Y'all've probably heard that yous always need to use the Safely Remove Hardware icon earlier unplugging a USB device. However, there'south too a good run a risk that you've unplugged a USB device without using this choice and everything worked fine.

Windows itself tells you that you don't need to use the Safely Remove Hardware option if you apply sure settings – the default settings – but the advice Windows provides is misleading.

Quick Removal vs. Better Functioning

Windows allows you to optimize your USB device for quick removal or improved functioning. By default, Windows optimizes USB devices for quick removal. Yous tin can access this setting from the device manager – open the Start bill of fare, type Device Manager, and press Enter to launch it.

Expand the Disk drives section in the Device Manager, right-click your device, and select Backdrop.

Select the Policies tab in the Properties window.  You'll notice that Windows says y'all tin can disconnect your USB device safely without using the Safely Remove Hardware notification icon, so this ways you tin can unplug your USB device without ever safely removing it, correct? Not and so fast.

Information Corruption Danger

The Windows dialog shown above is misleading. If y'all unplug your USB device while data is existence written to it – for case, while y'all're moving files to it or while you're saving a file to it – this tin can result in data corruption. No matter which pick you apply, you should ensure that your USB device isn't in-use before unplugging it – some USB sticks may have lights on them that blink while they're beingness used.

However, even if the USB device doesn't appear to be in-employ, it may still be in-use. A programme in the background may be writing to the bulldoze – so data corruption could issue if you unplugged the drive. If your USB stick doesn't appear to be in-apply, you tin can probably unplug it without any information corruption occurring – even so, to be safety, information technology's still a good idea to use the Safely Remove Hardware option. When you squirt a device, Windows volition tell yous when information technology's safe to remove – ensuring all programs are done with information technology.

Write Caching

If y'all select the Better Performance choice, Windows will cache data instead of writing it to the USB device immediately. This will better your device's performance – however, data corruption is much more likely to occur if y'all unplug the USB device without using the Safely Remove Hardware selection. If caching is enabled, Windows won't write the data to your USB device immediately – even if the information appears to accept been written to the device and all file progress dialogs are closed, the data may merely be buried on your arrangement.

When you eject a device, Windows will flush the write cache to the disk, ensuring all necessary changes are made before notifying you when it'due south condom to remove the drive.

While the Quick Removal option decreases USB functioning, information technology'due south the default to minimize the chances of data corruption in solar day-to-day use – many people may forget to utilize – or never employ – the Safely Remove Hardware selection when unplugging USB devices.

Safely Removing Hardware

Ultimately, no matter which option you apply, you should use the Safely Remove Hardware icon and eject your device earlier unplugging it. You can too right-click it in the Estimator window and select Eject. Windows volition tell you when information technology's safe to remove the device, eliminating any changes of information corruption.

This advice doesn't merely utilise to Windows – if you're using Linux, you should use the Squirt option in your file director before unplugging a USB device, too. The same goes for Mac OS 10.

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