Save Files to a USB Flash Drive

USB drives allow you to easily store and transfer files from one device to another. If the USB drive is properly formatted, it should work on virtually any device or operating system. You can copy files from your computer to the USB drive, or save files directly to it. If your USB drive isn't working, formatting it may fix the problem.

Steps

Copying Files to a USB Flash Drive

  1. Insert the flash drive into a USB port on your computer. Make sure that you don't force the drive into the port; it only goes in one way.
  2. Ensure that the flash drive appears on your computer. You'll usually receive a notification that the flash drive has been detected. If these notifications are turned off, you can check to see if it is connected. If your USB drive is not appearing, see the Troubleshooting section.
    • Windows - Open the "Computer"/"This PC" window by clicking the Folder button in the Taskbar or by pressing ⊞ Win+E. Your USB drive should be listed in the "Devices and drives" section.
    • Mac - Your USB drive should appear on your desktop when it is inserted.
  3. Open the USB drive to see its contents. Double-click the USB drive to open it and view the files stored on it. The USB drive will be usually be labeled "Removable Storage," but it could be labeled something else.
  4. Find the files you want to copy to the USB drive. Keep your USB drive window open and open a new Explorer or Finder window. Navigate to the file or files that you want to transfer.
  5. Select multiple files by holding Ctrl/⌘ Command and clicking each one. This will allow you to select multiple files at once. You can only select multiple files from the same window.
  6. Drag the files into the USB drive's window. This will begin copying the files onto the USB drive. You can also right-click your selected files and select "Send to" → "USB Name."
    • Depending on how the USB drive is formatted, it may not be able to store files larger than 4 GB in size. See the Save-Files-to-a-USB-Flash-Drive for more details.
  7. Wait for the files to copy. The copy process may take a while, especially if you are copying large files or the USB drive is older. A progress bar will appear, indicating how much time remains.
  8. Eject the USB drive before removing it from your computer. Once the copying process is finished, you'll want to eject the USB drive from your operating system before removing it from your computer.[1]
    • Windows - Click the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in your System Tray. Click "Eject USB" for the USB drive that you want to remove.
    • Mac - Drag the USB drive from your desktop to your Trash.
  9. Remove the USB drive. Once you have ejected the USB drive, you can safely remove it from the computer. You can then take that USB drive to any other computer and transfer the files on it.

Saving Files Directly to a USB Flash Drive

  1. Insert the USB drive in your computer. You can save your documents directly to your USB drive, saving you the step of copying them. You'll need to have the USB drive inserted before proceeding.
    • If your USB drive is not appearing, see the Save-Files-to-a-USB-Flash-Drive.
  2. Open the "Save As" window in your program. This will allow you to choose the location where you want to save the file.
    • If you're using Office 2013 or newer, select "This PC" from the "Save As" menu to open the traditional Windows Save menu.
  3. Open your USB drive in the Save As window. Your USB drive should appear in the left frame of the "Save As" window. You may have to expand or collapse other things to find it.
    • Windows - You'll find the USB drive listed under "Computer" or "This PC."
    • Mac - You'll find the USB drive listed in the "Devices" section.
  4. Save the file to the USB drive. You can save the file to any folder on the USB drive. It may take a little longer to save to the USB than to your hard drive.
    • If the USB drive is full, you will not be able to save anything to it.
  5. Safely eject the USB drive before removing it. Before taking the USB drive out of your computer, you'll want to eject it from your operating system.
    • Windows - Click the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in your System Tray. Click "Eject USB" for the USB drive that you want to remove.
    • Mac - Drag the USB drive from your desktop to your Trash.
  6. Remove the USB drive. After ejecting the drive, you can pull it out of your computer. You can then transfer you saved file to any other computer.

Troubleshooting a USB Flash Drive

  1. Ensure the drive isn't full. USB drives tend to fill up quickly, especially older drives that don't have much storage. Try clearing out some files that you don't need if your drive is full.
  2. Check the size of the file you are trying to transfer. Most USB drives cannot store files larger than 4 GB. If you need to transfer files larger than this, you'll have to format the USB drive with a different file system. See the next step for details.
  3. Format the USB drive if you can't copy files to it. Formatting the drive will make sure it is using the correct file system. Be aware that formatting will remove all of the data on the drive. You should only format the drive if it isn't being recognized or not working properly.
    • Right-click the USB drive and select "Format." If you're using OS X, open Disk Utility from your Utilities folder and then select your USB drive.
    • Choose FAT32 or exFAT as the file system. FAT32 is the most compatible format, and will work on virtually any device or operating system. exFAT is also a very compatible format that will allow you to store files over 4 GB. NTFS should be avoided unless you only work with Windows computers. It is not very compatible with other devices or computers.
    • Uncheck the "Quick Format" box if you suspect there is a problem with the drive. A standard format may be able to correct errors, but will take longer.


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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/administration/its/How%20to%20Use%20a%20USB%20Flash%20Drive.pdf
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