Windows Could Not Format USB Error ❌: 7 Quick Fixes 🚀
The error "Windows could not format the USB drive" commonly appears when you try to format a pen drive in Windows.
This is a common problem that almost every Windows user has experienced at some point. In this comprehensive guide, we'll show you the best solutions to fix the "Windows could not format the USB drive" error message and regain control of your device.
1. Use the disk management utility to format
Windows has a powerful disk management utility called Disk Management, ideal for creating, expanding, or shrinking partitions. Follow these steps to format your flash drive with it.
1. Write Disk Management in the Windows search bar and open the option Create and format hard drive partitions.
2. In the utility, right-click on the USB drive that you want to format and select Format.
3. In the formatting window, give the volume a name, select the file system (such as NTFS or FAT32), and check the box. Perform a quick format. Click on Accept to start.
This method is one of the most reliable ways to fix the error when Windows cannot complete the format.
2. Remove write protection
If your USB drive or SD card is write-protected, you won't be able to modify or format the data on it. First, you'll need to remove this protection.
There are several ways to do this in Windows. We recommend following our detailed guide: How to remove write protection on a USB or SD card to unlock your device easily.
3. Check and repair disk errors
Windows includes a tool to detect and correct errors on your flash drive. You can use it to resolve errors that prevent formatting.
1. Open File Explorer, right-click on the USB drive and select Properties.
2. Go to the tab Tools and press Find out in the error checking section.
3. Click on Find and repair drive to start the analysis and automatic correction.
After completing the repair, try formatting the drive again. The error will most likely disappear.
4. Update the USB driver
An outdated USB driver can cause formatting problems. To resolve this, update your USB drivers manually.
1. Open the dialog box Execute With the Windows + R keys, type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.
2. Expand Universal Serial Bus Controllers, identify USB devices with problems, right-click on them and open Properties.
3. Select Update driver and choose Search for drivers automatically. Windows will search for and install the latest version.
After updating, try formatting your device again to see if the problem is resolved.
5. Use Command Prompt to format
If the above methods don't work, format your pen drive from Command Prompt with administrator permissions.
1. Connect only the pen drive you want to format and disconnect all other USB devices.
2. Open Command Prompt as administrator, type diskpart and press Enter.
3. Execute list disk to see all connected drives. Write down the drive number that corresponds to your USB.
4. Enter the command select disk N replacing “N” with the disk number of your USB.
5. Finally, write clean to clean the drive and press Enter.
This process will erase all partitions and data, leaving the drive ready for a clean and successful format.
6. Scan your computer for malware
Viruses or malware can block the formatting process, causing this error. Therefore, it's vital to perform a full scan to eliminate any threats.
1. Find and open the app Windows Security from the start menu.
2. In the side panel, select Protection against viruses and threats.
3. Click on Analysis options and select Full analysis.
4. Click on Browse now to begin scanning and removing threats.
Once finished, restart your PC and try formatting your pen drive again.
7. Format the drive on another computer or operating system
If the problem persists after trying several options, try connecting and formatting the USB drive on another computer or using a different operating system.
This will help identify whether the problem lies with the drive or your Windows installation.
8. Use EaseUS Partition Tool
EaseUS Partition Tool is a powerful and well-known software for managing partitions in Windows. If the above methods fail, this tool can be an effective solution for formatting your USB drive.
1. Download and install EaseUS Partition Tool from this official link.
2. Run the tool, right-click on the drive you want to format and select Format.
3. Define the partition label and file system you prefer.
4. Click on Accept.
5. Finally, select Execute operation and then Apply to begin formatting.
These methods will cover almost all possible causes of the error and are compatible with Windows 11 and other versions of Windows, ensuring that you can format your pen drive without any problems.
