Fix: Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Device on Windows

Do you have a problem ejecting a USB in Windows 10 or 11? Do you get the 'This device is currently in use' message? Here are 9 solutions to solve this problem.


Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Device.
This device is currently in use. Close any programs or windows that might be using the device, and then try again.

Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Device in Windows 10

Close all programs

  1. Close all programs.
  2. Try to safely eject your USB device.
    Safely eject a USB device in Windows 10 or 11

Refresh

  1. Right-click on your desktop.
  2. Click on Refresh.
    Refresh Windows desktop
  3. Try to safely eject your USB device.
    Safely eject a USB device in Windows 10 or 11

Empty Recycle Bin

  1. Right-click on the Recycle Bin.
  2. Click on Empty Recycle Bin.
    Empty Recycle Bin
  3. Try to safely eject your USB device.
    Safely eject a USB device in Windows 10 or 11

Windows Task Manager

  1. Right-click on the Windows start menu button or taskbar.
  2. Click on Task Manager.
    Open Windows Task Manager
  3. In the Processes tab, you right-click on Windows Explorer.
  4. Click on Restart.
    Restart the Windows Explorer process
  5. Close Task Manager.
  6. Try to safely eject your USB device.
    Safely eject a USB device in Windows 10 or 11

Eject USB drive using the Settings app

  1. Right-click the Windows start menu button.
  2. Click Settings.
    Open Windows settings
  3. Click Bluetooth & devices in the left menu.
    Bluetooth and devices
  4. Click Devices.
    Devices
  5. Click on the USB drive you want to eject to view options.
    Click on your USB drive to view options
  6. Click Remove.
    USB drive remove button
  7. Click Yes to confirm.
  8. Remove your USB drive.

Log out of your PC and log back on

Logging out of your PC will close all active files and programs, including those accessing the external USB drive. However, this process can be inconvenient and time-consuming, as you'll need to save and close everything manually. And after you log back into your PC, you'll have to open your files and programs again.

Sign out of Windows 11

Restart PC

Most of the time, it's faster to restart your PC than to find a solution to the problem. However, this process can be inconvenient and time-consuming, as you'll need to save and close everything manually, wait for your PC to restart, log back on, and open your files and programs again.

Restart PC

Device Manager 1

  1. Right-click on the Windows start menu button.
  2. Click on Device Manager.
    Open Windows Device Manager
  3. Double-click on Disk drives to expand.
    Device Manager Disk drives
  4. Right-click on the USB drive you want to eject.
  5. Click on Uninstall device.
    Uninstall USB device
  6. In the next window, you click on Uninstall.
    Uninstall USB device
  7. When the uninstall process is complete, you can remove your USB device.

Device Manager 2

  1. Right-click on the Windows start menu button.
  2. Click on Device Manager.
    Open Windows Device Manager
  3. Double-click on Universal Serial Bus controllers to expand.
    Device Manager Universal Serial Bus controllers
  4. Right-click on USB Mass Storage Device.
  5. Click on Uninstall device.
    Uninstall USB Mass Storage Device
  6. In the next window, you click on Uninstall.
    Uninstall USB Mass Storage Device
  7. When the uninstall process is complete, you can remove your USB device.

Windows

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