USB stick access denied in Windows 11 will impede you to access the files stored on your USB flash drive or external hard drive, here we have several fixes for you.
The "USB access denied" error message indicates that a hard drive or USB port has failed, prohibiting you from accessing the USB device. One possible sign of such a device is that it will not open. Another symptom is that the device may return to the error message "Location is not accessible, access is denied."
Storage devices commonly provide error messages such as "Location or drive is not accessible". They frequently indicate that the USB device has restricted read or write permissions. Depending on the accompanying symptoms, your "USB access denied" statement may be "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable," "The parameter is incorrect," or "The disk structure is corrupted and unreadable."
Access to your USB drive may be denied for a variety of reasons.
1. Insufficient access permissions This reason can present as USB access refused by the administrator, which frequently occurs when the drive was previously used on another computer with different user accounts or when the device's ownership has changed.
2. Corrupted USB drivers Drivers enable your operating system to interface with the USB device. If these drivers are outdated, corrupted, or poorly installed, your system may fail to recognize the USB device and display an access denied message.
3. Faulty USB ports A defective or damaged USB port may fail to connect properly with your device, resulting in USB is not accessible problems.
4. Antivirus or firewall settings You safety settings might mistakenly identify a USB drive as a security threat, thereby blocking access and leading to USB drive access denied messages.
5. File system errors All storage devices utilize a file system to organize and store data. If the file system on your USB drive becomes corrupted or damaged, it may result in an access denied for USB drive error. This problem can be fixed by fixing the file system or formatting the drive.
These simple procedures will help you determine whether the problem is with the USB device, your computer's USB ports, or something else entirely.
Check connection: double-check if the USB drive is connected properly to your computer. Try unplugging it and plugging it back in carefully. A loose connection might cause the access denied for USB drive error.
Clean the USB port: Dust or dirt in the USB connector might occasionally interfere with a healthy connection. To eliminate any potential physical blockages, carefully clean your computer's USB connector and port.
Try other USB ports: If the problem persists, try connecting your USB drive to another USB port on your computer. This helps to rule out a faulty port.
Use different cable: If you're connecting an external hard drive with a USB cable, try using a different one. A defective cable can generate the detachable disk access denied error.
Try another PC: Connect the USB device to another computer. This step will help you determine whether the problem is with the USB device or your computer.
Now, we’ll show you how to solve USB stick access denied error on your Windows 11/10 computer.
Step 1. Go to your File Explorer and navigate to the inaccessible USB drive. Then, right-click on the USB > Properties > Security > and then Advanced.
Step 2. You will be directed to the Owner tab, then click Edit. Try to look for your name, and click on it, then tick Full Control, and Apply. Finish by tapping OK.
Step 1. Open your Start screen by using the Windows button.
Step 2. Fill in the Search bar with gpedit.msc and click the Edit group policy option displayed on your screen.
Step 3. Your Control panel Local Group Policy Editor will be loaded. There select Administrative Templates.
Step 4. Under the Administrative Templates list, expand the System folder.
Step 5. Inside the expanded System folder, open the Removable Storage Access folder.
Drive letters are dynamically assigned to USB devices. If a device's path changes, it becomes unavailable. Changing the drive letter in disk management helps to reconfigure the change.
Step 1. Open the Run dialogue by pressing the R and Windows keys simultaneously.
Step 2. Filling in the search space with diskmgmt.msc, then press Enter or click OK. This action will open your OS Disk Management.
Step 3. Locate the inaccessible USB device, right-click on the partition at the bottom of the Disk Management page. Choose Change Drive Letter and Path… among the options.
Step 4. In the next window that your OS will prompt, chose Change….
Step 5. Select the new drive letter, then click OK.
You need to open Control Panel > User Accounts > Change user account control settings > move the slider to the bottom setting > then click OK.
Step 1. You can use the Run dialogue by pressing the R and Windows keys simultaneously, filling the search space with devmgmt.msc, then press OK.
Step 2. On the Device Manager screen, right-click on the Universal Serial Bus Controllers option. Among the listed options, pick a controller for each of your USB ports.
Step 3. On each of the controllers for your USB port, right-click them and select Update...
Your USB device may not be accessible in Windows 11 due to a file system problem. If you're not sure, you should utilize an error-checking tool. Also, we’ll show you how to use CHKDSK to check your USB.
You can click the File Explorer icon on your taskbar or use the computer icon if there is one on your desktop screen.
Step 1. Navigate to the inaccessible USB device.
Step 2. On the USB device, right-click and select Properties at the bottom of the highlighted list.
Step 3. Navigate to the Tools bar among the Properties category list.
Step 4. Under the Error checking section, click Check.
Step 5. Click on Repair Drive.
If you are unsure whether file system errors are responsible for your USB stick access being denied in Windows 11, You should try running the disk check.
Step 1. Open your computer's CMD with the administrator's privilege. You can use the search bar in your Start menu, fill in the word cmd, then click Run as administrator.
Step 2. To proceed, click Yes when you get the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.
When the Administrator: Command Prompt window is opened, type this command and press Enter: chkdsk g: /f
Step 3. Confirm what the drive letter of the USB device is and replace it with g or leave it if it tallies.
If the methods indicated above do not work, formatting the inaccessible pen drive is a simple and effective remedy. Because formatting will erase all data on the pen drive, it is recommended that you retrieve and save any necessary data on the USB drive using data recovery software, such as AOMEI FastRecovery.
It is a recovery program that can help you recover files or folders that have been lost and cannot be restored using other methods. The tool was designed to be simple enough for non-expert computer owners to use. It can recover files from USB drives in a variety of scenarios, including formatting, corruption, and virus attacks.
AOMEI FastRecovery can Recover 2,000+ types of files from your USB device, including photographs, movies, and documents. In addition to USB, it offers data recovery from other drives and devices, such as hard disks and portable storage devices.
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.
Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.
Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".
Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.
Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.
After you get your data files from the target USB drive and save it on another location, you can format it to quickly fix USB stick access denied problem.
Step 1. Locate your USB drive in File Explorer, right-click it, and choose Format.
Step 2. Choose a file system (NTFS is common for external USB drives, while FAT32 or exFAT is best for drives that are sometimes connected to non-Windows machines).
Make sure the Quick Format option is checked. The difference between Full and Quick format is that the Quick Format option only deletes the file allocation table, while the Full Format option overwrites each sector, making it impossible to recover data later.
To resolve USB stick access denied in Windows 11, use a systematic troubleshooting technique. By following the step-by-step instructions and using tools such as AOMEI FastRecovery, you can regain access to your USB device and retrieve any lost data. To increase your chances of successful data recovery, act fast and avoid using the impacted storage device until your contents have been retrieved.