How to Remove Write Protection From SD card USB Flash Drive 2024
Sometimes you may face Write protection issue While trying to copy files to a drive or memory card that claims to be read-only. If you’re having trouble with an SD card, check you’ve got the ‘lock’ switch in the correct position. Even some USB drives have lock switched which write-protect the storage. As if is set to ‘locked’ you won’t be able to copy any new files on to the memory card or USB stick, But if this isn’t the problem and Experiencing Device or drive is write protected error While plugging a USB flash drive into your computer here how to remove write protection from USB drive in windows 10
How to remove write protection from USB and SD card
Write protection mostly caused when windows registry entry gets corrupted, your system administrator has placed limitations or the device itself is corrupt. Here different ways to remove write protection from sd card or USB drive
Tweak Windows Registry Editor
here is the best way I found to Remove write protection from pen drive, USB flash drive, SD card, etc.
- Press Windows + R, type regedit and ok to open windows registry editor,
- Backup registry database, then navigate the following path,
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM> CurrentControlSet > Control > StorageDevicePolicies
Note: If you didn’t find the key StorageDevicePolicies, Then right click on Control and select new -> key. Name the newly created key as StorageDevicePolicies. Now Click on the new registry key StorageDevicePolicies and on the right pan right-click, select New > DWORD and give it the name WriteProtect.
- Then Double-click on the “WriteProtect” key located in the right side panel and set the value to 0.
- Here value 1 means “Yes, write protect my USB storage devices.” Conversely, 0 means “No, don’t write protect my USB storage devices.”
- Close registry editor and reboot your pc to take effect the changes. On next start check this time your removable drive working properly without write protection error.
Run Diskpart command to disable write protection
This is another effective solution to remove write protection from SD card and USB flash drive.
- Search for cmd, Right click on command prompt select run as administrator,
- Now, at the prompt, type the following and press Enter after each command:
Note: while performing steps below you may lose all data from your USB drive. If you have important data on that USB drive we recommend to backup them using third-party backup utilities.
Type diskpart and hit enter to run built-in disk partition tool,
list disk command to display all disks on your computer.
select disk x: Here X refers to the number of your USB flash drive or SD card.
attributes disk clear readonly: this command can disable write protection.
clean
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 (you can swap fat32 for ntfs if you only need to use the drive with Windows computers)
exit
- That’s it. remove the drive and restart windows.
- On next start insert the drive, Your drive should now work as normal in File Explorer.
Check Security Permissions
Also Check and make sure your current user has proper permissions to read/write on the disk drive.
To check and grant permission
- open this PC / My computer, Then Right-click the USB drive and select properties.
- In the properties window, select the security tab.
- Then Select the ‘user’ under the username and click on ‘Edit’.
- Check if you have to Write permissions.
- If you don’t, check the option “Full” for full permissions or “Write” for write permissions
Did these tips help to remove write protection from sd card or USB Drive? Let us know on comments below.