Windows will usually notify you that a USB drive was inserted, and an AutoPlay window may appear. You can close the AutoPlay window for now. If this is your first time plugging the USB drive into the computer, Windows may install some drivers. This should only take a few moments. A USB hub is an external device that allows you to plug multiple USB devices into a single USB port.
Alternatively, you can right-click the Windows button and select “File Explorer,” or press ⊞ Win+E.
If you don’t see your USB drive, check the Troubleshooting section at the end of this article.
The average MP3 file will range from 3-5 MB in size or 1 MB per minute of audio, but this varies depending on the quality of each file. See the chart at the end of the article for a breakdown of the average number of songs you can fit. You can quickly delete everything on the USB by right-clicking on it and selecting “Format. " Start the format process and everything will be deleted from the drive.
Many programs store music files in your “Music” folder. If you’ve downloaded music from a website, it will likely be in your “Downloads” folder. In Windows Media Player, right-click on a music file in your library and select “Open file location” to open the folder containing that music file. In iTunes, right-click on a track in your library and select “Show in Windows Explorer” to open the folder containing that song. You can perform a Windows search for “MP3” to search for all of the MP3 files on your computer. Open the Start menu or screen and type “MP3” to begin searching.
Check the size of your selection by right-clicking it and selecting “Properties. " Make sure that the size of your selection is smaller than the amount of free space on your USB drive. You may find it easier to move all of your music files into one spot on your computer, organized into folders. You can then copy all of the folders and files at once.
Alternatively, you can also click Copy in the menu that appears when you right-click a file.
Alternatively, you can drag and drop your music files into the Flash Drive in Windows Explorer. You can also right-click and click Paste to paste music files that you have copied.
This will not delete the original files. Copies of each file will be made on the USB drive. If you get a message that your USB drive is full, then you’ve likely selected more files than your USB drive has room for. Try selecting fewer files to copy to the USB drive.
If your USB drive does not appear, see the Troubleshooting section below. A USB hub is an external device that allows you to plug multiple USB devices into a single USB port.
Most MP3s are about 3-5 MB in size or 1 MB per minute of audio. Though this may vary depending on the quality of the file. See the chart at the bottom of this article for a breakdown of how many songs can fit on a USB drive on average. Alternatively, you can right-click the USB drive below “Devices” in the Finder and click Get Info to see how much free space is available on the drive.
If you’re not using iTunes, open the folder you keep your music in the Finder.
If you’re using Finder, open the folder containing the music you want to transfer, then select the files and folders that you want to copy. This is most likely the “Music” folder in the Finder.
If you’re moving files from Finder, hold ⌥ Option while dragging them to the USB drive. This will leave the original file on your computer and create a copy on the USB drive. This isn’t necessary if you’re using iTunes. Alternatively, you can find the USB drive under “Devices” in the sidebar to the left in the Finder. You can drag and drop files there as well.
Alternatively, you can click the Eject icon next to the drive name in the Finder.
Avoid using USB hubs. USB hubs are devices that can connect multiple USB devices to a single USB port. They may not provide enough power for the USB drive.
Right-click an MP3 or music file. Click Properties in the pop-up menu. Click the Details tab at the top of the Properties window. Check to see if it says Yes next to “Protected”.
Windows - Press ⊞ Win+R and type diskmgmt. msc. Look for your USB drive in the list of drives at the top of the window, or in the volume layout at the bottom of the window. Mac - Open the Utilities folder in your Applications folder, then run Disk Utility. Look for your USB drive in the list of drives on the left side of the window.
Windows - Right-click the drive in Disk Management and select “Format. " Select “exFAT” as the file system, as this is compatible with most computers and devices. Mac - Select the USB drive and click the “Erase” tab. Select “ExFAT” from the Format menu and then click the “Format” button. If you need to format your flash drive to an older format such as FAT32, you can use a third-party app to format the flash drive.
The AutoPlay window will typically open, but it may not if you’ve disabled it in the past. You can select “Open folder to view files” or read on to open it without using the AutoPlay window. Windows may install a few drivers if you’ve never connected that particular USB drive before. A USB hub is an external device that allows you to plug multiple USB devices into a single USB port.
You can also view your computer drives by pressing ⊞ Win+E. You may have a shortcut on your desktop as well. In Windows XP, this is labeled “My Computer. "
See the chart at the bottom of the article for some examples of drive sizes and the amount of music you can store.
Windows uses the “Music” folder as the default location for many programs. Music that you’ve downloaded may be in your Downloads folder. If you use Windows Media Player, you can right-click on an item in your library and select “Open file location” to view the folder that contains the files. If you use iTunes, right-click on an item in your iTunes library and select “Show in Windows Explorer. "
Alternatively, you can also click Copy in the menu that appears when you right-click a file.
Alternatively, you can drag and drop your music files into the Flash Drive in Windows Explorer. You can also right-click and click Paste to paste music files that you have copied.
