If a blank CD or DVD doesn't appear in the Finder

Follow these steps on your Mac if a blank optical disc (such as a CD-R, CD-RW, or DVD-R) doesn't appear on the desktop or in the Finder after you insert it.

This article has been archived and is no longer updated by Apple.

When you insert a blank disc, your CDs & DVDs preferences determine what happens next. If they are set to Ignore, then nothing happens in the Finder.* Follow these steps to change the setting:

  1. Choose Apple menu () > System Preferences, then click CDs & DVDs.
    If you don’t have an optical drive built into or connected to your Mac, CDs & DVDs preferences aren’t available.
  2. From the ”When you insert a blank CD” and ” When you insert a blank DVD” pop-up menus, choose any action other than Ignore, such as ”Ask what to do.”
  3. Quit System Preferences. 

* Apps such as iTunes and Disk Utility can still access the disc, even if it doesn't appear on the desktop or in the Finder.

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