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Files Copied to USB Drive Disappear: 3 Ways to Get Them Back
Simple yet effective ways to recover your files for good
4 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
It is not an entirely unusual scenario for files copied to a USB drive to mysteriously disappear. Users have stated on forums that they can’t find files on USB drives that they’re sure they copied to them.
In this guide, we will show you the easy ways torecover your filesand do with them whatever you wish.
Why do copied files disappear from the USB?
There are several reasons your copied file might disappear from your USB drive. Listed below are some of the causes of the issue:
What can I do if files copied to a USB drive disappear?
Before proceeding to the fixes in this section, we recommend performing the following preliminary checks:
If you can’t make the drive work, you can now explore the fixes below.
1. Use a file recovery software
A virus might have erased it even if you’re sure you haven’t deleted files on the USB drive. Nevertheless, you can still restore deleted files with file recovery software.
Our recommended solution is so powerful that it can recover files from a formatted or corrupted drive. It’s very useful for data recovery from all storage types: classic hard drives, SSDs, SD cards, and USB drives.
It can search and recover different file types, including music, videos, photos, PDFs, documents, etc. You’ll like the ability to preview any recoverable files found to be sure it’s the right one you’ve been looking for.
In 3 easy steps, you can solve the issue of the files that disappeared from the USB drive:
Stellar Data Recovery
2. Show hidden files
File Explorer doesn’t display all files when the show hidden files option isn’t selected. This might be why the files copied to your USB drive disappear from your view.
3. Run CHKDSK
Sometimes, if your files are copied to a USB drive disappear, it might be because some partitions are faulty. The CHKDSK command will help detect the problems and fix them if possible.
If you can’t view your files on a USB because they suddenly disappeared, the fixes above should help you get them back. If everything proves futile, you might have toformat the driveor replace it.
ShouldWindows fail to format the drive, check the linked guide to push it through.
Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you solve the problem in the comments below.
More about the topics:data recovery,external USB drive
Matthew Adams
Windows Hardware Expert
Matthew is a freelancer who has produced a variety of articles on various topics related to technology. His main focus is the Windows OS and all the things surrounding it.
He is passionate about the tech world, always staying up-to-date with the latest and greatest. With an analytical view, he likes problem-solving, focusing on errors and their causes.
In his free time, he likes to read and write about history and tries to always develop new skills.
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Matthew Adams
Windows Hardware Expert
He is passionate about everything surrounding Microsoft’s OS, focusing on troubleshooting guides & tips for everyday problems.
