How to Force Eject a Mac Disc or Drive

When encountering issues with ejecting a disc or drive from your Mac, employing the "Force Eject" method can be a lifesaver. Here's a comprehensive guide to safely and effectively force ejecting your Mac's disc or drive.

Method 1: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Open Finder: Launch Finder and locate the disk or drive you want to eject.

Select the Drive: Click on the disk or drive icon to highlight it.

Press Command + E: Simultaneously press the Command and E keys on your keyboard to attempt a regular eject. If this doesn't work, proceed to force ejecting.

Method 2: Terminal Commands

Open Terminal: Access Terminal through Spotlight Search or find it in Applications > Utilities.

Enter Command: Type drutil eject followed by the drive name (e.g., drutil eject /dev/disk2) and hit Enter.

Execute the Command: This will trigger a force eject attempt.

Method 3: Physical Eject Button (for Macs with Optical Drives)

Locate the Eject Button: On Macs with optical drives, there's usually a physical eject button.

Press and Hold: Push and hold the eject button for about 5-10 seconds. This should force the drive to eject the disk.

Method 4: Restart and Eject

Restart Your Mac: Perform a restart by clicking on the Apple menu and selecting Restart.

Eject on Startup: While the Mac is restarting, hold down the mouse button, trackpad button, or the "Eject" key on your keyboard.

Method 5: Using Disk Utility

Open Disk Utility: Access Disk Utility through Applications > Utilities.

Select the Drive: In Disk Utility, select the troublesome drive and click on the "Eject" button located in the toolbar.

Remember, forcibly ejecting a disk may lead to data loss or damage to the drive. If none of these methods work, seek professional assistance or visit an authorized service provider to prevent any potential hardware damage.

These methods should help resolve most issues related to ejecting discs or drives from your Mac. Always ensure that you've saved and closed any open files on the drive before attempting to eject it to avoid potential data loss.