How to Recover Files from USB not Recognized-9 Working Solutions to Fix

Causes for USB not Recognized or Detected

USB drives are one of the most common and convenient devices for transferring data between different systems. However, it’s not uncommon to encounter situations where a USB drive isn't recognized by your computer. This can be extremely frustrating, especially when the data stored on it is crucial. Here are several common causes:

• Faulty USB Port or Cable​: Sometimes, the USB port might be dirty, damaged, or malfunctioning, which prevents the computer from recognizing the USB drive.
• Outdated or Missing Drivers​: If the USB drivers on your computer are outdated or missing, the system may fail to detect newly connected devices.
• Corrupted USB Drive​: The USB drive itself may become corrupted, making it unrecognizable to the system.
• USB Drive Not Formatted Properly​: If the USB drive has an incorrect format or a file system issue, the computer won't be able to detect it.
• Device Conflict or Interference​: Other connected devices or software conflicts can also prevent the USB drive from being recognized. You can try disconnecting other external devices and see if the USB drive can be detected.
• Virus or Malware​: Malware or viruses can cause your USB drive to malfunction or become undetectable.

How to Recover Files from USB not Recognized

When your USB drive isn't recognized by your computer, it's a stressful situation. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to attempt data recovery before fixing the recognition problem. Keep in mind that some methods used to fix the issue may erase all the data on the USB drive. So, ensuring data security first is a wise choice.​

MyRecover stands out among numerous free file recovery software for Windows with its impressively high data recovery success rate of up to 99%. If the problem isn't caused by severe hardware failure, you can try these recovery methods to retrieve your files. Here are some outstanding features of MyRecover:​

⭐No command line needed-based on intuitive graphical user interface, making recovery accessible even for non-professionals.​

⭐Highter recovery success rate-handle more complex data loss cases like virus attack, system crash, etc.​

⭐Flexible Scanning – Deep scan and Quick Scan modes available to choose from.​

⭐Supports More OS– Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7 and Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 and more.​

4 steps to recover files from USB not recognized​

step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer. And connect the USB to computer.​

step 2. Launch it and select the USB drive to scan for lost files, click "Scan".​

step 3. Choose the files you want to recover and click "Recover".​

step 4. Select a safe location to save the recovered files.

How to Repair USB Flash Drive not Detected

After recovering data from an unrecognized USB drive, it's time to focus on fixing it. There are several troubleshooting methods you can try to resolve the issue. ​

Solution 1. Check the Connection​

Sometimes, a USB drive may not be detected simply because it isn't properly connected. This is the most straightforward check and is a good starting point. Try unplugging it and reconnecting it firmly. Also, try different USB ports to rule out a port - specific issue. If your USB drive still doesn’t show up, test it on another computer. This will help determine if the issue is with the USB drive itself or the computer's USB ports.​

Solution 2. Assign the Drive Letter​

If your USB drive is physically connected, but you don’t see it in File Explorer, it might not have an assigned drive letter. This can prevent your computer from detecting it. ​

Step 1. Right-click on the Windows Start button and select Disk Management.​

Step 2. Look for the USB drive in the list. If it’s listed without a drive letter, right-click on the drive and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths".​

Step 3. Click on "Add" and assign a new letter for the drive, then click "OK".​

Solution 3. Update or Reinstall USB Drivers​

As mentioned before, outdated or malfunctioning USB drivers can cause detection problems. You can update or reinstall the drivers as follows:​

Step 1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.​

Step 2. Expand the “Disk Driver" category and right click the USB drive, and select "Update driver".​

Step 3. Choose "Search automatically for updated driver software". If no updates are found, right-click the drive again and select "Uninstall device." After uninstalling, restart your computer, and Windows will automatically reinstall the drivers.

Solution 4. Error Checking in File Explorer for a Corrupted USB​

If your USB drive appears but isn’t working properly, it may be corrupted. You can use the built-in Error Checking tool in Windows to scan and repair file system errors on the drive.​

Step 1. Double click "This PC" icon to open File Explorer and right-click on the USB drive (if it's visible).​

Step 2. Select "Properties" and go to the “Tools” tab.​

Step 3. Under the “Error-checking” section, click “Check”. Windows will scan the drive for errors, following the instructions to repair detected issues. Then you can recover files from the corrupted USB drive.

Solution 5. Scan with Microsoft Defender

Microsoft Defender is an excellent utility for detecting and eliminating viruses and malware. When your USB drive fails to be recognized due to infection by viruses or malware, running a scan with Windows Defender can help remove any malicious software affecting the USB drive.​

Step 1. Type "Windows Security" in the start menu and open it. ​

Step 2. Under "Virus and threat protection", click on "Quick scan". Then it will start scan the virus and malware on your computer. If any threats are detected, follow the prompts to remove them and restart your computer.​

Step 3. If it's necessary, select "Full scan" to perform a deep scan for the computer.

Solution 6. Turn Off Power Saving for USB Boot Hub​

Windows includes a power-saving feature that might inadvertently disable USB devices to save power. It may cause the USB drive to be disabled or not recognized properly. Disabling this feature could help resolve detection issues.​

Step 1. Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager.​

Step 2. Expand "Universal Serial Bus controllers" and right-click on each USB root hub, choose "Properties".​

Step 3. Select "Power management" tab and uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power", click "OK".

Solution 7. Disable the USB Selective Suspend Setting​

Windows has a feature called USB Selective Suspend that can automatically disable USB devices to save power. This is similar to the power - saving setting adjustment mentioned earlier. By disabling the USB selective suspend feature, you can prevent the system from putting the USB drive into a suspended state, which may cause recognition issues.​

Step 1. Right-click the Start button and select "Power Options".​

Step 2. In the opened "Power & Sleep" window, Choose "Additional power settings".​

Step 3. Then click on "Change plan settings" and "Change advanced power settings".​

Step 4. Expand USB settings > USB selective suspend setting, select "Disabled" and click "Apply".​

Solution 8. Run the Hardware Troubleshoot​

Windows has built-in troubleshooters that can automatically detect and fix issues related to USB devices. You can follow these steps to diagnose hardware issues.​

Step 1. Press the Windows key + X and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".​

Step 2. In the PowerShell window, type the command "msdt.exe - id DeviceDiagnostic" and press "Enter".

This will open the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter, which will scan your system for issues and attempt to resolve them.

Solution 9. Format RAW USB Drive​

If the USB drive has a RAW file system and can't be accessed, formatting it may make it usable again, but note that this will erase all data on the drive. So, that's why we repeatedly emphasize the importance of recovering data from an undetected USB drive first.​

Step 1. Open Disk Management as described before.​

Step 2. If the USB drive is labeled as RAW, right-click on it and select "Format".​

Step 3. Select the appropriate file system (usually NTFS or FAT32) and mark the "Quick Format" option, then follow the instructions to format the drive.​

When formatting a USB drive, checking the "Quick Format" option can help you recover data from the quick formatted drive using MyRecover, even if you haven't previously recovered the files or have no backups.

Conclusion

By following these solutions, you should be able to recover files from not recognized USB flash drive and fix most USB flash drive detection issues. If the issue persists, there may be a deeper hardware problem with your USB drive. Contacting professional support or replacing the faulty hardware might be necessary.

Before attempting to fix the issue of an unrecognized USB drive, don't forget to recover the files first using a professional data recovery tool—MyRecover. The Professional and Technician versions of MyRecover can also meet more advanced requirements, especially when you are a professional or an enterprise user. It offers a pre-recovery file preview feature, which helps you determine whether the files are exactly what you want to recover.