Launch “Command Prompt.” You can do this either by pressing “Windows key+R” and typing “CMD” or searching for Command Prompt from the “Start Menu.” If you see the “Access is denied” message, right-click on Command Prompt and choose “Run as Administrator.”.

After you’ve confirmed the space limit, plug the USB stick into the computer port.

First of all, check and remember (or write down) the storage capacity of the USB device.

To remove write protection using Diskpart, follow these steps: Use Diskpart to Disable Write Protectionĭiskpart is a command tool that lets you manage all storage units that get detected by the computer.

All you need to do now is click on the protected USB drive and select “Turn Off BitLocker.” The status shows that the device is getting decrypted and, upon completion, BitLocker is turned off.Īfter you’ve disabled BitLocker, try to copy something on the USB stick again and see if the problem got resolved.

Right-click on the icon and go to “Manage BitLocker.” This step takes you to the BitLocker Drive Encryption window, where a list of all storage units and their encryption status display.

If the icon has a padlock, BitLocker was enabled for the device.

Open “File Explorer” and look for the storage device you have in mind.

Bitlocker is off by default, but you may have activated it before and forgot about it, or someone else did it. The software primarily gets used for internal drives, but it can also encrypt USB sticks/drives. Turn Bitlocker Off to Disable Writer ProtectionĮver since Windows 7, BitLocker has been integrated into the OS to protect your data with encryption.

There are several ways to remove write protection from a USB stick if you have a Windows PC. Remove USB Write Protection using Windows If there’s no switch (most common), or you still can’t write to the USB, you’ll need to employ other methods. If that works, your problem is solved, and all you need to do is ensure the switch doesn’t accidentally get moved in the wrong position again. Take the USB stick you’ve tried to write to and look for that switch, usually located on the side, and it might also be labeled as “Lock” or “Write Protection.” Switch it to the other position, reinsert it, and then transfer data to the memory stick again.

Some data storage units have a physical switch for toggling write protection on or off.

A Universal Solutionīefore we go into details about write protection removal in different operating systems, there’s one thing to check first. There’s even a solution if you’re working on a Chromebook. Luckily, there are quick and easy methods to solve the write protection issue, whether you’re on a Windows PC or a Mac. Failed write attempts can be quite an inconvenience on a USB stick.

Sandisk secure access removal