Before you unplug an external drive from your Mac, confirm that the project files you need are present on the drive, check any recent copy or save, then eject the drive in Finder. A quick filename search can help locate a known file, but opening the project’s folder and inspecting its contents gives you a better check of the expected files and folder structure.

1. Locate the project folder on the drive

Connect the drive and open Finder. Select the drive under Locations in the sidebar, then browse to the project folder. If Locations is missing, choose Finder > Settings > Sidebar and check the relevant sidebar items. Finder’s List view can show names, kinds, and modification dates; Column view helps you follow nested folders. You can switch views from the Finder toolbar. Apple’s Finder guide

If you know a distinctive filename, use Finder’s search field. Pay attention to the search scope shown in the results: Finder can search the whole Mac or a selected location, and its default scope can be changed in Finder settings. Start from the external drive or project folder and make sure the search is limited to that location before relying on a result. A result from another disk or a similarly named folder does not confirm that the file is on the external drive. Apple’s Finder search guidance

2. Check the files against what the project needs

Compare the visible folder contents with the items you expect to take with you: for example, the main project file, linked media, exports, or a folder of source documents. The needed list depends on the app and project, so Finder cannot decide whether a project is complete. If you are unsure, check the project’s own app for missing-file warnings or confirm its save location there.

For files that were just copied, check the destination folder on the external drive, not just the source folder on your Mac. Confirm that the expected names appear and, where useful, open a representative file or the project itself while the drive remains connected. Finder’s Preview pane can display supported file previews without opening them; select a file and choose View > Show Preview. Preview confirms that Finder can show a preview, but it does not prove that every asset in a project is present or that the project will work on another Mac. Apple documents Finder previews and views here.

For a second, simple check, select the project folder and press Command-I to open Get Info. You can compare the reported item count or size with a known expectation, if you have one. Counts and sizes are clues, not a guarantee: hidden files, package contents, and differences in what you included can affect the comparison. Finder’s status bar can also display a folder’s item count and available disk space when enabled under View > Show Status Bar. Apple’s Get Info instructions

3. Make sure the latest copy or save has finished

If you have just dragged files to the drive, give the transfer time to finish and check the destination afterward. If the project is open in an app, save it using that app before closing it. Finder’s visible file listing is not a universal verification that every application has finished writing data or that all project dependencies were copied. If a copy reports an error, a file is missing, or the project app cannot reopen the expected material, resolve that before disconnecting.

4. Eject the drive and respond to any warning

In Finder, select the drive and choose File > Eject, or click the eject button beside its name in the sidebar. Wait for it to disappear from the Finder sidebar or desktop before unplugging it. Apple documents these Finder eject controls for external storage. Apple’s external storage instructions

If macOS says the drive cannot be ejected because it is in use, keep it connected. The warning may identify the app; quit the app using files on the drive or close documents stored there, then try again. If the warning persists, Apple recommends logging out and back in, then trying eject again; if necessary, shut down before disconnecting the drive and restart afterward. Apple’s instructions for an app using a disk and eject troubleshooting

A practical final check

Before unplugging, verify three things: the expected project files are visible in the drive’s project folder, the latest save or copy has completed without an error, and Finder has successfully ejected the drive. If any of those checks fails, leave the drive connected and investigate the specific missing file, active app, or eject message first.

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