When you connect a storage device and Windows advises that you need to format the disk before you can use it, you’ll suddenly find that the message appears every time you try to open your drive and access your data. If you don’t want to format the drive and lose your data, what other options do you have?
This article will explain why this message appears and how you can repair the drive to regain access to all your precious files.
Table of Contents
What Causes the “You Need to Format the Disk” Message
The “You need to format the disk before you can use it” error message appears when Windows is unable to read the file system on your drive. The problem drive will prevent you from accessing any of the data currently on it. Here are a few common reasons why this can happen:
- ❗ Connection issues – A faulty cable or connection point may be preventing proper communication between your storage device and your computer.
- 🗄️ No file system – Devices with no file system, like new devices that haven’t been formatted, will show this error as there is no file system to read.
- ❌ Corrupted file system – An existing file system can become corrupted due to malware, improper ejection, bad sectors, and premature removal during read/write processes.
- 🚫 Incompatible file system – Not all file systems can be read by all operating systems. For instance, if you’re connecting a storage device formatted with APFS to a Windows machine, it won’t recognize it.
Now, while Windows says “You need to format the disk in drive *: before using it”, you should first understand what exactly a format entails and the consequences of performing one.
What Happens When You Format a Hard Drive
When formatting a hard drive, SD (and micro SD) card, or USB drive, it deletes the records that your file system uses to access that data. While the data is still there momentarily and can be recovered, you will not be able to see it when you view your drive. Windows will often recommend a format before suggesting other options for repair.
For instance, if Windows tells you that your USB needs to be formatted, it simply means there is some form of damage that is preventing it from being read properly. However, there are a few solutions you can try first to hopefully fix it without formatting.
How to Fix the “You Need to Format the Disk” Error
Before you go ahead and format your drive, take a look at these solutions first to see if any of them are able to fix the problem you’re facing and re-establish access to your drive.
Method 1: Check the connection
Checking the connection between your storage device and the computer is your first step, especially with removable devices that are constantly being connected and disconnected from machines.
Inspect the cable used to connect the two. Then, check the USB port and make sure there is no physical obstruction causing an intermittent connection. Finally, try another cable.
Method 2: Scan for viruses
When Windows says “You need to format the disk in drive”, it can be the result of a virus attack that has affected your drive and manipulated the file system. Checking for viruses is really easy, seeing as Windows 10 and Windows 11 both come with Windows Security, which includes a full antivirus program.
- Right-click the drive in File Explorer and click Scan with Microsoft Defender. This will immediately perform a quick scan.
- For a more thorough scan, click Scan options.
- Select Microsoft Defender Offline scan and click Scan now.
Method 3: Repair with CheckDisk
File system-related problems can be repaired with CheckDisk. It will scan your storage device for issues and attempt to repair them with the right parameters. Using CheckDisk is a great way to fix the format disk error without formatting.
These steps will show you how to fix the error “You need to format the disk in drive”:
- Right-click Start and select Windows PowerShell (Admin). This will be Terminal (Admin) on Windows 11.
- Type chkdsk *: /r. Replace * with your drive letter. Press Enter.
Method 4: Perform a format
Performing a format is almost a guaranteed way to fix most problems with your storage device. Since it’s akin to doing a factory reset, all data on it will be deleted. However, recovering said data is made possible with data recovery software, which we’ll touch on afterward.
- Right-click Start and click Disk Management.
- Right-click the volume of your affected storage device and click Format.
- Ensure Perform a quick format is ticked and click OK. Click OK again.
How to Recover Data After Formatting the Drive
If you’ve had to format your storage device, act quickly to recover the data using a data recovery tool like Disk Drill. Disk Drill is capable of scanning the drive for all the data that was deleted with the format and recovering it to a location of your choice.
- Download and install Disk Drill (not to the affected drive).
- Select the affected storage device and click Search for lost data.
- Click Review found items.
- Mark the files that you’d like to recover. Use the Recovery chances column as an indication of which data has the best chance of recovery. Click Recover when ready.
- Choose an appropriate recovery location on another device. Click OK.
Conclusion
When your storage device says that it needs to be formatted before you can use it, this is because Windows is struggling to read the file system it uses. Start by checking the connection. Following this, perform a scan for viruses and repair any drive-related problems using CheckDisk.
If necessary, perform a format on the drive to fix it and then recover your data using a data recovery tool such as Disk Drill. Once the data is recovered, be sure to create a backup of the data. We recommend the native backup solutions File History and Backup and Restore.
