How to Check SSD Health? Step by Step Guide

Industry News, Quick Answers | 18 March, 2026

To check your SSD health, the most reliable way is to use S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) — a built-in feature in all modern SSDs — paired with OS-native tools or trusted third-party software. You don’t need advanced technical skills. Most checks take just a few minutes. For everyday users, combining built-in commands with a simple tool like CrystalDiskInfo (Windows) or smartmontools (Linux/macOS) will give you a clear, accurate health status.

The Core of SSD Health Checks: S.M.A.R.T. Technology

Every modern SSD comes with S.M.A.R.T. technology, which continuously tracks key drive metrics to detect potential failures early. This is the foundation of all reliable health checks, as it monitors wear and tear, temperature, error rates, and other critical factors that indicate an SSD’s condition. Without S.M.A.R.T., you’d have no way to proactively assess your SSD’s health — you’d only notice a problem when the drive fails, which could lead to permanent data loss. Key S.M.A.R.T. metrics you should understand (even as a casual user) are listed below, organized to help you quickly interpret what they mean for your SSD’s health:

S.M.A.R.T. Attribute	What It Tracks	What to Watch For
Percentage Used (0xE7)	Remaining lifespan of the SSD (as a percentage)	100% = brand new; 0% = end of life. Anything below 20% requires immediate attention.
Available Spare (0x0B)	Reserve blocks used to replace bad sectors	A low value means the SSD is running out of backup blocks, indicating severe wear.
Total Host Writes (0xF1)	Total amount of data written to the SSD (measured in TBW, Terabytes Written)	Compare this to the manufacturer’s TBW rating (e.g., 500TBW for a mid-range SSD) — approaching this limit means the drive is near the end of its lifespan.
Temperature	Operating temperature of the SSD	Temperatures above 70°C (158°F) accelerate wear; aim to keep your SSD below 60°C for long-term health.
Media Errors	Number of bad blocks or unreadable sectors	Any value above 0 indicates a potential hardware issue — back up your data immediately if you see this.

System-Specific Methods to Check SSD Health

The steps to check your SSD health vary slightly by operating system, but all follow the same core principle: access S.M.A.R.T. data through built-in tools or third-party software. Below are step-by-step guides (with videos) for the three most common systems.

Windows

Method 1: Check SSD Health Using PowerShell

This method is a quick built-in method which requires no additional software and only takes a few seconds.

Step 1 — Open PowerShell as Administrator

Right-click the Start Menu
Select Windows PowerShell (Admin)

Step 2 — Run the Command

Copy & paste the following command and press Enter:

Step 3 — Check the Result

A table will appear showing:

FriendlyName – SSD model name
OperationalStatus – current drive status
HealthStatus – overall health
Size – drive capacity

Health status meanings:

Healthy → No immediate issues
Warning / Degraded → Possible problems, further checks recommended

Method 2: Check Detailed S.M.A.R.T. Data with CrystalDiskInfo

If you want more detailed health information, use CrystalDiskInfo, a free and lightweight SSD monitoring tool.

Step 1 — Download the Tool

Download CrystalDiskInfo from its official website.

Step 2 — Install and Run

Install the program and run it as Administrator.

Step 3 — Check the Health Status

The software will immediately display your SSD status using color indicators:

Green → Good
Yellow → Caution
Red → Bad

You will also see key S.M.A.R.T. metrics, such as temperature, total writes, and error counts.

Step 4 — View Raw S.M.A.R.T. Data (Optional)

Click “Details → Advanced” to access the full raw S.M.A.R.T. data.

macOS

macOS users can check SSD health using built-in utilities, with no need for third-party software in most cases. The simplest method is through Disk Utility, which is pre-installed on all Macs.

Method 1: Check SSD Health with Disk Utility

This is the simplest built-in method.

Step 1 — Open Disk Utility

Go to: Applications → Utilities → Disk Utility

Step 2 — Select Your SSD

In the left sidebar, select your SSD drive.

Step 3 — Run First Aid

Click: First Aid → Run Disk Utility will scan the drive for errors.

Result

No errors found → Your SSD is healthy
Errors detected → Further investigation is recommended

Method 2: Check S.M.A.R.T. Status from System Report

Step 1 — Open System Information

Click: Apple Menu → About This Mac → System Report

Step 2 — Go to Storage

Select: Storage

Step 3 — Find S.M.A.R.T. Status

Look for S.M.A.R.T. Status.

Status meanings:

Verified → SSD is healthy
Failing → Back up data immediately and replace the drive

Method 3: Check Full S.M.A.R.T. Data with Terminal

Advanced users can view detailed S.M.A.R.T. metrics using Terminal.

Step 1 — Install smartmontools

If you have Homebrew installed, run: brew install smartmontools

Step 2 — Run the Command

This command will display a complete S.M.A.R.T. report, including temperature, usage, and error data.

Linux

Linux users rely on command-line tools for SSD health checks, as most distributions don’t include a graphical built-in utility. The most common tool is smartmontools, which is available for all major Linux distributions.

Step 1 — Install smartmontools

For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems, open Terminal and type: sudo apt update && sudo apt install smartmontools -y

For RHEL/CentOS-based systems, type: sudo dnf install smartmontools -y

Step 2 — Find Your SSD Device Name

Result meanings:

PASSED → SSD is healthy
FAILED → Back up data immediately and replace the drive

This will display detailed metrics such as:

Percentage of drive life used
Total host writes
Temperature
Error counts

These indicators help evaluate the long-term health and remaining lifespan of your SSD.

What Your SSD Health Results Mean

Once you’ve checked your SSD’s health, it’s important to understand what the results mean — this helps you take action before a failure occurs. Below is a simple breakdown of common health statuses and the steps you should take:

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Health Status	Action Required
Green/Good/PASSED	No immediate action needed. Continue to monitor your SSD monthly to catch any changes early.
Yellow/Caution	Back up all critical data immediately. The SSD is showing signs of wear and may fail soon — start planning to replace it within the next few months.
Red/Bad/FAILED	Back up your data right now — the SSD is likely to fail imminently. Replace the drive as soon as possible to avoid data loss.

Tips to Extend Your SSD’s Lifespan

Checking your SSD’s health is only half the battle — taking steps to extend its lifespan will save you time and money in the long run. These tips are simple to follow and require no advanced technical knowledge:

Avoid overheating. SSDs perform best at temperatures between 30°C and 60°C; excess heat (above 70°C) accelerates wear and can damage the drive. Make sure your computer has proper ventilation, and avoid placing it on soft surfaces (like beds or couches) that block airflow.
Update your SSD’s firmware. Manufacturers regularly release firmware updates to fix bugs, improve stability, and extend lifespan. You can update firmware using the manufacturer’s dedicated tool or through your computer’s BIOS/UEFI.
Enable TRIM. TRIM is a feature that helps SSDs efficiently manage data and reduce wear by deleting unused data blocks. It’s enabled by default on modern Windows, macOS, and Linux systems, but you can verify it’s enabled: on Windows, type fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify in Command Prompt — a result of “0” means TRIM is enabled; on macOS, type sudo trimforce enable in Terminal (if not already enabled); on Linux, type sudo fstrim / to run TRIM manually.
Limit unnecessary writes. SSDs have a finite number of write cycles, so reducing unnecessary data transfers can extend their lifespan. Avoid storing large, temporary files on your SSD (use an external drive instead) and disable automatic backups that run constantly if they’re not needed.

Checking External SSDs and NAS Drives

If you use an external SSD, the health check process is the same as for internal SSDs — simply connect the external drive to your computer and follow the steps mentioned above. Most external SSDs support S.M.A.R.T., so you’ll get the same accurate health data as with internal drives.

For NAS (Network-Attached Storage) drives, you can check SSD health directly through the NAS’s web interface. Go to “Storage Manager” or “HDD/SSD” in the NAS settings, select your SSD, and check the health status. Most NAS systems also allow you to run S.M.A.R.T. tests via the interface or command line to get a detailed report.

Checking your SSD’s health is a simple, quick task that can prevent costly data loss. By using S.M.A.R.T. technology and following the system-specific steps above, you can easily assess your SSD’s condition and take action before it fails. Remember to check your SSD monthly — this routine takes just a few minutes but can save you from the stress of losing important files, photos, or work. And by following the tips to extend your SSD’s lifespan, you can get the most out of your drive for years to come.