Windows 11 won't eject external hard drive? 9 best solutions

Windows 11 won't eject external hard drive? 9 best solutions

Windows 11 won’t eject external hard drive? – Tips and how to fix.

A bug or glitch recently prevented many Windows 11 users from ejecting external hard drives or USB flash drives. When you eject the USB flash drive from Windows 11, the computer freezes or restarts automatically.

Many users have also claimed that when they eject their flash drives, they get an error message saying 'Problem ejecting USB mass storage device'.

So, if you have just encountered the error message or are unable to eject the Pendrive, then you have landed on the right page. Below, we are sharing some simple steps that will enable you to fix the Pendrive not ejecting issue on Windows 11. Let’s get started.

Why Windows 11 failed to eject external hard drive/Pendrive?

Before we dive into the solution, it is recommended to understand why Windows 11 does not eject the hard disk external. Below we share some possible reasons for the problem.

  • The drive you are trying to eject is still in use.
  • Your device's USB drivers are outdated.
  • Corrupted device drivers.
  • Malware that prevents Windows 11 eject the Pendrive.
  • Corrupted system files.

Now that you know the main reasons why Windows 11 fails to eject an external hard drive or flash drive, you might want to look into solutions. Here are the best things you can try.

1. Make sure the USB device is not in use

Before you do anything, you should make sure that your USB flash drive is not in use. You may be transferring files to/with the drive, preventing the eject function.

Therefore, it would be better to double-check that your USB device is not in use with any program while ejecting it.

2. Restart your computer

Restart your computer/laptop

While you can remove the external drive without using the eject option, data loss may occur. To be aware sure, you can restart your computer.

Once your computer restarts, you will be able to eject your external hard drive or pendrive. Alternatively, you can turn off your computer and eject the connected drive, as turning it off closes all the external hard drives. applications and third-party processes.

3. Update USB drivers

If you often see the Problem ejecting USB mass storage device error message in Windows 11, the best thing is update USB drivers.

Windows 11 may not be able to eject USB devices due to outdated or corrupted USB drivers. In that case, you will need to update your USB drivers.

1. Click on Windows 11 search and type Device Manager. Then open the application Device Manager from the list.

Device Manager

2. In Device Manager, expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section.

3. Right click on each entry with a yellow exclamation mark and select Update driver.

Universal Serial Bus Controllers

Now, you will be asked to choose where you want Windows 11 to search for the driver or add your own. Select the first one and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation. process driver update.

4. Run the Windows Hardware and Devices troubleshooter

If you still can't eject the Pendrive in Windows 11, try running the USB Flash Drive troubleshooter. hardware and Windows devices. Follow some of the simple steps shared below.

1. First, click on Windows search and type CMD. Right click on CMD and select Run as administrator.

Run as administrator

2. At the command prompt, paste the following command and press Get into.

msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

Run as administrator

3. This will start the troubleshooter. hardware and devices. Click the Next button and follow the on-screen instructions.

5. Close unnecessary tasks

If you suspect that an application is preventing your USB flash drive or external hard drive from being ejected, close it and all its processes from Task Manager. Here's what to do.

1. First, click on the Windows 11 search and type Task Manager. Then open the Task Manager list application.

Task Manager

2. In Task Manager, you need to find the application you suspect. Right-click on the entire branch and select End task.

End task

Repeat the steps to close all applications that you think are preventing the Windows 11 USB ejection feature from working properly.

6. Access the Safely Remove Hardware utility via CMD

You can access the Remove utility hardware safely via CMD. This will open the Disk Management utility, where you can safely eject your external hard drive.

1. Click on Windows 11 search and type 'CMD'. Right click on CMD and select Run as administrator.

Run as administrator

2. In the Command Prompt utility, run the provided command and press Enter:

RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll

Command Prompt Utility

3. Now you will see the utility to remove hardware safely. Select the unit you want to eject and click Arrest.

Arrest

7. Eject the USB drive using Settings

There are many ways to eject a usb drive in windows 11. You can use the Settings app if you are unable to eject the drive from the system tray option. Here is how to safely eject a USB drive using the Settings app.

1. First, click on the Windows 11 search and select Settings.

Settings

2. In Settings, switch to the Bluetooth and devices section.

Bluetooth and devices

3. On the right side, click on Devices.

Devices

4. Find your USB drive and click on three points next to it. Then select Remove device.

Remove device

8. Update Windows 11

If you can't eject a USB drive in Windows 11, try upgrading your version of Windows. Windows 11 Beta and Dev versions have a bug that prevents USB drives from being ejected.

You can get rid of that error by updating your computer to Windows 11. To update Windows 11, follow the steps shared below.

1. First, click on the Windows 11 Start button and select Settings.

Settings

2. In Settings, switch to the Windows Update eyelash.

Windows Update

3. On the right side, click on the Check for updates button.

Check for updates

Windows 11 will now check for all available updates. If an update is available, it will automatically download and install on your device.

9. Few more things you can try

If you still get the error when ejecting a USB or external hard drive, you should shut down your PC and disconnect the external drive.

Once this is done, turn on your PC, reconnect that drive and do not access any files. Then, try ejecting the hard drive from the system tray.

If you receive the error, it is possible that Windows is indexing your external hard drive or the Windows Security application is accessing the drive for scanning purposes.

You can try disabling indexing on the external hard drive, stopping all ongoing scans by security programs, and then ejecting the drive.

Windows 11 won’t eject external hard drive? – FAQ:

Why can't I eject my hard drive in Windows 11?

If you can't eject your hard drive in Windows 11, the drive may be actively in use. Otherwise, the drive may be experiencing issues due to outdated or corrupted drivers.

What do I do if my external hard drive won't eject?

If you are unable to eject your external hard drive in Windows, the easiest solution is to restart or shut down your computer.

How do I know which program is using my external hard drive?

Finding out which program is using your external hard drive is tricky. The quickest way to resolve the can't eject hard drive error is to log out, log back in, and safely remove the storage drive.

How do I force eject a USB device in Windows 11?

You can force eject a USB device in Windows 11 by following the steps shared in Methods 6 and 7. Otherwise, log out, log back in, and remove the connected drive from the system tray.

These simple methods can fix the issue of not being able to eject a USB drive in Windows 11. If you need further help to safely eject a USB drive in Windows 11, let us know in the comments below. Also, if you found the article helpful, do share it with your friends.

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