How Do I Use an External Hard Drive With Windows 10?

Using an external hard drive with Windows 10 is typically a very straightforward process.

Here’s how to do it.

Windows 10 taskbar search bar

Plug your external hard drive into your desktop or laptop PC.

You may need to look for where the USB port is on your system.

Typically, on a desktop, these are on the front or back of the case.

Windows 10 search bar results displaying This PC

On a laptop, they’re usually on the sides.

In the Windows 10 search bar, typeThis PC.

Double-smack the external hard drive listed.

Windows 10 file explorer with external hard drive highlighted

TheC driveis the one that houses the Windows OS.

The external drive should be next to it.

Access any files on the hard drive like you would with an ordinary internal hard drive.

Windows 10 file explorer with arrow next to quick access highlighted

How Do I Find My External Hard Drive on Windows 10?

There are other ways to find your external hard drive on Windows 10.

Here’s another option that may be more convenient for some users.

Either method provides the same result but one method may prove more useful for your workflow.

nudge the folder icon on the Windows 10 taskbar.

tap the arrow to the left of Quick Access.

tap the external hard drive name to access it.

Why Does Windows 10 Not Recognize My External Hard Drive?

Here’s a look at some of the main reasons why.

Choose a file and selectExtractto save it to your PC.

The physical connection may be unstable.

Unplug the hard drive and plug it back in to your PC.

If you’re still having problems, try using a different USB cable.

Set up amapped driveto create a shortcut to the external drive.

It can be cheaper touse an internal hard drive as an external drive.