[Fixed] Disk Utility "Erase" Button Greyed Out on Mac

If your Mac is running slowly despite deleting unnecessary files, you might consider erasing it through Disk Utility to free up space. However, sometimes the Erase button becomes grayed out, preventing you from proceeding. Let’s go over why this happens and what you can do if Disk Utility won’t let you erase a disk.

Why Is the "Erase" Button in Disk Utility Grayed Out on Mac?

Here are the main reasons why the “Erase” button in Disk Utility may be grayed out on a Mac:

• You're trying to erase the drive you are booted into.
• The disk isn't mounted.
• The disk or drive is formatted in NTFS, which makes it read-only on Mac. As a result, Disk Utility cannot erase the files it contains.
• The disk format is unsupported or the disk is corrupted.
• You have no permission to erase the disk or drive.

How to Fix the "Disk Utility Erase Button Greyed Out" Issue

If you’re facing issues where Disk Utility won’t erase your hard drive and the "Erase" button is inactive, follow these tips below to fix it.

Fix 1. Erase Your Mac in Recovery Mode

Disk Utility won’t let you erase your startup disk (usually named “Macintosh HD”). If you want to wipe your Mac, use the "Erase All Content and Settings" feature in Settings. Simply click Apple menu > System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings, and follow the onscreen instructions.

If your Mac is running macOS Big Sur or earlier, you must enter recovery mode to erase it. Once in recovery mode, select Disk Utility, click Continue, and then click the "Erase" button in Disk Utility to restore your Mac to its factory settings.

Related Article: [Fixed] Erase Assistant Is Not Supported on This Mac

Fix 2. Mount Your Disk

If the "Erase" button is grayed out, the disk you’re trying to erase may not be mounted. Check if your external hard drive or the target disk is correctly mounted in Disk Utility.

Here's how:

1. Open Disk Utility.
2. Select the disk you want to erase in the sidebar.
3. Right-click on it and choose "Mount".
4. Check if the "Erase" button is clickable.

Fix 3. Use an NTFS for Mac Tool

If the disk or drive you connected to your Mac is in NTFS format, it will be read-only by default. To enable writing to it, you’ll need a third-party NTFS for Mac tool. These tools often integrate with Disk Utility, providing options to mount, erase, and format NTFS drives, making it easy to read and write NTFS drives seamlessly on your Mac.

This guide lists the best NTFS for Mac tools. You can take a look and choose the one that suits your needs to get started.

Fix 4. Repair Your Disk

As mentioned, if your disk is corrupted, Disk Utility won’t allow you to erase it. In this case, run First Aid on your disk using Disk Utility to repair any issues that might be preventing it from being erased.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Disk Utility.
2. Select your disk from the sidebar and click the First Aid button in the toolbar.
3. Wait for the First Aid process to complete.

Fix 5. Contact Apple Support

If, unfortunately, all the methods above fail, contact Apple Support or the disk or drive manufacturer for further assistance.

Bonus: How to Optimize Your Mac Instead of Erasing It

Erasing can lead to data loss, to some extent. Instead of factory resetting your Mac, consider using BuhoCleaner, the best Mac cleaner, to clean and optimize your system so it can handle more tasks just the way you want.

BuhoCleaner is an ideal tool to keep your Mac clean and fast. Here are some notable features of it:

• Clear your Mac in one click.
• Uninstall unwanted apps without leaving any trace.
• Find large files over 50 MB without any hassle.
• Delete identical and similar photos.
• Monitor your Mac performance in the menu bar in real time.
• Visualize your disk space usage and locate the largest files in each folder on your Mac.

Click the button below to give it a try and make your Mac run as fast as it should.

Final Thoughts

Most of the time, the "Erase" button in Disk Utility is greyed out because you don’t have permission to erase the disk you want. In this case, use Erase All Content and Settings or Recovery Mode instead. For other issues, try troubleshooting by remounting your drive, running First Aid, or using NTFS for Mac software.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you resolve the "Disk Utility Earas Button Greyed Out" issue on your Mac. If you have any questions or additional troubleshooting tips, feel free to contact us via email or leave a comment on our Facebook or Twitter.