USB flash drives have become an essential storage device for many users. They are small, portable, and provide a convenient way to store and transfer files. However, sometimes USB drives can become write protected, meaning you cannot add, change or delete files on the drive. This can be frustrating if you need to use the USB drive to save new information. Fortunately, there are a few potential solutions for fixing a write protected USB drive.
What Causes a USB Drive to Become Write Protected?
There are a few main reasons why a USB drive may become write protected:
- The lock switch is enabled – Many USB drives have a small slider or lock switch on the housing. If this switch is moved to the locked position, it will make the drive read-only.
- Partition issues – The drive may have partition problems or file system errors that prevent writing to it.
- Physical damage – Physical damage to the USB port or drive housing can sometimes cause write protection.
- Virus infection – Viruses or malware may change the write permissions to lock the drive.
- User account restrictions – On a shared computer, user account settings may prevent writing to a USB drive.
The most common reason tends to be that the lock switch is slid to the write protected position. However, the other factors can sometimes be at play as well. Understanding what is making your drive read-only is key to resolving the issue.
How to Remove Write Protection Using the Lock Switch
If your USB drive has a physical lock switch, double check that it is slid to the unlocked position. The location of the lock switch can vary depending on the drive, but it is usually found on the side or bottom of the USB housing. The switch will slide between a locked and unlocked image or have “Lock” marked on it. Make sure it is moved to the unlocked side.
Toggling the lock switch back and forth may also help reset the write protection if it is not visually out of place. Simply slide it to lock, eject and reinsert the USB drive, then switch it back to the unlocked position. If the drive does not have a physical lock switch, this method will not help resolve your issue.
Using Diskpart to Remove Write Protection
The Windows command line tool Diskpart can be used to remove write protection from a USB drive. Here are the steps:
- Connect the write protected USB drive to your computer.
- Open the Windows start menu and search for “Diskpart”. Select the Diskpart app.
- In the new Diskpart window, type “list disk” and press enter. This will show your connected drives.
- Type “select disk x” where x is the disk number of your USB drive from the list. Often USB drives are listed as Disk 1 or Disk 2.
- Type “attributes disk clear readonly” and press enter. This clears the read-only attribute.
- Close the Diskpart window.
Your USB drive should no longer be write protected after clearing the readonly flag. Be very careful to select the correct disk when using Diskpart, as you could inadvertently clear attributes on your system hard drive.
Using the Registry Editor to Remove Write Protection
You can also remove write protection from some USB drives by modifying the Windows registry. This tweaks settings related to removable storage devices. Here is how:
- Connect the write protected USB drive to your computer.
- Open the Windows start menu and search for “regedit”. Launch the Registry Editor.
- Navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
- Find the entry for your USB drive, often labeled “Removable Storage”. If present, double click and set the value to 0.
- Restart your computer for the change to fully take effect.
Again, be careful to only make changes for your USB drive, not other system devices. Also note that editing the registry incorrectly can seriously damage your system, so only attempt this method if you are comfortable with it.
Using Disk Management to Remove Write Protection
The Disk Management utility included with Windows can also resolve write protection issues in some cases. Here is how to use it:
- Open the Windows start menu and search for “Create and format disk partitions”. Open the Disk Management app.
- Right click on your USB drive and select “Properties”.
- In the Properties window, go to the “Security” tab and confirm that you have full read/write access to the drive.
- Click “OK” to save any changes made.
With this method, you are verifying that your user account has the proper permissions to write to the USB drive. If adjustments are needed, you can modify them in the Security tab.
Reformatting the USB Drive
If none of the above solutions are able to remove the write protection on a USB drive, reformatting the drive may be necessary. This will erase all existing data, but can fully reset the drive’s status and settings.
To reformat a drive, use these steps:
- Connect the USB drive to your computer.
- Open Disk Management (instructions above).
- Right click on your USB drive and select “Format”.
- Choose your desired file system (often NTFS or FAT32).
- Check “Quick Format” to erase and reformat the drive.
Once completed, your USB drive should no longer be write protected. You can confirm by trying to copy files to it. Just be aware that reformatting removes all existing data, so only use this method if the other solutions do not work.
Disabling Antivirus or Security Software
In some cases, antivirus or other security programs may cause write protection on a USB drive. They might mistakenly identify your USB as a threat and lock it down. Try temporarily disabling your antivirus to see if that resolves the write protected status.
You can also check your antivirus settings and make sure your USB drive is on the list of trusted devices or given an exception. This prevents the antivirus from interfering with it. Just remember to re-enable your antivirus after troubleshooting the drive.
Using Third Party Software to Remove Write Protection
If the above options do not work, there are also several software utilities designed to remove write protection from USB devices. Some popular options include:
- USB Write Protector
- WinUSB
- HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool
- SD Formatter
The steps to use these varies between programs, but generally you run the utility, select your USB drive, and use tools like “Remove Write Protection”, “Format”, or “Reset Security” to disable read-only status. This resets the USB drive and overwrites previous settings.
Trying a Different Computer
In some cases, a USB drive may only be write protected when connected to certain computers. Try plugging your USB into a different computer and see if you can add or delete files as normal. If it works on one computer but not another, the issue may be related to user account permissions, antivirus settings, or OS differences between the machines.
Contacting the USB Manufacturer
If all else fails, check the support options offered by your USB drive manufacturer. Many will provide troubleshooting tips or direct troubleshooting assistance related to their products. They may be aware of firmware bugs, hardware defects, or other issues specific to the USB model that can cause write protection problems.
When to Consider a New USB Drive
With severe physical damage, old age, or after exhausting all troubleshooting options, a USB drive may permanently remain write protected. At that point, replacing the USB drive with a new one is likely the most practical option. USB flash drives have become very affordable, with basic models available for just a few dollars. Purchasing a new drive avoids the hassle of dealing with one that, for whatever reason, can no longer be written to.
Key Points on Resolving Write Protected USB Drives
- Toggle the physical lock switch if present to disable write protection
- Use Diskpart in Windows to clear the readonly flag
- Modify registry settings related to removable drives
- Check drive permissions in Disk Management
- Reformatting fully resets the USB drive
- Disable security software temporarily during troubleshooting
- Try utilities designed to remove write protection
- Test the USB drive on another computer
- Contact manufacturer support for product-specific help
- Buy a new USB drive if all options fail
Preventing Write Protected USB Issues
To avoid write protection issues in the future, here are some tips:
- Be gentle with your USB drive – physical damage can cause issues
- Eject the drive safely before removing to prevent corruption
- Don’t expose USB drives to liquids, dirt or extreme heat/cold
- If your drive has a lock switch, keep it in the unlocked position
- Use antivirus tools to scan your USB for malware
- Keep your USB formatted to standard file systems like FAT32 or NTFS
- Back up important data as needed in case the drive fails
Following best practices for handling and caring for your USB drive can help extend its usable life significantly.
Recovering Data from a Write Protected USB
If you need to recover data from a write protected USB drive, a few options are available:
- Use recovery software – Specialized tools can read protected disks and recover files.
- Access the drive on another OS – If write protected on Windows, try on a Mac or Linux system.
- Remove the USB casing – Removing the bare drive allows access without interference from the housing.
- Professional data recovery – Experts can open drives in a lab environment to extract data.
As long as the drive remains physically intact, specialized methods often make data recovery possible, even from heavily protected sources. Just don’t write new data to the protected drive or you risk overwriting files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my USB drive suddenly write protected?
Sudden write protection is often caused by the lock switch being toggled, antivirus software incorrectly identifying the drive as a threat, or file system errors that activate protection to prevent further problems. Physical damage in some cases could also lead to sudden issues writing to the drive.
Can I remove write protection without losing data?
Yes, methods like using Diskpart, the registry editor, or third party software can resolve write protection without erasing data. Reformatting the drive will destroy data. Be sure to back up important files in case a mistake is made.
If I reformat my USB drive, will it fix write protection?
Yes, reformatting the drive will reliably remove write protection. But the process will erase all data on the drive. Only reformat as a last resort after backing up your files from the protected USB.
How can I tell if my USB drive is write protected?
You will get errors if you try to copy, move, or delete files on the drive. An icon or message indicating the disk is read-only may display. Checking the lock switch position can also verify the status.
Can I use a write protected USB drive at all?
You will still be able to access and view files on a write protected USB drive. But you won’t be able to edit, add, or delete files. Essentially, it becomes read-only until you can remove the write protection.
Conclusion
Write protected USB drives can be annoying, but are generally fixable. Toggling the lock switch, using Diskpart, adjusting software settings, or reformatting the disk can remove read-only status in many cases. Just be extremely careful when making changes to avoid potential data loss. With software utilities and professional help, recovering data from a protected drive is also possible. So don’t throw out that write protected drive just yet! With a little effort, you may be able to regain full access to your USB storage.