External Drives Extremely Slow

Hello ExtremeFaithInJesus,

Thanks for posting in Apple Support Communities. We understand that your external drives are noticeably slower after upgrading to macOS Ventura.

Does the same behavior occur while your Mac is started in Safe Mode? Here's how to try:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window.
3. Select your startup disk, then press and hold the Shift key while clicking “Continue in Safe Mode.”
4. Log in to your Mac. You might be asked to log in again.

This support article explains the next steps based on whether the issue occurs in Safe Mode or doesn't: How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

Let us know how it goes! Take care.

Hi, I've had the same issue since upgrading to Ventura, both on a 2018 Mac Mini and a 2017 Macbook Pro. Some folders don't even open, it appears to be searching indefinitely for files.

Restarting it in Safe Mode didn't help.

Considering the lack of alternatives offered here, should I be downgrading to a previous OS, or is there a fix coming up with a Ventura update?