Devices Safely Remove Hardware in Windows 11


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Safely_Remove_Hardware_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to use Safely Remove Hardware for removeable storage devices in Windows 11.

To avoid losing data, it's important to remove external hardware like hard drives and USB drives safely.

Safely Remove Hardware allows you to safely shutdown and eject a "removable" storage device before unplugging or disconnecting it to help prevent accidental data loss if data were still currently being copied or saved to or from the device.

If you have the removal policy (write caching) for a removable device set to quick removal, you can disconnect the device safely without needing to use Safely Remove Hardware.


Contents





Option One

Safely Remove Hardware from Taskbar Corner


1 Click/tap on the Safely Remove Hardware icon on the taskbar corner. (see screenshot below step 2)

2 Click/tap on the removable device you want to safely remove. (see screenshot below)

Safely_remove_hardware_icon-1.png

3 You will now see a Safe To Remove Hardware notification. (see screenshot below)

Safely_remove_hardware_icon-2.png




Option Two

Safely Remove Hardware in File Explorer


1 Open This PC in File Explorer (Win+E).

2 Right click on the removable drive you want to remove, and click/tap on Eject. (see screenshot below)

Eject_File_Explorer-1.png

3 You will now see a Safe To Remove Hardware notification. (see screenshot below)

Eject_File_Explorer-2.png




Option Three

Safely Remove Hardware in Safely Remove Hardware dialog


I never could get this option to work for me, so your milage may vary.


1 Open Run (Win+R).

2 Copy and paste the target below into Run, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll

Run.png

3 Select the removable device you want to safely remove, and click/tap on Stop. (see screenshot below)

Safely_remove_hardware-1.png

4 Select the removable device you want to safely remove again to confirm, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

Safely_remove_hardware-2.png

5 I kept getting the error below, but normally the removable device would get removed. (see screenshot below)

Safely_remove_hardware-3.png




Option Four

Safely Remove Hardware in Settings


1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Bluetooth & devices on the left side, and click/tap on Devices on the right side. (see screenshot below)

Open Devices settings

Remove_device_Settings-1.png

3 Click/tap on the More (3 dots) button for the removable device you want to remove, and click/tap on Remove device. (see screenshot below)

Remove_device_Settings-2.png

4 Click/tap on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)

Remove_device_Settings-3.png

5 You can now close Settings if you like.




Option Five

Safely Remove Hardware in Disk Management


1 Open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc).

2 Right click on the Disk # of the removable drive you want to remove, and click/tap on Eject. (see screenshot below)

Eject_Disk_Management.png

3 You can now close Disk Management if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink
 

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Hi,
It's a sad day when Shawn has geek squad help installed :boom:
 

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