Can't convert new SSD to APFS

I just purchased a LaCie SSD with the intent to use it as my startup disk on a 2106 Mac running Catalina. I attempted to restore from Time Machine onto the new drive, but it refuses. Mac Recover tells me to erase the disk and use Disk Utility to change the partition scheme to GUID, but it does not give me that option. When I select "Convert to APFS" it only says a GUID Partition Scheme is required. But the Partition option in disk Utility is grayed out. What am I missing?

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Nov 15, 2019 02:59 PM

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fuzzymo

Level 4

2,036 points

Posted on Nov 15, 2019 07:06 PM

Open Disk Utility. Click on "View", then select "Show All Devices". In the Disk Utility sidebar select your LaCie SSD media (not the indented volume beneath it). Click on "Erase". In the dropdown, select Scheme: GUID Partition Map, then Format: APFS. Click on "Erase" in the dropdown. Let Disk Utility finish. You should be good to go. Ready to install Catalina or restore from a Time Machine backup.

Erase and reformat a storage device in Disk Utility on Mac - Apple Support

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Can't convert new SSD to APFS

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