You'll know your drive is bad if another computer doesn't locate it. If it still doesn't work in a different USB port, test it with another computer to see if your drive is working. The port you're currently using might not be working.

If you don't see the drive, try moving it to another USB port on your computer.

You'll also need a license to activate Windows 10 or Windows 11 on the USB drive, which means you. It is often named for the manufacturer of the drive. You'll need a USB flash drive with at least 16GB of free space, but preferably 32GB. You should see your USB flash drive here. This will list the devices attached to your computer in the panel on the left side of the window.

If it doesn't, press Win +E to open File Explorer.

It will list several options depending on what is stored on the flash drive.

Unless it has been disabled, the Autoplay window will open when you insert your USB drive.

NOTE: If Windows isn't able to identify the device or install the drivers automatically, you may either visit the manufacturer's webpage for the appropriate driver (it is often located in the support or download section of the website) or visit the Windows Compatibility Center which lists thousands of devices and links to their respective webpages.

You will see notifications about this in the bottom right corner of the desktop.

When you insert the flash drive, Windows will install the drivers for it automatically. Generally, USB drives insert one way, so if it doesn’t fit, try turning it upside down. If you plan to use it frequently, insert it into the front port for accessibility reasons.

Windows 10 on flash drive