External Hard Drive not Showing Up on Windows 10/11 [Solved]
Make sure that the external drive is powered and connected properly
- According to users, Windows 10 sometimes doesn’t recognize the portable hard drive.
- It is a common error, but we've got just the right steps that you can follow to fix this problem, so keep reading.
- Try to connect your external drive directly to a USB port from your PC, not in a USB hub.
Portable hard drives are always useful if you’re moving big files, or if you simply need to back up your files.
However, it seems that some of our readers are complaining that Windows 10 and 11 do not recognize the portable hard drive, so let’s see if there’s a way to fix that.
The external hard drive is not showing up in Windows 10 & 11 File Explorer but we have plenty of solutions to
What can I do if my external hard drive is not showing up Windows 11?
Many users reported that Windows 11 is not recognizing USB devices, and this can include storage devices such as your external hard drive.
This isn’t the only issue that our readers experience, and many claim that the hard drive is missing after Windows 11 update, so make sure to check if your drive is properly configured.
It’s also possible that a new hard drive won’t show up for other reasons, but luckily for you, this guide will be able to help you out with this issue.
Why doesn’t Windows recognize my external drive?
Portable hard drives are great for file backup, but sometimes your device might not be recognized. Speaking of issues, here are some common hard drive problems reported by users:
- External hard drive not showing up in Disk Management – Make sure that your hard drive is properly connected to your PC
- Can’t access external hard drive Windows 10 – Assign a different letter to your hard drive; also, be sure to check if your hard drive is formatted
- External hard disk not detected in Disk Management – This can be due to your drivers, so be sure to keep them up to date;
- Windows doesn’t recognize the USB device/ drive/ stick – Even if you don’t use an external hard drive, you should be able to use most of our solutions below with other devices
What to do if Windows 10 does not recognize portable hard drives?
1. Manually update your drivers
- Press Windows key + X and choose Device Manager from the list.
- Locate the Disk drives section and expand it.
- Check if any of the listed devices have a yellow exclamation mark next to them. If there is an exclamation mark next to your device this means that there might be a driver issue. Right-click the device and choose Update Driver.
- Select Search automatically for driver software.
Windows will now search for a suitable driver online and install it automatically. After the driver is installed, check if the problem is still there.
In addition, users are recommending updating the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver, so be sure to try that as well (also from the Disk drives menu).
In addition, you might want to check the manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers.
Alternatively, you can use third-party software to automatically update all your drivers. DriverFix is a great solution to keep all drivers up-to-date.
DriversFix has a database of over 18 million driver files to safely update outdated drivers. A simple scan and within minutes your PC will be optimized to avoid these kinds of issues.
2. Change the portable hard drive letter and format it
2.1 Change the drive letter
- Press Windows key + X and choose Disk Management from the menu.
- Locate your portable hard drive in Disk Management and right-click it. Choose Change Drive Letter and Paths.
- A new window will appear showing you the current letter of your portable hard drive.
- Click Change and choose a new letter for it. Make sure that you choose the letter that you won’t assign to another drive.
- You’ll be presented with a dialog confirming that you wish to change the letter of the drive. Select Yes to change the drive letter.
If Disk Management shows that your portable hard drive is filled with unallocated space you might want to format your portable hard drive.
2.2 Format the portable drive
NOTE
- Right-click the Start icon and open Disk Management.
- Right-click your portable hard drive and choose Format from the menu.
- Enter the label for your hard drive, and choose File system type.
- Press OK and wait until your portable hard drive is formatted.
If you want to automate the task a little bit and make this job easier, you can change your portable drive letter with a disk management tool.
3. Use a third-party app to optimize your PC
It is possible that some PC settings are not right and need optimization, hence your hard drive is not recognized.
A dedicated third-party app can efficiently help you to fix all potential problems that affect the optimal functioning of your PC.
On this note, we recommend using Ashampoo WinOptimizer. The tool offers in-depth cleaning, system optimization, and diagnosis, in an all-inclusive intuitive screen.
Installation is extremely easy and quick, and the optimization and diagnosis process likewise.
The interface brings enhanced system details view, extensive details on installed hardware, plus dashboards for always up-to-date data and instant feature access.
What you will need in this particular case is the One-Click Optimizer that you can find under System Maintenance.
The tool will help you find web browsing traces, hidden data junk, superfluous Registry entries, and system settings, such as your drivers, that need tuning.
Further on, you can use the task scheduler to perform any of these functions at custom intervals and fully automatically.
Ashampoo WinOptimizer
Power and efficiency in cleaning and optimizing your PC in a few clicks.
4. Run the Hardware troubleshooter
- Press Windows key + R to open the Run console.
- Type the following command and press Enter to open the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter:
msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic
- Hit Next to start the troubleshooting.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the troubleshooting.
Once the troubleshooting process is finished, check if the problem is still there.
5. Uninstall problematic drivers
- Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager.
- Locate your portable hard drive, right-click it and choose Uninstall device from the menu.
- Click Uninstall to remove the driver.
- Now click Scan for hardware changes icon. Windows will install the default drivers for your portable hard drive.
Some users are recommending uninstalling all devices under Universal Serial Bus Controllers section, so be sure to try that as well.
6. Check the cable and try the hard drive on a different PC
If your Windows doesn’t recognize the portable hard drive, it’s possible that there’s an issue with its cable.
Be sure to inspect your cable, and if your cable is broken, you’ll need to replace it. In addition, you can try the portable hard drive on a different PC.
If the same problem appears on another PC, the problem is most likely related to your portable hard drive.
Most likely the hard drive isn’t properly configured or formatted, so you’ll need to configure it properly before you can use it.
7. Install Mass Store Device driver
- Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
- Locate your portable hard drive, right-click it and choose Update driver.
- Select Browse my computer for driver software.
- Select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
- Now select the Mass Storage Device driver and install it.
After this driver is installed, check and see if the problem is resolved.
8. Inspect your portable hard drive
If Windows 10 can’t recognize your hard drive, you might have to check a few things before using it. You need to check the following:
- Make sure that your hard drive is turned on – Check your drive for the power switch and press it; if your hard drive has a power cable, be sure you connect it
- Connect the drive to a different port – Your USB port might be damaged, or it might not be fully compatible with your hard drive;
- Connect the hard drive directly to your PC – Even though USB hubs are quite useful, your hard drive might not work if you connect it to the USB hub; to fix the problem, connect the hard drive directly to your PC and check if that helps
We also have to mention that if your hard drive is formatted using Linux or Mac with ext4 or HFS Plus File system type you won’t be able to access it on Windows 10 until you format it on Windows.
If you have any comments or questions, just reach to the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Windows 10 comes with a few built-in troubleshooting methods that you can use to fix an unresponsive or even invisible hard drive.
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The advantages of using a portable HDD are more numerous than the disadvantages. However, as any piece of hardware, HDDs have a lifespan and most functionality errors you encounter can be fixed.
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There are several recovery tools that you can try for free to recover data from a dead hard drive.
