I cant get my xbox 1 to recognize my external storage device even after all troubleshooting

Please try your external HDD in a computer to confirm that it is working correctly.

Try another USB port, and check if it requires a external power supply.

If it is usb USB 3 and above 256Gb you should be able to use it for games, otherwise it should be seen as a media and photos external device.

Hey BereavedFern431! What make and model external are you using? Post back and let me know!

I'm using a Seagate Backup Plus 2TB 3.0 usb external hdd and I haven't had any problem at all. Below is a copy and pasted article for info on external hdd and FAQ.

A 256GB or larger storage device with USB 3.0.

Note: Any brand/drive should work, as long as it's at least 256GB and USB 3.0.

Note: You can connect up to two storage devices at the same time

Note: If the storage device is connected via a USB hub, it needs to support USB 3.0.

Note: Both USB powered and AC adapter powered will work.

External Storage FAQ

Q: What can I install on my external storage device?

A: You can install games, downloadable content, and apps on your storage device.

Q: Can I store game saves on the external storage device?

A: No. Game saves are automatically stored in the cloud and synced to the Xbox One console.

Q: Can I use the external storage device for music and video playback?

A: No. For the initial release of the external storage feature, media files, including music and videos, are not supported. We are considering this for a future release.

Q: Can I copy or move a game from my internal hard drive to my external storage device?

A: Yes. Check out the content management features by going the Manage page for the game or app.

Q: Can I use my external storage device with my PC as well as my Xbox One?

A: No. The external storage device will be formatted for use by the Xbox One console only. PCs won’t recognize the drive partition created by the Xbox One.

Q: Can I re-format my storage device from my Xbox One console?

A: If you'd like to remove all content from your storage device and start over, you can re-format your storage device on the Xbox One. To do this, go to Settings>System>Manage Storage, choose the external drive you want to format, and select Format. After
this is done, the Xbox One will treat it as a brand new drive.

Note: Formatting causes the storage device to wipe all data.

Q: Do I need to bring my game disc while roaming with my storage device?

A: Yes. The external storage device does not change the licensing for games, so if the game was installed from a disc, the disc is required to play the game.

Hey there -

Have you looked through the
troubleshooting guide for Xbox One consoles not recognizing external storage devices yet? If not, please read through that and follow all the steps as provided. Also, if you are able to, try a different USB cable and USB port on your Xbox One to see if
that helps at all.

Let us know if that helps!

Hi there EvanZook,

Thanks for reaching out here in Xbox Forums. I understand there is a question with formatting an external hard drive. Unfortunately, formatting an external hard drive will remove what is saved on the HD.

When you first connect, Xbox will prompt you to format your device. You can use it for Xbox games and apps, or for personal media such as pictures, music, and video. (Xbox will treat devices that don’t meet the above requirements as media storage.)

If your Xbox doesn’t recognize your external drive, see Troubleshoot external storage detection on Xbox One.

Note Xbox will recognize only two external drives at one time.

If you cancel formatting when you connect a storage device, you can set it up later:

1. Press the Xbox button to open the guide and select System >
   Settings > System > Storage.
2. Select your device, and then select Format for games & apps.

Hope this helps.