How to Remove USB External Storage Safely Windows 10 Top Tips
There are two different policies in Windows 10 which decide the best practices to remove USB or External HDD. Let’s look into the recent policy changes in Windows 1809. Also, Learn how to remove USB drive safely from Windows.
Recently, Microsoft released a KB4495263 article which changes the default behavior of USB or HDD external storage devices on Windows 10 1809.
Can we Remove USB Drive Directly? Is that Safe?
Yes, you can remove the USB drive directly from a Windows device. This direct removal of USB is advisable only when the Quick removal storage policy is in place. What is Quick Removal storage policy? Read on…
Differences between Quick removal and Better performance Policies
The Quick removal policy manages storage operations in a manner that you remove the USB or external HDD anytime directly from Windows devices. This quick removal keeps the external storage USD or HDD ready to remove at any time.
When Quick Removal policy is set – You can remove the device without using the Safely Remove Hardware process.
However, if you use this quick removal storage policy, then Windows cannot cache disk write operations. These non-cache disk operations will degrade system performance in some scenarios.
The better performance policy manages storage operations in a manner gives you better performance and faster file transfer. Overall better performance policy improves system performance.
When this better performance policy is configured, Windows can cache write operations to the external device. However, you must use the Safely Remove Hardware process to remove the external drive.
The Safely Remove Hardware process protects the integrity of data on the device by making sure that all cached operations finish.
So if you directly remove the USB or HDD storage directly, this could end up in data loss.
Which is the Better Policy for External Storage? Remove USB Drive Safely?
I love ❤️❤️💗💕 Quick removal policy because I hate using Safely Remove Hardware process to remove the device.
But if you are looking for better performance and faster copy-paste operations between USB and Windows device, then you should use Better performance storage policy.
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Anoop C Nair is Workplace Technology solution architect with 25+ years (as of 2026) of experience in global enterprise organizations such as JP Morgan, Capgemini, etc. Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for consecutive 11+ years! He also conducts Intune and modern workplace tech training for enterprise organizations. He is Blogger, Speaker, and Founder of HTMD Community and HTMD Conference. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like Intune, Windows, Cloud PC. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security.
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