to be reliable for daily backups and large file transfers. Has anyone experienced random disconnects with external SSDs on M2 MacBooks? Could this be a compatibility issue with Thunderbolt or a hardware problem? What else can I try to stop these disconnects without buying a new drive?

That’s interesting that the disconnects only happen on the MacBook Air’s Thunderbolt port and not on the iMac’s USB-A. I had a similar issue with a Samsung T7 on my M1 MacBook Pro where the drive would randomly drop during heavy transfers. For me, the culprit ended up being the cable - even though it looked fine, swapping in an Apple-certified Thunderbolt 3 cable fixed it completely. You mentioned trying different cables, but did you test with a Thunderbolt 3 cable specifically rated for high power and data transfer, not just any USB-C cable?

Also, since the T7 is USB-C and not native Thunderbolt, sometimes macOS can be a bit finicky with power delivery on certain ports. You might try using a powered USB hub or a different USB-C port if your MacBook Air has more than one. If none of that helps, it’s worth checking the Samsung Portable SSD software on Mac for firmware updates or

On 02/04/2026 at 6:45 PM, HappyCloud684 said:

I've been using a Samsung T7 external SSD as my main backup drive for months without issues on my Windows PC. Recently, I switched to a MacBook Air M2 for work, and suddenly the SSD starts disconnecting randomly whenever I plug it into the MacBook's Thunderbolt port. It only happens when using that specific port; if I use a USB-A adapter on my older iMac, the drive is stable. I've tried different cables, updated macOS to the latest version, and reset the SMC and NVRAM, but nothing has helped. The disconnects are annoying because Time Machine backups fail midway, and I risk corrupting data. I need the drive to be reliable for daily backups and large file transfers. Has anyone experienced random disconnects with external SSDs on M2 MacBooks? Could this be a compatibility issue with Thunderbolt or a hardware problem? What else can I try to stop these disconnects without buying a new drive?

That’s frustrating, especially since the T7 worked fine on Windows and your iMac. The fact that it only disconnects on the MacBook Air M2’s Thunderbolt port makes me wonder if it’s a power delivery or protocol handshake issue specific to that port. Sometimes, even with the right cables, certain drives can have compatibility quirks with Thunderbolt on M1/M2 Macs.

Have you tried connecting the T7 through a powered Thunderbolt or USB hub? That can sometimes stabilize the connection by providing consistent power and buffering the data link. Also, double-check the drive’s format - if it’s formatted for Windows (NTFS), macOS might struggle more, especially with Time Machine. Reformatting to APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) might help, but obviously back up your data first.

Others have mentioned resetting SMC and NVRAM, which you’ve done, so that’s good. If the hub

On 02/04/2026 at 6:45 PM, HappyCloud684 said:

I've been using a Samsung T7 external SSD as my main backup drive for months without issues on my Windows PC. Recently, I switched to a MacBook Air M2 for work, and suddenly the SSD starts disconnecting randomly whenever I plug it into the MacBook's Thunderbolt port. It only happens when using that specific port; if I use a USB-A adapter on my older iMac, the drive is stable. I've tried different cables, updated macOS to the latest version, and reset the SMC and NVRAM, but nothing has helped. The disconnects are annoying because Time Machine backups fail midway, and I risk corrupting data. I need the drive to be reliable for daily backups and large file transfers. Has anyone experienced random disconnects with external SSDs on M2 MacBooks? Could this be a compatibility issue with Thunderbolt or a hardware problem? What else can I try to stop these disconnects without buying a new drive?

Since the SSD works fine on your older iMac via USB-A but not on the MacBook Air’s Thunderbolt port, it sounds like a compatibility or power delivery hiccup specific to that port. Have you tried using a powered Thunderbolt hub or dock between the MacBook and the SSD? Sometimes those hubs help stabilize connections and provide consistent power, especially with drives that might be sensitive.

Also, double-check if your Samsung T7 firmware is fully updated on the MacBook itself. There have been cases where older firmware versions cause weird disconnects on newer macOS builds. If you haven’t already, you might try reformatting the drive to APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) to see if the file system is playing a role, though back up your data before that.