[Fixed] Unable to Save Files to USB Flash Drive - 100% Working Guide

Updated By

Tracy King 

Written By

Linda 

Last Updated on April 22, 2024

Having issues while saving files to a USB flash drive? Try these 3 quick and handy solutions to fix the problem of not being able to copy files to USB or transfer files to USB:

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Unable to save file to USB flash drive

"I'm having problems saving files to my SanDisk USB flash drive. My computer recognizes the flash drive, but I can't save any pictures or documents. The Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V paste options aren't working. The 'Save' or 'Save As' options don't work either, and I can't even drag the files directly onto the flash drive. What's happening? How can I save files to a USB flash drive as usual?"

Intended as a portable storage device, a USB thumb drive, memory stick, or floppy disk stores data that you can carry around and transfer files easily. Since a flash drive that won't save files is useless, you'll have to put in some effort to get it working again.

3 Ways to Fix a Flash Drive That Won't Save Files

When you can't save files to a USB flash drive, or the drive is in poor condition, you have three options: format FAT32 to NTFS, extend the volume size, and get access permissions.

Solution 1: Convert USB Flash Drive from FAT32 to NTFS without Formatting

If you can't copy or save a file to a drive due to an "File too large to copy to the destination file system" error, it might be because the file exceeds the size limitations of the target drive's file system. Common file systems for external USB drives, USBs, or storage cards include NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT. If your file is larger than 4 GB and your flash drive is formatted in FAT32, you won't be able to save it since the maximum file size for that file system is 4 GB.

To resolve this issue, you can format FAT32 to NTFS using Windows Disk Management or use a third-party tool like the free tools Partition Master Free to directly convert FAT32 to NTFS without deleting data. For the safety of your data, we strongly recommend trying a professional solution with zero data loss.

Download and install the free partition management tool on your Windows computer. Make sure your flash drive is properly connected to the computer. Then, follow these steps to convert FAT32 to NTFS:

Step 1: Install and run Partition Master on your computer.

Step 2. In the Partition Manager, right-click on a FAT32 partition and select "Advanced" -> "Convert to NTFS".

Step 3: Click “Proceed” in the dialog box that pops up.

Step 4: Click on the “Convert” button to start the conversion process and wait until it's completed.

Solution 2: Resize the volume when the disk is almost full

The first step is to shrink the partition to free up space for the expansion.

If there's enough unallocated space on the hard drive to expand into, skip to Step 2. If not, free up some space first:

In the "Partition Manager" section, right-click on the partition next to the target one and select "Resize/Move". Drag the partition boundaries to free up space, making sure to leave enough unallocated space behind the target partition. Click "OK".

Step 2: Extend the target partition.

Right-click on the partition you want to expand, and select “Resize/Move”.

Drag the target partition handle to the unallocated space to extend the partition.

Step 3: Save all changes.

Click the Run Task button and then click Apply to save all changes.

Solution 3: Request permission to save files to a specific location

And then the last common one is, “You don't have permissions to save in this location; contact your administrator for access.” And that one happens a lot when you're trying to save a Microsoft file somewhere.

Step 1: Press the "Windows + R" keys simultaneously to open the "Run" window.

Step 2: Type netplwiz and press “Enter” to open the “User Accounts” window.

Step 3: Select the user account that caused the error.

Step 4: Click “Properties,” then click “Member Of,” select “Administrator,” and then click “Apply.”

Above are three methods to fix the issue of not being able to transfer files to a USB device. If you find it helpful, feel free to share it with others.

Additional tips to fix issues with unable to transfer files to USB

If you cannot copy data or move files with a USB stick, there are other simple ways to check quickly.

1. Unplug and re-insert the USB flash drive: Incorrectly inserted USBs can cause unavailability issues. 2. Update the USB device driver: You can install the latest version of the USB driver through Device Manager. 3. Run a malware scan: Resolving malware can fix some computer issues. 4. Restart your computer and check for compatibility issues: Incompatibility between your USB and the computer can prevent data transfer via USB. 5. Try a different USB flash drive: This helps to determine if the issue lies with the USB itself.

Conclusions

We hope that one of the three methods above helped you save files to your USB flash drive or memory card. If none of these solutions worked, your drive might be write-protected. Try to remove write protection to fix the “Can't save files to USB drive” issue.

1. "I can't copy files to the USB drive. It always says 'Access denied'." Solution: Make sure you have the necessary permissions to access the USB drive. Try right-clicking on the drive, selecting "Properties," then going to the "Security" tab. Check if your user account has full control or modify permissions. If not, click "Edit" and grant yourself the required permissions. 2. "My computer doesn't recognize the USB drive, so I can't transfer any files." Solution: First, try plugging the USB into another computer to see if it works there. If not, check if the USB is properly inserted. Sometimes, the issue could be due to outdated or corrupted drivers. Update your USB controller drivers by going to Device Manager, finding "Universal Serial Bus controllers," and updating the drivers. 3. "Files get stuck or transfer at an extremely slow speed when going to the USB." Solution: Check if the USB drive is formatted with a file system that supports large files (like exFAT or NTFS). Also, ensure there's enough free space on the USB drive. Slow transfer speeds can also result from a damaged USB port or cable. Try using a different port or cable. 4. "I get an error message saying I need to format the USB to continue, but I don't want to lose data." Solution: Before formatting, try using data recovery software to retrieve your files from the USB drive. If the software can read the files, save them to another location first. After data recovery, format the USB drive and then copy the recovered files back. 5. "When I try to move files to the USB, it says 'Not enough disk space,' but when I check, there's plenty of space." This might be due to the allocation unit size on the USB drive. Right-click the USB drive, select "Properties," then go to the "Tools" tab and click "Check." If no issues are found, try changing the allocation unit size. Open Disk Management, right-click the USB, select "Properties," then "Allocation Unit Size," and choose a smaller option. 6. "I can't transfer specific file types, like videos or music." Solution: Check your USB drive's properties for any restrictions or limitations, like write protection. Also, ensure your operating system isn't blocking certain file types for security reasons. You may need to adjust settings in File Explorer or consult your antivirus software. 7. "Files get disconnected during transfer or the USB drive becomes unreadable." This can be due to hardware issues or a damaged USB drive. Test the USB on another device, and if the problem persists, consider getting it repaired or replaced. If it's a one-time issue, try transferring files in smaller chunks to reduce the chances of corruption.

This section provides more questions and answers about USB flash drives not saving files. If you're interested or have similar concerns, please continue reading:

**1. Why can't I transfer files to my USB device?**

There are several reasons why you might not be able to save a file to a USB flash drive:

File system limitations of the target partition. The target flash drive is write-protected. Insufficient space on USB.

2. How can I copy a large file to a USB device without formatting it?

The FAT32 file system partition only supports files up to 4 GB in size. If you need to store larger files, you can convert FAT32 to NTFS format. You can use tools like Partition Master to copy large files to a USB device without formatting:

Step 1: Insert the USB drive and launch the Partition Master tool.

Step 2. Right-click the target drive, and select Properties > Advanced > Convert to NTFS.

3. Why can't I save files to an external hard drive on my Mac?

If there isn't enough available storage space on the external hard drive, saving files to it might fail. Free up more space by deleting or compressing files.