There’s nothing worse than plugging in a USB drive and nothing happening. It can be tricky to figure out why on Windows, so we have some suggestions.
A USB drive not showing up is a common Windows problem that can frustrate a user to the core. Imagine working hours on a project, then saving it in your external USB drive, and when you finally plug your drive into a device for presentation, it just doesn’t show up. The drive doesn’t appear even after multiple tries. This issue is often followed by an error message or no response at all. It can lead to loss of work, productivity, and much more.
There are several potential causes of a USB drive not showing on Windows. Hardware malfunctions like damaged drives or faulty USB ports can be the primary culprits. Then, there are software issues like outdated or corrupted drivers that can cause your computer to not recognize the external drives. The file system of the USB drive might be corrupted or unsupported by the Windows. Sometimes, USB drives don’t show up if there’s a conflict with the drive letters.
If you are facing this irritating issue, this guide will provide you with a series of solutions to fix it with step-by-step instructions. The steps in this guide are tested and performed on Windows 11 but will work on Windows 10, too.Preliminary steps to fix USB drive not showing up
Sometimes, the issue might not be major and can be resolved with some basic checks. If you haven’t already, start by connecting the USB to a different port. It’s possible that the current port is damaged or blocked. If your device has only a single port, use a dry cloth or canned air to remove any dirt or blockage and then re-insert the USB.
