USB Drive Not Recognised? How to Fix It on Windows
You plug in a USB flash drive or external hard drive and nothing happens, or Windows shows "USB device not recognized". Don't panic; your files are often still safe. Try these fixes from simplest to most advanced.
Quick checks
- Try a different USB port, ideally directly on the PC rather than a hub.
- Try the drive on another computer to see if the problem is the drive or the PC.
- For external hard drives, make sure the power adapter (if any) is connected, and try a different cable.
- Restart the PC.
Check Disk Management
Right-click Start → Disk Management. Look for your drive in the list.
- Shows with no drive letter: right-click the partition → Change Drive Letter and Paths → Add a letter.
- Shows as "Unallocated" or "RAW": the file system may be damaged. Don't format yet if you need the files; see below.
- Doesn't appear at all: likely a driver, port or hardware problem.
Reinstall USB drivers
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Disk drives and Universal Serial Bus controllers.
- Look for devices with yellow warning icons. Right-click → Uninstall device.
- Unplug the drive, restart, and plug it in again.
Turn off USB power saving
Windows can switch off USB ports to save power. In Device Manager, open each USB Root Hub → Properties → Power Management, and untick Allow the computer to turn off this device. On laptops, also check USB selective suspend in advanced power settings.
Repair the drive
If the drive appears but shows errors, right-click it in File Explorer → Properties → Tools → Check. Or run chkdsk E: /f in an admin terminal, replacing E with your drive letter.
Need the files? Recover before formatting
If Windows asks you to format the drive, click Cancel if you need the data. Use reputable data recovery software on another PC first, or consult a professional for valuable data. Formatting makes recovery harder.
Formatting as a last resort
If the files aren't needed, right-click the drive in Disk Management or File Explorer → Format. Choose exFAT to use it on both Windows and Mac, or NTFS for Windows-only use.
Using drives between Windows, Mac, TV and phones
Sometimes a drive "doesn't work" simply because it's formatted for a different system. The format determines where a drive can be used:
| Format | Windows | Mac | TVs / cars | Max file size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAT32 | Yes | Yes | Usually | 4 GB |
| exFAT | Yes | Yes | Many newer | Very large |
| NTFS | Yes | Read only | Some | Very large |
| APFS / Mac OS Extended | No (without extra software) | Yes | No | Very large |
If a Mac-formatted drive doesn't show in Windows, the files are likely fine; copy them off on a Mac first. For drives you'll share between devices, exFAT is usually the best choice.
Phones and USB drives
Many Android phones can read USB drives with a USB-C or OTG adapter; files appear in the Files app. iPhones with USB-C, and older iPhones with a Lightning adapter, can open drives in the Files app.
Caring for USB drives
- Always eject before unplugging.
- Don't rely on a single flash drive as your only copy of important files; they fail without warning.
- Keep drives away from heat, water and magnets.
- Buy from reputable sellers. Fake high-capacity drives report more space than they have and lose data when filled.
- Scan drives from other people's computers for malware before opening files.
For important data, follow the 3-2-1 approach in our backup guide.
Frequently asked questions
My drive makes clicking noises. What should I do?
Stop using it immediately. Clicking often means a mechanical failure; a professional recovery service is the safest option for important data.
Can USB drives carry viruses?
Yes. Scan unknown drives with Windows Security before opening files.
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