MacBook Air SSD
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Z5 series Portable External SSD
Prix normal À partir de $89.99 -
US5 Portable USB External SSD
Prix promotionnel À partir de $95.99 Prix normal$99.99 -
US4 Portable USB External SSD
Prix normal À partir de $53.99 -
Z1 series Portable External SSD
Prix normal À partir de $44.99
If you are looking for a way to expand your MacBook Air's storage, here is what you need to know right away: you cannot upgrade the internal SSD on any MacBook Air sold since 2018. It is soldered to the logic board. External SSD is your only option, and the good news is that modern USB-C portable SSDs are fast, compact, and genuinely useful for every workflow that runs into storage limits.
This collection is built for MacBook Air users who want to stop managing storage and start using their computer. Whether that is a dedicated Time Machine drive, a working library for Final Cut Pro, or a pocket-sized drive for carrying projects, there is a straightforward answer here for each use case.
Achievable speed via MacBook Air USB-C
No drivers, no software, just plug in
Capacity available in this range
exFAT preformatted, reads on any Mac
Why MacBook Air Storage Cannot Be Upgraded Internally
Apple's M-series chips use a unified memory architecture, which allows the CPU and GPU to share the same pool of RAM for faster data access. However, this unified memory does not include storage. The SSD storage is separate from system memory.
In modern MacBook Air models (both Apple Silicon and 2018–2020 Intel Retina models), the NAND flash storage is soldered directly to the logic board. This design improves reliability, security, and physical compactness, but it means there is no internal slot or connector for users to upgrade or replace the SSD.
What Speed to Expect From an External SSD on MacBook Air
MacBook Air Thunderbolt / USB‑C ports support USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps), USB4, and Thunderbolt 3/4 (up to 40Gbps).
For standard USB 10Gbps external drives (often labeled USB 3.2 Gen 2), real‑world throughput typically falls between 700 and 1,050 MB/s.
That limit is still genuinely useful. Here is what it means in practice:
What 1,000 MB/s Is Good For
- Time Machine full backup of a 256GB Mac in under 5 minutes
- 100GB file transfer in roughly 2 minutes (versus 14 minutes on a portable hard drive)
- 4K H.264 and H.265 Final Cut Pro timelines playing smoothly from the drive
- Lightroom catalog and full-resolution preview loading with no noticeable delay
- Logic Pro project loading including sample libraries stored externally
Where the Drive Rating Still Matters
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If a portable SSD is rated around 2,000 MB/s because it uses USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, a MacBook Air will run it at 10Gbps instead (around 700–1,000 MB/s), even when connected through a Thunderbolt dock.
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To exceed 1,000 MB/s on a MacBook Air, you need a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 SSD, not a USB Gen 2x2 drive.
- If you also use the drive with a Windows PC or other device that supports Gen 2x2, you get the full 1,900 to 2,100 MB/s on that connection
- A higher-rated drive is also likely built with better NAND and thermal management, which helps sustained performance during long transfers even at the Mac's speed ceiling
How MacBook Air Users Actually Use External SSDs
The most common reasons MacBook Air users add external SSD storage, and the right approach for each one:
Recommended: ZS301 1TB or 2TB
Connect the drive, open System Settings, search Time Machine, select the drive. macOS handles the rest. It reformats the drive to APFS automatically and runs incremental backups every hour in the background. After the initial backup completes, each subsequent one takes seconds. The ZS301 at 1TB or 2TB is the best value option for a dedicated backup drive: compact, reliable, and 54% off.
Recommended: Z5 2TB or 4TB
Move your Photos app library, Lightroom catalog, or video project folders to the external drive. On a Mac, you access them exactly as if they were internal. Browse, edit, and export at the same speed. The Z5 at 2TB or 4TB gives you room to keep years of work without archiving anything. Final Cut Pro and Lightroom both support external library locations natively.
Recommended: US5 or Z1
The US5 plugs directly into your MacBook Air's USB-C port with no cable, small enough to leave attached while you work in a coffee shop. The Z1 is even smaller at 34 grams with a magnetic back that sticks to your Mac. Both work with iPhone 15/16 Pro for ProRes recording too. For users who carry both a MacBook Air and an iPhone, either of these handles both at once.
Recommended: US201
The US201 has USB-A and USB-C built into one body with no dongle needed when you plug into a presentation screen, a colleague's older laptop, or a projector. Into your MacBook Air, it goes USB-C. Into everything else, it goes USB-A. exFAT preformatting means files open on any machine without any setup on either end.
Pick the Right Drive for Your MacBook Air
Here is a straight read on which drive fits which need:
ZS301: up to 8TB, 54% off
Battery-shaped zinc alloy design, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, available up to 8TB. The highest capacity in the collection at the lowest per-gigabyte price. The right pick if your main goal is maximum storage: large photo archives,, Time Machine, or keeping years of project files without ever deleting anything.
Z5 Series: up to 4TB, RGB zinc-metal
Top of the lineup for speed and build quality. Reaches the MacBook Air's USB ceiling comfortably. Available up to 4TB. If you use Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Logic Pro as your main workflow on a MacBook Air, this is the right drive. It will not be the bottleneck.
US5: up to 2TB, aluminum stick
Plugs directly into USB-C with no cable. Fast enough for any MacBook Air workflow. Also supports iPhone 15/16 Pro ProRes recording. If you carry both an iPhone and a MacBook Air, one drive covers both use cases without anything extra.
Z1: 34g, magnetic, up to 2TB
10mm thick, 34 grams, attaches magnetically to your Mac or phone. Plugs into USB-C with no cable. If having any extra object in your bag feels like too much, the Z1 is designed for you. It is the closest thing to invisible external storage that exists.
US201: dual USB-A + USB-C, up to 1TB
Built-in USB-A and USB-C mean you never need an adapter. Works with your MacBook Air USB-C and with any older machine's USB-A port. If you regularly plug into many different devices, this saves the friction of carrying and potentially forgetting an adapter.
US4: dual connector, up to 2TB
Solid everyday speed for document storage, photo backup, and general overflow. Type-A and Type-C built in. The most affordable option in the collection for users who want reliable external storage without the premium.
Getting Started: It Really Is This Simple
Plug the drive into your MacBook Air's USB-C port. Wait two to three seconds. The drive appears on your desktop and in the Finder sidebar. Drag files in, or open your applications and point them at the drive. That is all of it.
- Time Machine: System Settings, search for Time Machine, click Add Backup Disk, select your KingSpec drive. Done.
- Final Cut Pro: File, New Library, save to the external drive. All project media and renders write there from that point.
- Photos library: Hold Option when launching Photos, choose a library location on your external drive. Works exactly like the internal library.
- Formatting for Mac-only: Disk Utility, select the drive, Erase, choose APFS. Takes 30 seconds and gives you better performance on macOS. Skip this if you also need to read the drive on Windows.
If the drive does not appear in Finder after connecting, try a different USB-C port or a different cable. For full troubleshooting steps, see KingSpec's guide: SSD Not Showing Up? Here's How to Fix It.
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Frequently Asked Questions: MacBook Air SSD
Can you upgrade the storage in a MacBook Air?
No, not internally. Every MacBook Air from 2018 onward has storage soldered to the logic board. On M1, M2, M3, and M4 models, it is part of the unified memory architecture and cannot be replaced or upgraded by any means. On Intel models from 2018 onward, Apple uses a proprietary connector not compatible with standard aftermarket SSDs. External SSD via USB-C is the only way to expand what you have.
What speed will an external SSD get on a MacBook Air?
Around 800 to 1,000 MB/s in real-world sequential transfers. MacBook Air M1 through M4 ports negotiate USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) for USB-connected external drives. That is the Mac's limit, not the drive's. KingSpec drives are rated faster than this, but the Mac's USB controller is the ceiling via a direct USB-C connection. You will see full rated speeds if you use a Thunderbolt 4 hub that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 bandwidth.
Do I need to format the drive before using it on a Mac?
No. The drives come preformatted in exFAT, which macOS reads and writes natively. Plug in and the drive appears in Finder right away. If you want to use it exclusively with a Mac and get better Time Machine performance, format it to APFS using Disk Utility. If you also use it with Windows, keep it as exFAT.
Is 1,000 MB/s fast enough for Final Cut Pro on a MacBook Air?
Yes, for most workflows. 4K H.264, H.265, and ProRes 422 all have bitrates well below what 1,000 MB/s can sustain. Single-camera 4K ProRes RAW is about 160 MB/s at 30fps. You have substantial headroom. For multi-camera RAW or 8K RAW workflows, a Thunderbolt 4 enclosure with an internal NVMe drive (which bypasses the USB speed ceiling and reaches 3,000 to 4,000 MB/s) would be the next step up.
Can I use the same drive for both my MacBook Air and my iPhone?
Yes. The US5 and Z1 are specifically designed for this. Both support iPhone 15/16 Pro ProRes recording via the phone's USB-C port, and both serve as standard external storage when connected to a MacBook Air. One drive handles ProRes capture on the phone and project storage on the Mac. Both are compact enough to carry alongside both devices without any bulk.
