How to Fix USB Flash Drive Is Suddenly Write-Protected?

Do you have any idea why your USB functions like a closed vault? Are you curious about what “write protection” for your USB implies and how it impacts your files? 

Though its modest-size flash drive is a powerhouse that connects, charges, and transports data, you decide to upload and store data to your trusted lock USB after a day of work. But a nagging notice interrupts your enjoyment. “The disc is write-protected” it’s quite aggravating.

In this post, we will deliver you step-by-step answers and insights. Reasons for the problem and how to fix it and go back to storing your data. Let’s set off on a quest to overcome unforeseen obstacles with your assistance!

How to Fix USB Flash Drive Is Suddenly Write-Protected

When you least expect it, running into a USB flash drive with a write protection feature can be annoying. Because of this problem, you cannot adjust or save any new information to the storage device. Fortunately, you can fix this issue in efficient ways.

Switching the lock of the USB and running the Disk Part Command are the primary methods you must use to solve the USB flash drive write-protected issue. The physical switch is on the USB drive; remove the write protection by switching it. Also, the Disk Part comes in handy if your USB is write-protected.

Here, I’ll show you the ins and outs of turning off the write protection on your USB flash drive so you can freely store and transfer data. We’ll review the solutions allowing you access to your USB drive, whether it was off by a physical switch, spyware, or your computer’s settings.

Switch the Lock of the USB

If you have ever turned the Lock switch on a USB flash drive or pen drive and left it that way, it is now locked, and you cannot write in it. It means you cannot change the device or format it.

• Locate the button or slider on your portable memory device.
• After that, you must flip the light switch off.
• You can now reconnect the USB to your computer and use it again or reformat it.

Try Running the Disk Part Command

The unexpected onset of write protection on your USB flash drive is puzzling and inconvenient. Because of this problem, you can’t change the drive or add new information. Therefore, fixing it as soon as possible is essential. The sophisticated command-line tool Diskpart, built into Windows, is one effective way to fix this issue.

The following sections discuss using Diskpart to turn off the USB drive’s write protection. Following these steps and commands to the letter will remove the write protection from your USB flash drive and restore full functionality.

• Keep pressing “Windows + R” on your keyboard. To access the DiskPart Command Prompt, press the “OK” button after typing “diskpart” into the Run dialogue box that appears.

• Input the following instructions one at a time, hitting Enter after each: “List Disk,” “Select Disk 1,” and “Attributes disk clear readonly.”

• You can test if the write protection error has been resolved by closing the DiskPart Command Prompt and reconnecting the USB flash device. If not, proceed to the next section.

Utilize the Write Protection Removal Tool

Write Protection, a brand-new addition to EaseUS Partition Master, allows you to quickly and easily remove write protection from a USB flash drive or pen drive with a single mouse click.

• Once you install the EaseUS Partition Master, select “Toolkit” from the left side of the software.

• After that, select the “Write Protection” from the Toolkit menu.

• Choose the flash drive, external disk, or SD card with write protection and press the “Disable” button.

Utilize the Help of Antivirus Software

USB flash drives and other forms of portable storage may become inaccessible after contracting a virus. You should run professional virus removal software to remove the virus and unlock the device completely.

Plug the infected device into your computer, launch the virus removal program, and wait for it to finish scanning and eradicating the write-protection malware. The built-in Windows security program is another option.

• Open the Settings by pressing “Windows + X.”

• From there, search for “Virus & Threat Protection.”

• After that, click the “Open App” option on the right side of your screen.

• Doing this will open the “Antivirus Software.” Go to the “Protection” tab.

• Finally, click “Custom Scan” to run the full drive scan.

Try Editing the Registry

It’s perplexing to run into a USB device that suddenly becomes write-protected, preventing you from making changes or saving existing files. However, a workable alternative is available through Windows Registry Editor. Following these steps to the letter will allow you to change the registry settings and reclaim complete write access to your USB device.

• The shortcut for opening the Run dialog box in Windows is “Windows + R.” Simply typing “Regedit” into the Run dialogue box and pressing Enter or selecting “OK” will launch the Registry Editor.

• You can access the route by expanding the entries in the left pane in this way: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control

• Select “New” and then “Key” from the menu that appears when you right-click the Control (folder) key. The new key is called “StorageDevicePolicies.”

• Select the freshly produced key with a right-click on the empty area in the right pane. For the “New” drop-down, pick the DWORD (32-bit) value. Make a brand-new DWORD and label it “WriteProtect.”

• If you double-click the newly created DWORD, its value will reset from “1” to “0.” To make changes, select “OK.” After you have closed Registry Editor, you must restart your computer.

Turn Off the BitLocker Encrypted

BitLocker will protect the data on your USB drive by encrypting it. Disabling BitLocker on a USB stick requires a password or recovery key. You must reformat the hard drive if you have exhausted all other options.

• To find the desired storage device, open “File Explorer” and search. If your device’s icon features a padlock, BitLocker is enabled.
• When right-click the icon, choose “Manage BitLocker” from the sub-menu. When you click this button, the BitLocker Drive Encryption window will load, showing the full inventory of encrypted drives.
• You can unlock the encrypted USB drive by right-clicking it and selecting “Turn off BitLocker.” If prompted for a password before entering the recovery key, enter it now. This status means that BitLocker is currently decrypting the device and will be disabled once the process is complete.

Check the USB Storage

If you want to keep your data organized and running smoothly, ensure your USB drive or SD card has plenty of room. Whether you plan to use the device for file transmission, data storage, or any other purpose, knowing how much space is available is essential.

Here, we’ll show you how to check that your USB flash drive or SD card isn’t full so you can continue using it normally and avoid any complications from running out of storage space.

• To access the data on the USB drive or SD card, you may use a card reader or plug it into a free USB port on the computer.
• Use the Windows Search Bar to search for the “This PC” or “My Computer” interface.

• Locate the USB device or SD card in File Explorer or Finder by using the letter or name given to it.
• The drive’s properties can be viewed by right-clicking and selecting “Properties” (Windows).

• Allotted and consumed space are displayed in the properties or information pane. Verify that the amount of used space is much smaller than the entire capacity to make sure the drive is not full.
• Check that the drive is not stuffed with massive files by opening it and browsing its contents.
• If your hard disk is almost full, you may need to delete some files to make room.

Why USB Flash Drive Is Suddenly Write-Protected?

It’s frustrating and puzzling when your USB flash drive suddenly locks you out of editing files. Users are left wondering what happens when write protection prohibits them from making changes or additions to the drive’s contents.

Virus infections and modifications to the registry key are the primary reasons why USB flash drive is write-protected. Running a virus scan to check your flash drive can help eliminate this issue. Also, monitor the modifications made to the registry editor to ensure that the USB is not write-protected.

Here, we’ll see what could be causing this odd occurrence, including hardware problems, malicious software, and changes to the registry. You must first understand these triggers to remove the write protection from your USB flash drive successfully.

• Physical Write Protection Switch
  You can enable the write protection on the USB flash drive by toggling a switch.
• Infection by Malware or a Virus
  Malicious software has the potential to change the drive’s settings, making it unable to make any changes.
• Registry Key Modification
  Intentional or accidental alterations to the Windows registry can trigger the USB drive’s write-protection feature.
• Damage to the File System
  In file system corruption, write protection can be activated to safeguard data and avoid data loss.
• Safety Measures
  Writing protection can be enabled on portable storage devices via system or group rules to ensure security and policy compliance.
• Problems with Drivers or Firmware
  Unexpected write protection can be caused by out-of-date drivers or malfunctioning firmware on the USB disc itself.
• File Attribute Changes
  Inadvertently switching the drive to read-only mode might occur if the operating system or an external program modifies the characteristics of files.
• Excessive Write Cycles
  When the flash memory has been overwritten as often as possible, the drive may go into a protective mode to prevent data loss.

Why You Should Disable Write-Protection?

The USB write-protection feature safeguards stored information from accidental modification or deletion. It is valuable for maintaining data integrity and avoiding last-minute alterations to critical papers. However, there are scenarios in which disabling write protection makes sense.

Adaptability, ease of use, and updating of information on your USB device are the primary reasons you should turn off its write protection. Disabling it allows more freedom of use when using the USB device. Also, you can update and make alterations to the USB files when this feature is off on your USB.

Benefits in mobility, teamwork, software utilization, customization, and data recovery are discussed, along with considerations for turning off write protection on your USB device. With this information in hand, you’ll be able to select the USB drive that’s ideal for your requirements and plans.

Adaptability and Ease

Disabling write protection allows you more freedom and ease when using your USB device. If you turn off the drive’s write protection, you’ll have complete access to its contents and can make any changes you like. Having write access makes it easy to change files, store additional data, or remove unnecessary details.

Alterations and Updating of Information

If you disable write protection on your USB device, you can update and alter the files whenever you like. The option to edit files is essential whether you’re using the USB device for school, work, or personal purposes. Things like revising spreadsheets or adding new comments to existing files fall under this category. Your USB drive will continue to meet your changing needs if you have write access to it.

Cooperative Effort

Write protection can be a nuisance in office settings where people work together. Disabling write protection on a USB device enables collaborative editing, commenting, and contributing from numerous people simultaneously. This collaborative feature is especially important in professional settings when real-time input from multiple team members is key to achieving desired results.

Use of Programs and Program Applications

For best performance, some programs and applications must be able to save changes. It may be necessary for some programs, such as portable apps, data recovery tools, and antivirus software, to update or write data to the USB drive. Disabling write protection allows you to use these programs without interference, protecting your data and maximizing system performance.

Individualization and Modification

When a USB drive is write-protected, it limits how you can personalize it. If you turn off this setting, you’ll have more freedom to customize your drive in any way you see fit by adding, deleting, or rearranging files and folders as you see fit. After making these adjustments, you’ll have a better time using your USB drive.

Situations Requiring Urgent Data Recovery

Having the ability to add new information to the USB drive is crucial in the event of a data loss scenario. Turning off write protection can restore mistakenly erased files with data recovery software, averting a possible disaster.

Conclusion

The inability to make necessary updates or additions to your data because of a sudden write-protection issue with your USB flash drive can be aggravating and perplexing. Excessive write cycles on the flash memory, a physical write protection switch, a virus infection, a change to a registry key, file system damage, security measures, faulty drivers or firmware, changes to attributes, or any combination of these can cause this issue.

We discussed several viable solutions to this problem and the regaining of complete control over your USB device. The physical write-protection switch, advanced commands like Diskpart, write protection removal tools like EaseUS Partition Master, anti-malware software, registry editing, disabling BitLocker encryption, checking account permissions, and understanding the potential triggers are all viable options for fixing the write-protection issue.

Consider your technical competence level and the specifics of the write-protection problem before deciding on a solution. Before undertaking any action, including formatting or updating crucial settings, you should always back up your files to ensure their protection.

In conclusion, if you’re having trouble writing to your USB flash drive, it’s important to know what could cause the problem, how to fix it, and why it’s crucial to back up your data before you do anything else. If you follow the instructions, you can get access to your USB drive again and use it normally for transferring and storing data.