How to Format a USB Drive That Doesn't Appear

Updated by

Linda 

Written by

Cici 

Updated on May 13, 2024

Key Takeaways:

• USB drives not appearing in Windows or not being identified can stem from connection issues or USB-related problems.
• The inability to format an unrecognized USB often follows after Windows Explorer fails to acknowledge the drive as legitimate.
• Before formatting, ensure the USB is visible by, for instance, updating the driver and verifying the connection. Then, format the invisible USB drive using a professional formatting tool, such as Partition Master.

When you connect a USB drive to a Windows PC, you might discover that the USB drive is not visible on your computer. The issue of "USB unrecognized" or "not showing up" is a frequent problem reported by numerous users, which could be a result of a corrupted USB or other factors leading to drive errors. So, how do you format a USB drive that doesn't appear? Tools are available to guide you through the process with detailed, step-by-step instructions.

How to Format a USB Drive That Isn't Showing Up

It's common for a USB drive not to appear or be recognized in Windows File Explorer. Here's a typical scenario described on Quora:

If you're facing a similar issue with a USB drive not showing up and need guidance on how to format it, this tutorial is for you. We'll present two steps to help you effectively fix and format the USB drive.

Quick Guide: Use Partition Master Tool to Format USB Not Showing Up

I highly recommend you opt for a professional formatting tool - tools Partition Master Free, which can effortlessly format an unrecognized USB or a USB drive that doesn't show up. It occasionally even detects USB devices that Windows fails to recognize.

This utility overcomes the limitations of Windows' built-in tools, enabling users to effortlessly format an external hard disk to NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and other file systems. It allows you to easily format an unrecognizable USB drive without requiring specialized computer knowledge or familiarity with command-line parameters.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click the partition on your external hard drive/USB/SD card which you want to format and choose the "Format" option.

Step 2. Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. In the Warning window, click "Yes" to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button in the upper-left corner to review the changes, and then click "Apply" to begin formatting your external hard drive, USB, or SD card.

If this solution doesn't resolve your issue, proceed further. We have a two-step process to assist you in formatting the USB drive:

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2 Ways to Format a USB Drive That Doesn't Show Up

Stage 1. Make the USB Drive Appear in Windows

You can try some quick options for troubleshooting first:

Here are the translations for the given languages into English: 1. After connecting the USB device, restart your computer to see if Windows can detect it. 2. Connect the USB to another computer to ensure it's not damaged. 3. Check if the USB drive is visible in Disk Management or File Explorer: If the USB bootloader doesn't show up in File Explorer but does in Disk Management, you can proceed directly to the second step of the solution to format it.

With these simple checks, you can identify any issues with the USB. For more comprehensive scenarios, refer to the articles below for advanced troubleshooting steps.

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Experiencing issues with your USB flash drive not showing up in Windows 11? Explore troubleshooting steps, professional guidance, and detailed tutorials to fix this common problem and ensure your USB Flash Drive is recognized and accessible.

< a id="stage2" name="stage2">Stage 2. Format the USB Drive

Once you've made the USB bootloader visible or recognizable, you can format it in several ways. This section will present three comprehensive formatting options:

Method 1: Format Unrecognized USB using Disk Management

When the USB doesn't have a disk drive letter assigned, File Explorer might overlook it. Try formatting it using Disk Management.

Step 1. Press Windows + R to open the Run window, then type "diskmgmt.msc", or right-click the Windows icon to launch Disk Management.

Step 2. Right-click on the unrecognized USB drive and select "Format."

Note: If the USB drive has a black bar at the top, right-click on the unallocated space and select "Create Simple Volume." Then, use a compatible file format.

Step 3. Choose the desired file system: NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT, and modify the volume label and allocation unit size as needed.

Format USB in FAT32

Step 4. Select Perform Quick Format, and then click Finish.

Method 3: Format Unrecognized USB using Diskpart

Diskpart offers the same formatting options as Disk Management. If you're accustomed to using command-line utilities, this method is ideal for you. Assuming there are no issues with the physical drive, you can follow these steps to format a USB flash drive that doesn't appear in Windows Explorer:

Step 1. Press Windows + R to open the Run window and type cmd.

Step 2. Type the following commands to create a partition on the USB drive and press Enter:

Note: If there is already a partition on the USB drive, skip this step and proceed to step 3.

After completing these commands, the issue of no partitions on the USB should be resolved.

Step 3. Type in the following commands to format the USB drive:

Upon finishing the above commands, you should be able to format the USB drive successfully.

If you find the text tutorial hard to follow, you can watch the video below.

Why Isn't a USB Drive Showing Up?

There are several reasons why a USB drive might not show up or be recognized on a Windows computer:

Here are the translations of the languages you provided into English:
• USB port failure
• USB corruption
• USB format incompatibility
• Outdated USB driver
• File system error
• Disk drive conflicts
These are technical terms related to computer issues, not actual languages. If you meant to translate these terms into another language, please specify which language you need them translated into.

Regardless of the reason behind the USB not showing up on your computer, you can utilize the solution provided in this article to address the issue. Afterwards, format the undetected USB drive using the utility Partition Master.

Conclusion

Upon completing this tutorial, do you now know how to format a USB drive that doesn't appear? You can initially try using the tool Partition Master, which occasionally detects external drives undetected by Windows and offers a quick formatting solution.

If that solution doesn't work, attempt some remedies to make the USB drive recognizable within Windows. Next, format the USB using Diskpart or Disk Management. Additionally, we've outlined possible reasons why the external drive isn't visible to help you be more cautious in future encounters with similar issues.

Frequently Asked Questions About Formatting a USB Drive That Doesn't Appear

This section will provide some additional FAQs and answers about the format unrecognized USB, so read on if you are interested:

**1. Can I force a USB stick to format?**

Yes, you can force a USB to be formatted in various ways. If the USB drive is not showing up, utilize a tool like Partition Master to perform a quick format. If the USB is detected, you can directly format it through Disk Management or the Diskpart utility.

< strong > 2. Why isn't my USB drive appearing? < /strong >

There are several reasons why the USB device is not being detected or displayed on your computer: 1. **Driver Issues**: Outdated or corrupted USB drivers can prevent your computer from recognizing the USB device. 2. **Wrong Connection**: Ensure that the USB cable or port is properly connected. Sometimes, loose connections can cause the issue. 3. **Power Supply**: If the USB device requires additional power, ensure it's getting enough from the port or try connecting it to a powered USB hub. 4. **Device Compatibility**: The USB device might not be compatible with your computer's operating system (OS). Check the device specifications and ensure they're compatible. 5. **Disabled USB Ports**: In some cases, USB ports may be disabled in the BIOS settings or through Device Manager. 6. **Software Conflicts**: Running antivirus software or other security programs could interfere with the USB detection. 7. **Format Issue**: The USB drive might be formatted with a file system that your computer doesn't recognize. Check its format and reformat if necessary. 8. **Malfunctioning Device**: There might be a hardware issue with the USB device itself, causing it not to work correctly. 9. **OS Errors**: System errors or issues within your operating system can also cause USB devices not to show up. 10. **USB Selective Suspend**: This feature saves power by temporarily disabling USB ports when not in use. Disable this setting in Power Options if it's causing problems. To troubleshoot these issues, try plugging the USB into different ports, updating drivers, checking for software conflicts, or using a different computer to see if the problem persists.

Here are the translations of the provided phrases into English:
• The drive is not installed correctly
• The USB port is damaged
• USB format incompatibility
• Outdated USB driver
• File system error
In case you need them in a list format, here it is: 1. The drive is not installed correctly 2. The USB port is damaged 3. USB format incompatibility 4. Outdated USB driver 5. File system error

3. How to resolve the issue of USB not appearing on screen but making a sound?

If the USB drive makes a sound, that might suggest a hardware problem. To check the USB connection, try plugging it into a different port or connect it to another computer.