Using a USB flash drive is a convenient way to store and transfer files. However, over time you may find your USB drive’s storage space seems to disappear, making it difficult to add new files. Don’t worry – in most cases, you can restore that lost space and regain the full capacity of your USB drive.
What Causes Lost Storage Space on a USB Drive?
There are a few common reasons your USB flash drive may start losing available storage space:
- Fragmented files – When files are edited and rewritten over time, they can become fragmented across different locations on the drive. This fragmentation takes up more space.
- Temporary files – Apps and your operating system may save temporary files on the USB drive which accumulate over time.
- Improperly ejected drive – If you don’t use the “Safely Remove Hardware” function before detaching the USB drive, it can result in corrupt files.
- Outdated firmware – The USB drive’s firmware can become outdated over time, developing inefficiencies in managing storage.
- Hidden files – Backup files, thumbnails, and other hidden system files on the USB drive can build up and take up space.
How to Check USB Drive Storage Usage
To see exactly what’s using up space on your USB drive, you’ll need to view the storage usage breakdown. Here’s how to check usage on Windows and Mac:
Windows
- Plug your USB drive into your computer if it isn’t already connected.
- Open File Explorer.
- Click on your USB drive letter under “This PC” or “My Computer”.
- Select “Properties” from the ribbon menu.
- Click the “General” tab if it isn’t already selected.
- View the graph under “Storage usage” to see a color-coded breakdown of space usage.
Mac
- Connect your USB drive to your Mac.
- Launch Finder and click on your USB drive in the sidebar under “Devices”.
- Click the “Storage” tab at the top of the Finder window.
- View the color-coded graph of the drive’s storage usage.
This will visually show you what types of files are taking up space, such as documents, photos, videos, or system files. Apps like WinDirStat (Windows) and DaisyDisk (Mac) can provide even more detailed usage tracking if the built-in tools don’t provide enough info.
How to Free Up Space on a USB Drive
Once you’ve identified what’s using up space, here are some common ways to clean up your USB drive and restore lost storage capacity:
Delete Unneeded Files
Go through the files on your USB drive and delete anything you no longer need. This might include:
- Old documents or project files
- Photos and videos you’ve already transferred or backed up elsewhere
- Duplicate files
- Downloaded installation files for programs you’ve already installed
Remove Temporary Files
Temporary files can build up from app usage and file transfers. To clear them out:
- Windows – Open the USB drive, select the top-level folder, press Ctrl+A to select everything, right-click and delete.
- Mac – Open the Terminal app, type
sudo rm -rf /Volumes/"USB Drive Name"(replace with your actual drive name), press enter and enter your admin password.
Uninstall Unneeded Apps
If you have apps installed on the USB drive that you no longer use, uninstall them to regain that space.
Empty the Recycle Bin
When you delete files on your USB drive, they get moved to a recycle bin folder. Empty this folder to permanently remove those files and free up space.
Use Disk Cleanup
On Windows, you can use the built-in Disk Cleanup utility to delete temporary files, empty the recycle bin, remove system files and more. Just plug in the USB drive, open Disk Cleanup, select the USB drive, click “Clean up system files” and choose which files to delete.
Format the USB Drive
If the above steps don’t free up enough space, formatting your USB drive will completely wipe it and restore it to full capacity. Just be sure to backup any important files first, as formatting will erase everything.
Tips to Maintain USB Storage
Once you’ve freed up space on your USB drive, use these tips to maintain storage capacity over time:
- Manually delete unneeded files instead of just dragging items to the recycle bin.
- Use the “Safely Remove Hardware” function before unplugging the drive.
- Don’t use your USB drive to run programs or install apps if possible.
- Occasionally use Disk Cleanup or deletion utilities to wipe temporary files.
- Defragment your USB drive on Windows periodically.
- Always eject the USB drive properly on Mac before unplugging.
- Consider using cloud storage instead of a USB for long-term file storage and backup.
When to Replace a USB Drive
If your USB flash drive seems extremely slow or just doesn’t seem to be working properly, it may be time to replace it with a new one. Some signs it’s time to swap your drive:
- You’ve formatted it several times but capacity keeps dropping.
- Transfer speeds are slow even after reformatting.
- You’ve had it for 5+ years of frequent use.
- The drive casing seems damaged.
- You get frequent read/write errors or file corruption.
USB flash drives aren’t designed to last forever, so expect to need a replacement every few years with regular use. Thankfully, they’ve come down significantly in price over the years and you can easily find a drive with much higher capacities than older models.
Conclusion
Reclaiming lost storage space on your USB drive is usually straightforward – just requires regularly cleaning out old files, running utilities to wipe temporary files, uninstalling unneeded apps, and formatting as a last resort. Putting this maintenance in place helps you maximize the storage capacity and lifespan of your USB flash drive.