Fix USB Drive Keeps Disconnecting and Reconnecting

If your USB drive keeps disconnecting and reconnecting in Windows 10, it usually points to power management, driver, or port issues. This guide walks you through the most effective fixes, from quick software settings to hardware checks, so you can get a stable connection again.

What You’ll Need

Your USB drive and the computer it’s connected to
Administrator access to Windows 10 (to change power settings and drivers)
A different USB port (ideally a direct port on the motherboard, not a hub)
Another computer (optional, for testing the drive)
A USB cable if your drive is external with a detachable cable

Step-by-Step

Try a different USB port. Plug the drive into another port, preferably a USB 2.0 port (often black) if you’re having issues with USB 3.0 (blue). Also avoid front-panel ports and USB hubs – connect directly to the back of the PC.
Check the USB cable and connector. If your drive uses a detachable cable, swap it with another one. Inspect the drive’s connector for dirt, bent pins, or damage. A loose or damaged cable is a common cause of intermittent disconnects.
Disable USB selective suspend. This Windows power-saving feature can cut power to USB devices, causing them to disconnect. Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Change plan settings (next to your active plan) > Change advanced power settings. Expand USB settings > USB selective suspend setting and set both On battery and Plugged in to Disabled. Click Apply and OK.
Turn off power management for the USB root hub. Press Win + X and select Device Manager. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. Right-click each USB Root Hub (there may be several) and select Properties. Go to the Power Management tab, uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, and click OK. Repeat for all root hubs.
Update or reinstall USB drivers. In Device Manager, right-click each device under Universal Serial Bus controllers and select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers. If that doesn’t help, right-click and Uninstall device (do not check “Delete the driver software”), then restart your PC – Windows will reinstall them automatically.
Change the drive’s letter or disable write caching (if data is safe). Open This PC, right-click the USB drive, select Properties > Hardware tab, choose the drive, click Properties > Change settings. Under the Policies tab, select Better performance (this enables write caching). Note: you must safely eject before removing the drive to avoid data loss.
Check for disk errors. Open Command Prompt as administrator (type “cmd” in Start, right-click, Run as administrator). Type chkdsk X: /f (replace X with your drive letter) and press Enter. If prompted to dismount the volume, type Y. This scans and fixes file system errors that can cause disconnects.
Scan for hardware changes. In Device Manager, click the Scan for hardware changes icon (a monitor with a magnifying glass) at the top. This can re-enumerate the USB device and sometimes resolves the loop.
Test the drive on another computer. If the drive works fine elsewhere, the problem is likely your PC’s USB controller or power supply. If it still disconnects on another PC, the drive itself may be failing.
Update your motherboard’s chipset drivers. Visit your PC or motherboard manufacturer’s website and download the latest chipset drivers. Outdated chipset drivers can cause USB instability.

Common Mistakes

Skipping the power management step. Many users only disable selective suspend and miss the root hub settings – both are needed.
Using a USB hub. Hubs, especially unpowered ones, often can’t supply enough power or stable data, causing disconnects.
Ignoring the cable. A damaged or low-quality cable is a frequent culprit, especially with external drives that use micro-B or USB-C.
Not safely ejecting after enabling write caching. If you enable “Better performance” and yank the drive out, you can corrupt data and worsen the problem.
Assuming it’s the drive when it’s the port. Testing on another port first saves time.

Tips

Use a powered USB hub if you must connect many devices – it provides stable power.
Keep your USB drive’s firmware updated if the manufacturer offers updates.
If the drive is a flash drive, avoid using it for heavy read/write tasks that cause it to heat up – overheating can trigger disconnects.
For external hard drives, use a Y-cable (two USB connectors) to draw more power if the drive doesn’t have its own power adapter.
Run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Hardware and Devices.

Troubleshooting

If you’ve followed all steps and the drive still disconnects:

Check the Windows Event Viewer. Press Win + X > Event Viewer. Under Windows Logs > System, look for errors with source “Disk” or “USB”. They may indicate a specific error code you can search for.
Try a different USB protocol. If your drive is USB 3.0 and you have a USB-C port, try an adapter – sometimes the controller for one protocol is faulty.
Disable fast startup. Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do > Change settings that are currently unavailable and uncheck Turn on fast startup. This can resolve driver loading issues.
Check the drive’s health. Use a tool like CrystalDiskInfo (free) to check SMART data for an external hard drive. If it shows reallocated sectors or pending errors, the drive is failing.
If nothing works, the drive may be physically failing. Back up your data immediately and consider replacing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my USB drive keep disconnecting and reconnecting?

Most often it’s due to Windows power saving settings (USB selective suspend or root hub power management), a faulty cable or port, or an outdated USB driver. Less commonly, the drive itself has a hardware issue.

Can a USB drive disconnect because of a virus?

Yes, some malware can interfere with USB drivers or cause the system to eject devices. Run a full antivirus scan if you suspect this, especially if the issue started after plugging the drive into a public computer.

Will disabling USB selective suspend affect performance?

No, it only prevents Windows from cutting power to USB devices when idle. It may slightly increase power consumption on laptops, but it won’t slow down data transfer.

How do I know if my USB port is bad?

Plug a known-working device (like a mouse) into the same port. If it also disconnects, the port is likely faulty. If the mouse works, the problem is with the drive or its cable.

Is it safe to use a USB drive that keeps disconnecting?

It’s risky, as disconnects during data transfer can corrupt files. Back up important data immediately and avoid using it for critical work until the issue is resolved.

Do I need to reinstall Windows to fix this?

Almost never. USB disconnects are almost always hardware or driver-related, and the steps above resolve the vast majority of cases. Reinstalling Windows should be a last resort.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →