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How to Access an External Hard Drive on Windows 10

Connecting the drive is simple

By Jennifer Allen Jennifer Allen Writer Swansea University, Staffordshire University Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 2, 2021 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Microsoft Microsoft Apple Google Tablets Accessories & Hardware

What to Know

Plug the external hard drive in then type This PC into the search bar and click the external hard drive. Most hard drives will work immediately.If the hard drive isn't detected, check the cable, USB port, and the PC to see if there's an issue with any of these. This article teaches you how to use an external hard drive on Windows 10 and what to do if the system doesn't recognize the hard drive.

How Do I Use an External Hard Drive With Windows 10

Using an external hard drive with Windows 10 is typically a very straightforward process. Here's how to do it. Plug your external hard drive into your desktop or laptop PC. You may need to look for where the USB port is on your system. Typically, on a desktop, these are on the front or back of the case. On a laptop, they're usually on the sides. In the Windows 10 search bar, type This PC. Click This PC. Double-click the external hard drive listed. It's usually listed next to the C drive in Windows. Access any files on the hard drive like you would with an ordinary internal hard drive.

How Do I Find My External Hard Drive on Windows 10

There are other ways to find your external hard drive on Windows 10. Here's another option that may be more convenient for some users. Either method provides the same result but one method may prove more useful for your workflow. Click the folder icon on the Windows 10 taskbar. Click the arrow to the left of Quick Access. Click the external hard drive name to access it. For some users, you may need to press This PC from the menu that appears, and then follow that up with double-clicking the external hard drive.

Why Does Windows 10 Not Recognize My External Hard Drive

If Windows 10 won't recognize you have an external hard drive plugged in, there are numerous reasons why this might be the case. Here's a look at some of the main reasons why. There's an issue with the USB connection. Try moving the external hard drive to a different USB port. The issue may have been with the USB connection. Try a different USB cable. If your external hard drive has a detachable USB cable, try a different one in case the cable has failed. Check the power. If your external hard drive is powered by an AC outlet (rather than just the USB port), check it's receiving power. Try a different PC. Try a different PC to see if the problem lies with the PC or the hard drive. Check the hard drive is detected in Disk Management. Press Windows key + R then type diskmgmt.msc to bring up Disk Management. Check that the hard drive is listed here. The hard drive can't be read. If the hard drive is listed in Disk Management but can't be viewed, try formatting the disk. You'll lose all stored files but the hard drive should be viewable again. The hard drive has failed. In some cases, the problem may be the hard drive has failed. If you've tried all other solutions, this is likely the case. FAQ How do I access a Mac external hard drive on Windows 10? Install HFSExplorer for Windows and run the program, then connect your Mac drive and select File > Load file system from the device > Load. Choose a file and select Extract to save it to your PC. Why does access to my external hard drive come and go on Windows 10? The physical connection may be unstable. Unplug the hard drive and plug it back in to your PC. If you're still having problems, try using a different USB cable. How do I access an external hard drive on a network? Set up a mapped drive to create a shortcut to the external drive. That way, you can access it as if the drive were physically stored on your computer. How do I make an internal hard drive external? It can be cheaper to use an internal hard drive as an external drive. Plug the new internal drive into a hard drive enclosure, then connect it to your PC using a standard USB connection. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Choose an External Hard Drive 9 Ways to Fix DPC Watchdog Violation in Windows 11 How to Back up Your Mac to an External Hard Drive With Time Machine How to Set up USB Tethering on Windows 10 What Is a Hard Disk Drive? USB (Universal Serial Bus): Everything You Need to Know How to Add and Use an External Hard Drive with Xbox Series X or S How to Add a Printer to Windows 10 How to Check Free Hard Drive Space (Windows 11, 10, 8, +) How to Format a Hard Drive in Windows How to Fix a USB Drive Not Showing Up How to Use Amazon Cloud Drive Like an External Hard Drive How to Fix It When the Cursor Disappears in Windows 10 Can You Expand iPhone Memory? 14 Best Free Hard Drive Testing Tools (October 2022) How to Install Windows 10 on a New Hard Drive Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies