If you’re not able access a USB Drive or USB Storage device, it’s likely that USB Drives have been turned off in your computer. Below are the methods for you to Enable USB Drives in Windows 10.
Make USB Drives available in Windows 10
This guide will assist you in enabling USB drives or USB storage devices on an Windows PC on which you are unable to access USB drives is not enabled.
This is a possibility if you bought a used laptop computer through a auction run by a company or from an individual who has disabled USB drives to protect themselves.
Important: Always follow the rules of the workplace you work at and do not attempt to make USB drives work in the event that they are disabled due to security reasons.
1. Allow Windows to install Device Drivers
When you connect a new USB Device to your computer, it should be able to automatically install drivers needed for the proper operation for the USB device.
1. Restart your computer.
2. Plug-in the USB Device to your computer’s USB Port on your computer.
3. When prompted, click Install for the installation of needed drivers on your computer.
2. Allow USB Drive from Device Manager
The steps are below. enable to enable the USB Drive from the Device Manager Settings screen of your computer.
1. Connect the USB Drive to your computer
2. Right-click on the Start button and then click Device Manger.
3. On Device Manager screen expand the entry to Universal Serial Bus Controllers Click on the right-click icon of the USB Drive and click on Allow.
In the same way, you can apply the steps above in order to turn on USB Mass Storage Device, should you be inaccessible to any external data storage devices through your personal computer.
3. Allow USB Drive Using Registry Editor
To ensure security USB Drives are typically blocked using the Registry Editor. It is possible to reverse this and allow the usage of USB Drive by altering the registry value within the USBSTOR Folder.
1. Open Run Command and type regedit into the Run command window and then click on OK.
2. On Registry Editor screen, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR
3. Click on USBSTOR in the left-hand side. In the right-hand pane Double-click Start.
4. In Edit DWORD Pop-up window, change value data to 3. Then click OK.
This will allow users to connect USB drives on your computer.
Make Hidden Files Seep
If you’re not able to view your Start Registry Entry, make sure that the View Hidden Files option is turned on on your system.
1. Right-click the Start button and then click File Explorer.
2. On File Explorer screen, click the View Tab and select the hidden Items option from the menu bar.
I hope this article has helped you enable USB drives for Windows 10. If you are using a Windows 10 computer, the identical steps can be utilized for Windows 8 computer.
