Most People Don't Know Half of What Their External SSD Can Do

Most people plug an external SSD into their Mac and never touch half of what it can actually do. In this video I walk through everything from picking the right cable and format to encryption, running apps and even macOS off the drive, moving your home folder, and setting up Time Machine. By the end you'll know exactly how to set up your SSD the right way for your specific use case. 🔗 My favorite fast SSDs: https://geni.us/Wq6oax 🔗 Cheaper SSDs: https://geni.us/DUrly 🔗 My favorite cables: [https://geni.us/nGCkBKA 🔗 Tell me your setup and I'll recommend the exact SSD for you: https://adamtalks.tech/ssdguide My Gear & Other Recommendations My Desk Setup:    • Ultimate Mac Productivity Desk Setup (2025)   My Full Video Making Kit: https://adamtalks.tech/gear As an Amazon Associate and a B&H affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This video contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase from either Amazon or B&H, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. DO YOU HAVE A PRODUCT YOU'D LIKE ME TO REVIEW? You can drop me an email at [email protected] Visit my website https://adamtalks.tech 00:00 Intro 00:21 Choosing the Right Cable 01:18 Connecting the Drive to Your Mac 01:58 Fixing a Drive That Won't Show Up 02:18 Copying vs Moving Files 02:52 Why You Should Always Eject Safely 03:44 Format Compatibility (exFAT, APFS, HFS, NTFS) 05:19 Encryption Setup 06:35 Erasing and Formatting the Drive 08:11 Running Apps Off an External SSD 09:58 Installing macOS on an External Drive 10:14 Moving Your Home Folder 12:06 Time Machine Setup 14:00 Final Recommendations