How to Fix a Corrupted or Unrecognized USB Flash Drive in Windows 10

First, try plugging the drive into a different USB port on your computer. If it’s a USB 3.0 drive, make sure you’re using a USB 3.0 port. If that doesn’t work, try a different computer if possible.

Run the Windows 10 USB Drive Repair Tool

Windows 10 has a built-in tool called “Check” that can scan and attempt to repair issues with a USB flash drive. Here’s how to use it:

Open File Explorer and right-click on the USB drive, then select Properties
Click the Tools tab and click the “Check” button under Error checking
Let the scan complete and see if it fixes the issue

Use the CHKDSK Command

If the built-in tool doesn’t work, you can try the CHKDSK command in Command Prompt:

Open Command Prompt as an administrator
Type chkdsk /f /r G: (replace G with your USB drive letter)
Let it scan and repair the drive

Format the USB Drive

If all else fails, you may need to format the drive, which will erase all data. Only do this as a last resort after trying to recover important files:

Open Disk Management (right-click Start and select Disk Management)
Right-click the USB drive and select Format
Choose a file system like FAT32 or NTFS and click OK

If none of these steps work, your USB flash drive may be physically damaged. In that case, you’ll need to replace the drive or take it to a data recovery service. Be sure to back up important data regularly to avoid losing it if your drive fails.