We use the USB ports on our computers for accessing a variety of useful (and sometimes strange) USB gadgets. Often, these ports serve a temporary purpose, allowing users to plug in a USB stick and quickly transfer data. We store data on the USB from one source and then plug it into another device to transfer it. It is an efficient and compact method for transferring files, and this efficiency often leads us to take greater shortcuts when using it.
Once we are done using the USB stick, most of us don’t take the time to eject it properly. Often, we’ll just pull it out of the computer and put it away. Is that actually a bad thing to do? Is there a point to actually manually ejecting it?
It turns out that there is. Removing the USB before ejecting it can damage the files either temporarily or permanently. It’s never a good idea to do it, regardless of whether you are in a hurry or not. The good news is that it’s easy to properly eject the USB to ensure all the data is safe and fully transferred.
Why you shouldn’t remove a USB stick without ejecting it first
When you plug the USB into your computer, it forms a connection through the square holes on the stick and initiates the data transfer process. However, not all the data may transfer at once. Sometimes, your computer may opt to keep some information in its cache. A cache is a term for temporary storage. In the case of a USB, it will use a cache to wait for the opportune time to transfer all the information over, depending on file size and current power demands.
However, if you just pull out the USB without ejecting it first, all the data may not have loaded fully onto your computer from the cache. You will be left with an incomplete file transfer. That’s because when you select to eject the USB drive, your computer knows to complete the transfer. Unless you are familiar with everything on the USB, you might not even realize it for a while. Or you might immediately realize when you try to click on the imported files and they cannot be opened.
Though your first instinct might be to plug the USB back in and do the process all over again, it might not work. Pulling it out can cause system file damage or create an error, so that when you try to reaccess the USB drive, either your computer won’t recognize it or you can’t access the files you thought were safely stored on it.
How to eject your USB stick
The most straightforward way to eject a USB drive is to right-click on its icon in the file manager and select “Eject.” Sometimes, when a USB device is plugged in, a temporary icon may appear on the taskbar at the bottom of your computer screen. The same place where you go to open files quickly, access the internet, or check your Wi-Fi. Right-clicking on that icon will bring up a mini-menu that allows you to eject the USB.
If the USB is just plugged in and you actually transferred all the data days ago, but simply forgot, it may be okay to unplug it. However, it’s best to be cautious and take the extra time to formally eject it from your computer. Risking an incomplete or damaged data transfer isn’t worth the 30 seconds you might save by just pulling it out.
If you still have Windows 10 or have upgraded to Windows 11, there is a “Quick Removal” setting that allows you to remove your USB device without first ejecting it safely. However, because it stops USB cache operations, it can potentially impact your system’s overall performance. To do this, after plugging in the USB stick, right-click on the Start icon and then select Disk Management. Then right-click on your disk (for example, Disk 1) and choose Properties. Switch to the Policies tab and enable Quick Removal in the menu that pops up.
