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How To Format Usb Write Protected In Windows 10: A Step-by-step Guide

Isaac Lee is the lead tech blogger for Vtech Insider. With over 10 years of experience reviewing consumer electronics and emerging technologies, he is passionate about sharing his knowledge to help readers make informed purchasing decisions.

What To Know

  • Have you ever inserted a USB drive into your computer and found an error message stating that the USB drive is write protected.
  • This can be a problem if you need to modify or delete files on the drive, or if you simply want to use the drive to store new data.
  • Once you have completed these steps, the write protection on the USB device should be removed, and you should be able to make changes to the drive.

Have you ever inserted a USB drive into your computer and found an error message stating that the USB drive is write protected? If so, you’re not alone. This is a common issue that many people face when using USB storage devices. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to format a USB write protected on Windows 10. We’ll also give you some tips on how to avoid this problem in the future. Let’s get started!

How To Format Usb Write Protected On Windows 10

Windows fails to format your USB, and it is marked as write-protected. It is a problem because it prevents us from transferring any file to USB. For several reasons, your USB may become write-protected. However, you don’t need to worry. Here are several ways to fix the write-protected USB on Windows 10.

Method 1: Remove Write Protection Using Diskpart

1. Press Windows + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin)”.

2. In Command Prompt, type diskpart and press Enter.

3. Type list disk and press Enter.

4. Type select disk n (n is the number of your USB) and press Enter.

5. Type attributes disk clear readonly and press Enter.

6. Type exit and press Enter.

Method 2: Remove Write Protection Using Registry Editor

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

2. Navigate to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies.

3. In the right pane, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value.

4. Name it WriteProtect and set its value to 0.

5. Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Method 3: Remove Write Protection Using Lock and Write Protect

1. Press Windows + R, type diskpart, and press Enter.

2. Type list disk and press Enter.

3. Type select disk n (n is the number of your USB) and press Enter.

4. Type attributes disk clear readonly and press Enter.

5. Type exit and press Enter.

How Do I Format A Write-protected Usb On Windows?

  • 1. Locate the write-protected USB: Look for the USB icon in the Windows notification area (system tray) or in File Explorer.
  • 2. Right click the USB icon: This will display a menu with various options.
  • 3. Choose “Format”: This will open the Format dialog box.
  • 4. Choose the file system: Windows offers several file systems to choose from, including FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT.
  • 5. Click “Start”: This will initiate the formatting process, which may take some time to complete.

How Do I Remove Write Protection From A Usb On Windows?

USB devices are one of the most widely used devices, and they can be used to store and transfer data. However, sometimes you may come across a USB device that is write-protected, which means that you cannot make any changes to the data on the drive.

This can be a problem if you need to modify or delete files on the drive, or if you simply want to use the drive to store new data. Fortunately, there is a way to remove write protection from a USB device on Windows.

To remove write protection from a USB device on Windows, follow these steps:

1. Connect the USB device to your computer.

2. Open Windows Explorer (also known as File Explorer).

3. Navigate to the USB device.

4. Right-click on the USB device and select “Properties.”

5. In the Properties window, click on the “Security” tab.

6. Click on the “Edit” button.

7. In the “Permissions for Removable Storage” window, uncheck the box next to “Read-only” and click “Apply”.

8. Click “OK” to close the “Permissions for Removable Storage” window.

9. Click “OK” to close the “Properties” window.

Once you have completed these steps, the write protection on the USB device should be removed, and you should be able to make changes to the drive.

How Do I Format A Usb That Is Write-protected On Windows?

To format a write-protected USB on Windows, you can try the following steps:

1. Insert the write-protected USB into your computer.

2. Open File Explorer and locate the write-protected USB.

3. Right-click on the write-protected USB and select “Format.”

4. In the Format window, select the file system (e.g., NTFS) and allocation unit size, then click “Start.”

5. If prompted, enter the required administrator password to continue.

6. Wait for the process to complete, then eject the write-protected USB from your computer.

Please note that if the write-protection is enabled due to hardware issues, you may need to remove the write-protection physically or contact the USB manufacturer for assistance.

How Do I Format A Usb That Is Write-protected In Windows 10?

To format a write-protected USB in Windows 10, follow these steps:

1. Insert the write-protected USB into your computer.

2. Open File Explorer (previously known as Windows Explorer).

3. Locate and select the write-protected USB.

4. Right-click on the USB and select “Format.”

5. In the Format window, select the desired file system (exFAT, NTFS, or FAT32) and click “Start.”

6. Wait for the process to complete.

7. Once finished, the write-protection should be removed from the USB, allowing you to use it normally.

Note: If formatting the USB in Windows 10 doesn’t remove the write-protection, you may need to use a different operating system, such as Linux or macOS, or use a bootable USB format tool.

How Do I Format A Write-protected Usb In Windows 10?

To format a write-protected USB in Windows 10, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key ++ R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type “cmd” in the Run dialog box and press Enter to open the command prompt.

3. In the command prompt, type “diskpart” and press Enter.

4. Type “list disk” and press Enter to list all the disks connected to your computer.

5. Type “select disk #” (replace “#” with the number corresponding to the write-protected USB) and press Enter to select the write-protected USB.

6. Type “attributes disk clear readonly” and press Enter to clear the write-protection on the USB.

7. Type “clean” and press Enter to wipe out all the data on the USB.

8. Type “create partition primary” and press Enter to create a new partition on the USB.

9. Type “format fs=fat32 quick” and press Enter to format the USB with the FAT32 file system.

10. Type “assign” and press Enter to assign a drive letter to the USB.

In a nutshell

In conclusion, formatting a write-protected USB drive on Windows can be a frustrating issue, but with these simple instructions, you should be able to quickly and easily resolve the issue. Remember to back up any important data before proceeding, and if you have any issues or questions, feel free to ask for assistance. Happy formatting!

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Isaac Lee

Isaac Lee is the lead tech blogger for Vtech Insider. With over 10 years of experience reviewing consumer electronics and emerging technologies, he is passionate about sharing his knowledge to help readers make informed purchasing decisions.

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