- Unplugging a USB drive without properly ejecting it from your Windows 11 computer can lead to data loss.
- Windows 11 might fail to eject a USB drive if a background process is still using an app or file on the drive, so close them before ejecting.
- Consider using the Safely Remove Hardware utility and updating the USB drivers if the issue remains.
Fix 1: Eject Drive Using the Settings App
Windows provides several options for removing a USB drive. So, if you can’t eject a USB drive from the system tray or File Explorer , use the Windows 11 Settings app instead.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to launch the Settings app and navigate to Bluetooth & devices > Devices .
Step 2: Locate your USB drive on the list. Click the three-dot menu icon next to it and select Remove device .
Step 3: Select Yes to confirm.
Fix 2: Use Safely Remove Hardware Utility
If the issue persists, you can also use the Safely Remove Hardware utility on Windows to eject a USB drive.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type the following command in the box and press Enter :
RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll
Step 2: Select the USB drive you want to eject and click the Stop button.
Step 3: Select your USB drive again and click OK to confirm.
Fix 3: Configure Device Removal Policy
Windows 11 employs the quick removal policy for all USB devices by default. However, if you wish to eject your drives manually, you must configure its removal policy by following the steps below.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + S to open the search menu, type device manager , and press Enter .
Step 2: Expand Disk drives , right-click on your USB drive , and select Properties .
Step 3: In the Device Properties window, navigate to the Policies tab and select Better performance . Then, hit OK .
Windows will prompt you to restart your PC for the policy change to take effect. After that, you should see the eject option for your USB drive.
Fix 4: Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
Windows has a dedicated Hardware and Devices troubleshooter that can come in handy in such situations. Running it will allow Windows to scan all the devices connected to the system, including your USB drive, and fix any issues affecting its removal.
Step 1: Open the search menu , type command prompt , and select Run as administrator .
Step 2: In the console, type or copy and paste the following command and press Enter :
msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic
Step 3: In the Hardware and Devices window, click Next to run the troubleshooter.
If the automatic repair pops up, apply the suggested fixes. Try to eject the USB drive to see if it works.
Fix 5: Update USB Drivers
Windows 11 may not eject a USB drive due to faulty or corrupted drivers. You can try updating those drivers using the Device Manager to see if that fixes the issue.
Step 1: Open Device Manager using the search menu.
Step 2: Double-click Universal Serial Bus Controllers to expand it. If there’s a yellow exclamation mark next to an entry, right-click on it and select Update driver .
From there, follow the on-screen prompts to finish updating the drivers. After that, you should eject USB drives as usual.
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- Corrupted Excel files, faulty add-ins, and outdated printer drivers are some of the most common causes of this issue.
- Try printing another Excel file to ensure the issue is not limited to a specific spreadsheet.
- You can try running the Microsoft Office repair tool if nothing else works.
Fix 1: Save Your Excel File in XPS Format and Try Again
If Excel can’t respond to print requests, save your file in the XPS format and try again. Several users on Microsoft Community post reported fixing the issue with this simple workaround. So, if you’re in a rush, try this method.
Step 1: Open the Excel file you wish to print and click the File menu at the top left corner.
Step 2: Navigate to the Print tab and use the drop-down menu under Printer to select Microsoft XPS Document Writer . Then, click the Print button.
Step 3: When the Save Print Output As dialog appears, save your Excel file in the XPS format. It should print without issues.
Fix 2: Open Excel in Safe Mode
You can try printing an Excel file in safe mode to see if one of the third-party add-ins is causing the problem. For that, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type excel -safe in the box and press Enter .
Check to see if Excel prints your file in safe mode. If it does, one of the third-party add-ins is to blame. You can disable all add-ins and re-enable them individually to isolate the culprit.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Excel and go to File > Options .
Step 2: In the Excel Options window, switch to the Add-ins tab from the left column. Select COM Add-ins in the Manage drop-down menu and click the Go button.
Step 3: Uncheck all the Add-ins and click OK .
After this, restart Excel and enable your add-ins one at a time. Print a test page after enabling each add-in to identify the one causing the issue.
Fix 3: Update Printer Driver
Issues with your printer driver can affect Excel’s ability to print spreadsheets and lead to problems. To avoid this, you should ensure that your printer driver is up to date and functioning properly.
Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Device Manager from the menu that appears.
Step 2: Double-click on Print queues to expand it. Right-click on your printer and select Update driver .
Follow the on-screen prompts to finish updating the printer drivers. After that, try printing your file again.
Fix 4: Remove and Reinstall Your Printer
If Microsoft Excel still can’t print, try removing your printer and re-adding it on Windows. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
Step 2: Select Bluetooth & devices from the left sidebar and go to Printers & scanners .
Step 3: Select your printer from the list.
Step 4: Click the Remove button at the top to delete your printer.
Step 5: After that, return to the Printers & scanners menu and click on Add device . Then, follow the on-screen prompts to add your printer again.
Fix 5: Repair Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office offers a handy repair tool for any issues with Office apps. If nothing else works, consider repairing Microsoft Office by following the steps below.
Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Installed apps from the list.
Step 2: Scroll down to locate the Microsoft Office product on the list. Click the three-dot menu icon next to it and select Modify .
Step 3: Select Online Repair and hit Repair .
