Seagate Ultra Touch - HDD Manual

Introduction

Seagate Ultra Touch is the ultimate way to store photos, videos, and music from your computer or compatible Android device.

For common questions and answers about your drive, see Frequently Asked Questions or visit Seagate customer support.

Box content

• Seagate Ultra Touch
• USB-A (USB 3.0 & 2.0) cable
• USB-C adapter

Save your packaging. If you experience problems with your device and want to exchange it, the device must be returned in its original packaging.

Minimum system requirements

Ports

Connect your Seagate Ultra Touch to a computer with a USB-A (USB 3.0 or 2.0) or USB-C port.

You can also connect Seagate Ultra Touch to compatible Android mobile devices with a USB-C port. Use the included adapter for the USB-C connection.

Operating system

• Windows® 7 or higher
• macOS® 10.12 or higher
• Android 8.0 or higher

Minimum free disk space

• 600MB recommended

Getting Started

Register Seagate Ultra Touch and start backing up files from your PC/Mac computers and compatible Android mobile devices.

PC/Mac computers

Connect the USB cable

Before connecting Ultra Touch, confirm the type of USB port on your computer.

USB-A port

Use the Micro B to USB-A cable if your computer has a USB-A port.

USB-C port

If your computer has a USB-C port, use the Micro B to USB-A cable with the USB-C adapter.

Set up Seagate Ultra Touch

The setup process lets you:

Learn more about Toolkit

For details on Toolkit features, see the Toolkit user manual.

Your computer must be connected to the internet to install and run Toolkit.

Start here

Using a file manager such as Finder or File Explorer, open Ultra Touch and launch Start Here Win or Start Here Mac.

Register your device

On the Sign Up page, click Register using your PC or Mac. Enter your information and click Register.

Download Toolkit

At the prompt, click the Download button.

Install Toolkit

Using a file manager such as Finder or File Explorer, go to the folder where you receive downloads.

Click on the SeagateToolkit.exe file to launch the application.

Open the SeagateToolkit.zip file. Click on the Seagate Toolkit Installer to launch the application.

Android mobile devices

Your Android mobile device must be connected to the internet to start the setup process.

Download Seagate Mobile Touch

On your Android mobile device, go to the Google Play Store and download the Seagate Mobile Touch app.

Alternatively, scan the following QR code using your Android device to open the Google Play Store:

Connect your Android mobile device

Open Seagate Mobile Touch

Once you've downloaded Mobile Touch and connected Seagate Ultra Touch to your Android mobile device, open the app and follow the onscreen instructions to register the drive and begin backing up files.

Safely Remove Seagate Ultra Touch From Your Computer and Android Mobile Device

Always eject a storage drive from your computer before physically disconnecting it. Your computer must perform filing and housekeeping operations on the drive before it is removed. If you unplug the drive without using the operating system's software, your files can become corrupt or damaged.

Windows

Use the Safely Remove tool to eject a device.

1. Click the Safely Remove icon in your Windows System Tray to view the devices you can eject.
   
2. If you don't see the Safely Remove Hardware icon, click the Show hidden icons arrow in the system tray to display all icons in the notification area.
3. In the list of devices, choose the device you want to eject. Windows displays a notification when it is safe to remove the device.
4. Disconnect the device from the computer.

Mac

There are several ways you can eject your device from a Mac. See below for two options.

Eject via Finder window

1. Open a Finder window.
2. On the sidebar, go to Devices and locate the drive you want to eject. Click the eject symbol to the right of the drive name.
3. Once the device disappears from the sidebar or, the Finder window closes, you can disconnect the interface cable from your Mac.

Eject via Desktop

1. Select the desktop icon for your device and drag it to the Trash.
2. When the device icon is no longer visible on your desktop, you can physically disconnect the device from your Mac.

Android

Eject via Seagate Mobile Touch

You can eject the drive using the Seagate Mobile Touch app.

1. Tap the Navigation icon.
2. Tap the Eject icon next to Seagate Ultra Touch.

Optional Formatting and Partitioning

Seagate Ultra Touch is preformatted exFAT for compatibility with both PC/Mac computers and Android mobile devices. If you use the drive with only one type of computer, you can optimize file copy performance by formatting the drive in the native file system for your operating system — NTFS for Windows or HFS+ for macOS. If you also use the drive with Android, make certain to use a compatible format such as exFAT.

About file system formats

NTFS — The native file system for Windows. macOS can read NTFS volumes but cannot natively write to them. NTFS is not recommended for connections to compatible Android mobile devices.

Mac OS Extended (HFS+) — An Apple file system optimized for macOS 10.12 and earlier. This file system remains the best option for external hard drives and is the only format compatible with Time Machine. Windows cannot natively read or write to HFS+ (journaled) volumes. HFS+ is not recommended for connections to compatible Android mobile devices.

APFS (Apple File System) — An Apple file system optimized for solid state drives (SSDs) and flash-based storage systems. Note the following restrictions:

• You cannot use an APFS-formatted disk as your Time Machine backup drive. Format Seagate Ultra Touch to HFS+ if you intend to use it with Time Machine.
• APFS is only supported on macOS 10.13 or later.
• APFS is not recommended for connections to compatible Android mobile devices.

exFAT — Compatible with macOS and Windows. exFAT is not a journaled file system, which means it can be more susceptible to data corruption when errors occur or the drive is not disconnected properly from the computer.

FAT32 — Compatible with macOS and Windows. However, FAT32 is a legacy file system designed for low capacity hard drives and it is not recommended for modern hard drives or operating systems. A FAT32 partition can reach up to 32GB when formatted on a Windows PC.

How to choose the file system format

Use NTFS if:

...you connect the storage device to Windows computers, and you don't need to allow a Mac to write to the disk. NTFS is not recommended for connections to compatible Android mobile devices.

Use HFS+ if:

...you connect the storage device to Mac computers, and you don't need to allow a Windows computer to read or write to the disk. HFS+ is the only format compatible with Time Machine. HFS+ is not recommended for connections to compatible Android mobile devices.

Use APFS if:

...you connect the storage device to Mac computers, and you don't need to allow a Windows computer to read or write to the disk. Do not use APFS if you intend to use Seagate Ultra Touch with Time Machine, or if your computer is not running macOS 10.13 or later. APFS is not recommended for connections to compatible Android mobile devices.

Use exFAT if:

...you need to allow both Mac and Windows computers to read and write to the disk. exFAT is recommended when connecting to compatible Android devices.

You can use FAT32 if:

...you connect the storage device to older Windows and Mac computers. FAT32 is not recommended for modern operating systems and computers.

Manual formatting

Use the steps below to manually format and partition a storage device.

Formatting erases everything on the storage device. Seagate highly recommends that you back up all data on your storage device before performing the steps below. Seagate is not responsible for any data lost due to formatting, partitioning, or using a Seagate storage device.

Mac

macOS version 10.11 and later

1. Open the Finder and go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
2. In the sidebar to the left, select your Seagate Ultra Touch.
   macOS starting version 10.13 — Make sure to select the disk and not just the volume. If you don't see two entries listed in the sidebar, change the view in disk utility to show both the drive and the volume. The view button is in the upper left side of the Disk Utility window. Change the view to Show All Devices. This feature was introduced in macOS 10.13 and is not available in 10.11 or 10.12.
   
3. Select Erase.
4. A dialog box opens. Enter a name for the drive. This will be the name displayed when the drive mounts.
5. For Format, select OS X Extended (Journaled).
6. For Scheme, select GUID Partition Map.
7. Click Erase.
8. Disk Utility formats the drive. When it's finished, click Done.

Windows

1. Make sure the storage device is connected to and mounted on the computer.
2. Go to Search and then type diskmgmt.msc. In the search results, double-click Disk Management.
3. From the list of storage devices in the middle of the Disk Management window, locate your Seagate device.
4. The partition must be available to format. If it is currently formatted, right click on the partition and then choose Delete.
5. To create a new partition, right click on the volume and select New Simple Volume. Follow the on-screen instructions when the New Simple Volume Wizard appears.

Frequently Asked Questions

For help setting up and using Seagate Ultra Touch, review the frequently asked questions below. For additional support resources, go to Seagate customer support.

All users

Problem: My file transfers are too slow

Q: Are both ends of the USB cable firmly attached?

A: Review troubleshooting tips for cable connections below:

• Check both ends of the USB cable and make sure that they are fully seated in their respective ports.
• Try disconnecting the cable, waiting 10 seconds, and then reconnecting it.
• Try a different USB cable.

Q: Is the device connected to a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port on your computer or hub?

A: If your device is connected to a Hi-Speed 2.0 port or hub, the inferior performance is normal. Seagate Ultra Touch performance will improve when it is connected to a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port. Otherwise, the device operates at slower USB transfer rates.

Q: Are there other USB devices connected to the same port or hub?

A: Disconnect other USB devices and see if the device's performance improves.

Problem: I have an older computer with USB 2.0 ports

Q: Will my device's USB 3.0 cable work with my computer's USB 2.0 port?

A: Yes, the cable end that plugs into the computer (USB Type A) is compatible with both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. However, the transfer rates are much slower with USB 2.0.

Problem: I must use a USB hub for my USB devices

Q: Can I use my device with a USB hub?

A: Yes, the device can be connected to a USB hub. If you use a hub and encounter detection problems, slower than normal transfer rates, random disconnection from your computer or other unusual issues, try connecting the device directly to the computer's USB port.

Some USB hubs are less than efficient with power management, which can be problematic for connected devices. In such a case, consider trying a powered USB hub that includes a power cable.

Please note that USB 2.0 hubs limit your device's transfer rates to USB 2.0 speeds.

Problem: The provided USB cables are too short

Q: Can I use my device with a longer cable?

A: Yes, provided it is certified according to USB standards. However, Seagate recommends using the cable shipped with your device for the best results. If you use a longer cable and experience problems with detection, transfer rates or disconnection, use the original cable included with your device. Note — The USBC adapter included with Seagate Ultra Touch has not been tested with third-party USB cables and may not be compatible.

Problem: I'm receiving file transfer error messages

Q: Did you get an "Error -50" message while copying to a FAT32 volume?

A: When copying files or folders from a computer to a FAT32 volume, certain characters in the names cannot be copied. These characters include, but are not limited to: ? < > / \:

Check your files and folders to ensure that these characters are not in the names.

If this is a recurring problem or you cannot find files with incompatible characters, consider reformatting the drive to NTFS (Windows users) or HFS+ (Mac users). See Optional Formatting and Partitioning.

Q: Did you get an error message telling you that the drive has been disconnected when coming out of sleep mode?

A: Ignore this message since the drive remounts on the desktop despite the pop-up. Seagate drives conserve power by spinning down when you set your computer to sleep mode. When the computer awakes from sleep mode, the drive may not have enough time to spin up, causing the pop-up to appear.

Windows

Problem: The device icon doesn't appear in Computer

Q: Is the device listed in Device Manager?

A: All drives appear in at least one place in Device Manager.

Type Device Manager in Search to launch it. Look in the Disk Drives section and, if necessary, click the Plus (+) icon to view the full list of devices. If you're uncertain that your drive is listed, safely unplug it and then reconnect it. The entry that changes is your Seagate device.

Q: Is your device listed next to an unusual icon?

A: Windows Device Manager usually provides information about failures with peripherals. While the Device Manager can assist with troubleshooting most problems, it may not display the exact cause or provide a precise solution.

An unusual icon next to the device can reveal a problem. For example, instead of the normal icon based on the type of device, it has an exclamation point, question mark or an X. Right click this icon and then choose Properties. The General tab provides a potential reason why the device is not working as expected.

Mac

Problem: The device icon does not appear on my desktop

Q: Is your Finder configured to hide hard drives on the desktop?

A: Go to Finder and then check Preferences > General tab > Show these items on the desktop. Confirm that Hard Disks is selected.

Q: Is your device mounting in the operating system?

A: Open Disk Utility at Go > Utilities > Disk Utility. If the device is listed in the left-hand column, check your Finder preferences to see why it is not displayed on the desktop (review the question above).

Q: Does your computer's configuration meet the minimum system requirements for use with this device?

A: Refer to the product packaging for the list of supported operating systems.

Android

Problem: The drive does not work on my Android mobile device

Q: Is your device on the supported Android mobile device list?

A: Please see this support article for a list of compatible devices.

Q: Are you using Seagate Ultra Touch or Seagate One Touch SSD with your compatible Android mobile device?

A: Only Seagate Ultra Touch and One Touch SSD are compatible with the Seagate Mobile Touch app.

Q: Are you using the Seagate Mobile Touch app with your compatible Seagate storage devices?

A: Seagate Mobile Touch is designed specifically to help you manage files on your drive and mobile device. You can find it on the Google Play Store or download it here.

Q: Is your drive formatted for Android compatibility?

A: Use exFAT or FAT32 when connecting to compatible Android mobile devices. Note — FAT32 has a maximum partition size limit of 32GB.