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Hard Drive not Showing up in File Explorer: 5 Fixes to Use
Running the hardware and devices troubleshooter should fix this issue
4 min. read
Updated onAugust 5, 2024
updated onAugust 5, 2024
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Key notes
To fix various driver issues on your PC, you will need a dedicated tool to find the freshest and the original drivers. You can use PC HelpSoft Driver Updater to do it in 3 easy steps:
Expanding your computer hard drive using external drives is very common and necessary. Unfortunately, some users complain that theirhard drive is not showing upin File Explorer.
This makes it difficult to access the hard drive and its contents. This guide will show you effective ways to solve this problem.
Why is my hard drive not showing up in File Explorer?
Several factors can be responsible for the hard drive not showing up in the File Explorer issue. Below are some of the notable ones:
What can I do if the hard drive not showing up in File Explorer?
1. Run Hardware and Devices troubleshooter
Sometimes, the hard drive not showing up File Explorer issue might be due to minor problems. The quickest way to clear these glitches is to run the Hardware and Device troubleshooter.
2. Update your driver
Sometimes, your hard drive might show in Device Manager but not File Explorer. For example, an outdated driver might cause this.
The solution to this is to update your driver to the latest version. If updating your driver does not work, you can try to uninstall and reinstall the driver instead.
Alternatively, you can update your driver with a reliable tool in PC HelpSoft Driver Updater. This unique software scans your PC for missing, outdated, and faulty drivers and updates them before they can cause problems.
With PC HelpSoft Driver Updater, you have the best tool to care for your driver’s needs while focusing on other things.
⇒Get PC HelpSoft Driver Updater
3. Assign a drive letter
Drive letters make it easy to access your disks. So, if your hard drive is not showing up in File Explorer, you might need to assign or change its letter.
4. Initialize disk
Initializing your hard driveis a way of activating it. This should clear any roadblocks that might be causing your hard drive not to show in File Explorer.
5. Change the drive format
You will likely face different errors if your external hard drive is in the wrong format. Changing the format to those that are accessible should eliminate these issues.
We have reached the end of this guide on fixing your hard drive if it is not showing up in File Explorer. We believe you now have everything you need to fix the issue and only need to apply it accordingly.
Similarly, if you are receiving anexternal hard drive error, check our detailed guide to fix it.
Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you solve this problem in the comments below.
More about the topics:windows 10
Vladimir Popescu
Being an artist his entire life while also playing handball at a professional level, Vladimir has also developed a passion for all things computer-related.
With an innate fascination for research and analysis, and realizing many other people share his passion for this subject, he delved into writing Windows-related articles, so other people can also benefit from the acquired information.
When not writing kick-ass articles, Vladimir likes to spend his time doing Crossfit and creating art.
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