How To Enable Write Protection Of USB Devices Under Windows

You have probably seen the following scenario in multiple thriller and spy movies; A spy connects an USB stick to a computer to copy data from the computer to the device. Movies do not necessarily reflect reality but there is some truth to this scenario after all. It is indeed possible to connect an USB device to a computer running Windows to copy data from that computer to the removable storage device.

It is sometimes in the best interest of companies, organizations and individuals to protect the data on their computer from being copied this way.

Microsoft has added options to the Windows operating system (more precisely to Windows XP and newer operating systems) to write protect all USB devices that are connected to it. This indicates that it may not always be possible to protect the computer this way, for instance if data needs to be written to USB devices regularly.

Write Protection adds another layer of defense to the computer. The system is not fool proof on its own, as it is still possible to copy data, for instance by uploading it to the Internet or a network connection.

Write Protecting USB Devices

You can enable or disable write protection of all USB devices that are connected to the Windows operating system. Both settings are configured in the Windows Registry. Here is how this is done.

Open the Windows Registry editor with the shortcut Windows-r, enter regedit into the form and press the return key on the keyboard.

Navigate to the following Registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies

Please note that you may need to create the key StorageDevicePolicies if it does not exist. Select the key afterwards and right-click into the right window. Select New > Dword (32-bit) Value from the context menu and name the entry WriteProtect.

Double-click the new entry afterwards and change the value from 0 to 1. A value of 1 disables writing to all connected USB devices. If you want to enable writing again you need to change the value of the key to 0.

The new setting takes effect immediately. Every user who tries to copy data to USB devices with write protection enabled receives the following notification window.

It reads

Copy File
The disk is write-protected
Remove the write-protection or use another disk.

I have created two Registry files to enable or disable write protection. You can download a zip file that contains both files here: write protect

This way you can disable write protection with a click on a file, and enable it again when you have copied files to the USB device.

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Author: Martin Brinkmann, Friday March 18, 2011 -
Tags:usb, windows registry, windows tips

Responses so far:

1. will says:

   March 18, 2011 at 6:29 pm

   Made a tool in assembly to do this

   http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4653/blocker.png

   http://whatsmypass.com/USBStopper.exe

   Reply
2. Eyric says:

   September 6, 2011 at 7:22 am

   thanks for that application..

   my problem is my transcend 8gb flash drive is write protected
   even though it does not have a switch for write protected and unprotected.

   i tried to fiz the registry, the device manager, but it has no effect.

   i tried transcend online format but it says that no flash drive detected.

   any body can help me?

   Reply
3. Becky says:

   December 15, 2011 at 1:39 am

   I tried this to disable write protection on my flash drive but it didn’t work.

   Reply
4. Jude says:

   January 6, 2012 at 1:16 pm

   I followed all your instructions here, yet it didn’t work. What do I do next?

   Reply
5. Shohag B. says:

   January 13, 2012 at 7:20 am

   I cant find “StorageDevicePolicies”…im using xp 2005. any one ?

   Reply
6. Gideon says:

   January 26, 2012 at 8:35 am

   I have tried to remove the write protection using windows and its not working? what next?

   Reply
7. UT says:

   January 28, 2012 at 8:41 am

   You guys would like to check out the solution given on this page. If this didn’t work then your disk might be corrupted. This sounds hard but I fear that this might be the only reason. Mine Kingston DataTraveller also failed like this, so I am also in shock. Here is the link: http://techsalsa.com/solution-to-remove-write-protection-from-usb-pen-drive/

   Hope this helps.

   Reply
8. eljo says:

   February 9, 2012 at 11:26 am

   It worked in my office pc where writing to usb stick was disabled.
   Thanks a Lot!!!!

   Reply
9. rups says:

   February 18, 2012 at 1:02 pm

   hi dear thanks for suggestion for my problem
   i am solve problem

   Reply
10. md says:

    February 21, 2012 at 6:38 am

    tq, it worked, after 2 wks of search i finally got the ans, tq again

    Reply
11. Ganesh says:

    March 30, 2012 at 10:57 am

    Thanks

    Reply
12. Mohammed says:

    April 4, 2012 at 12:56 pm

    I have 4 GB Sony pen drive usb 2.0. I try to open getting pop msg–> Do you want to formate. After formate again getting msg like –> The operation did not complete because the media WRITE PROTECTED. I try from Manage–> Disk Management also –> windows not succesfull formate… Its very challenging to us. could you plz help me on this.

    Reply
13. Jude says:

    April 5, 2012 at 6:44 pm

    I think the problem is due to virus infection. If you tried all the above without success, just throw it away.

    Reply
14. Vinz says:

    April 14, 2012 at 12:04 pm

    Please Help Me To Remove The Write Protection Of My Genx 32gb Flash Drive… Thanks

    Reply
15. schn00 says:

    April 18, 2012 at 3:53 pm

    Thanks bro…….it works for me very well:D

    Reply
16. MAYIL says:

    April 22, 2012 at 8:34 am

    i follow those above steps but still itis write protect only hoe to disable it help me

    Reply