Guide: Fix ‘Safely Remove Hardware Icon Missing in Windows 10’ Issue
If the Safely Remove Hardware icon is missing, it can be difficult to know how to safely disconnect a USB device from a PC. Fortunately, there are simple steps that can be taken to restore the icon and ensure that USB devices are removed safely.
Some may claim that unplugging USB devices without waiting for the pop-up is successful, but this doesn’t mean it’s the correct action. Even if you’ve done it with a flash drive, it’s still not recommended.
Removing a USB device without first safely ejecting it can lead to data loss, so it’s important to take the necessary steps to protect your information.
How can you tell when it’s safe to remove a USB device if the notification icon is gone?
To restore the Safely Remove Hardware icon, follow these steps.
1. Deselect the Always hide option
The Safely Remove Hardware icon is typically visible in the system tray by default.
Right-clicking the taskbar and selecting Taskbar settings could reveal a hidden icon.
Go to the Notification section and choose which icons will show up in the taskbar.
To safely remove hardware and eject media, scroll to the Windows Explorer option.
If the Safely Remove Hardware icon is missing from your taskbar, check to see if it has reappeared.
2. Restart Windows Explorer
Restarting Windows Explorer can fix the issue of the Safely Remove Hardware icon not appearing. To do this, open Task Manager by right-clicking on the taskbar.
Restart Windows Explorer by scrolling to find it in the list of active processes, right-clicking and selecting Restart. Be sure to save any open windows before restarting, as they will be closed.
If the icon is not visible, check the taskbar again after a few moments.
3. Third Party Software
Using USB Disk Ejector, you can safely remove hardware from your computer without worrying about data loss. This free third-party software is small in size and requires no installation - simply double click to start and it will detect all USB devices connected to your computer, allowing you to eject them with ease.
To safely remove a USB device, press Enter or double click.
For those looking for an easy way to safely remove USB disks, USB Disk Ejector is the perfect solution. This free software allows users to quickly and safely eject their USB disks with just a few clicks.
4. Plug and Play settings
Users may experience issues with the “Safely Remove Hardware” option if Plug and Play is not working. To check, press Windows key + R to open the Run prompt, then type in services.msc and hit Enter.
Discover the Plug and Play feature and launch it with a double-click.
The General tab should be checked to ensure the service status is set to Active. If not, click the Start button to start it manually. To make sure the service starts automatically, select Automatic from the drop-down menu in the same tab.
Verify if the Safely Remove Hardware icon is visible.
5. Enable / disable Fast deletion
No need to use the Safely Remove Hardware option every time you unplug a USB device - it can be disabled, though this will reduce performance. Pulling out a USB device while in use may result in Windows prompting for Scan and Repair on reconnection.
To access Device Manager, users can right-click on the taskbar.
To access a USB device’s properties, right-click on it under Disk drives.
Selecting Quick Removal on the Policy tab will cause the Safely Remove Hardware icon to disappear. To restore it, select Better performance and click OK.
Switching between two options has been reported to help fix the issue of missing icons.
If you haven’t been able to restore the icon, try some unconventional solutions that may be difficult.
6. Stop the process manually
Press the Windows key + R to open the Run prompt, then type in a command and press Enter to manually stop the process and eject media or remove a USB device.
The Windows operating system has a feature that allows users to connect and disconnect devices without restarting their computer. This is done by running the RunDll32.exe shell32.dll, Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll command.
Users can now safely remove USB devices by selecting them and clicking “Stop” in a new dialog box.
Creating a desktop shortcut for the Safely Remove Hardware dialog box is easy. Right-click on your desktop and select Shortcut under New to quickly access the feature without having to search through the notification box.
Re-enter the command you previously entered in the Run prompt, then click Next.
It’s best to label the device “Safely Remove Hardware” for easy identification.
Creating a desktop shortcut is now easy: simply click Finish.
7. Update / reinstall USB device drivers
Windows 10 users can ensure their device drivers are up-to-date by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager. This will allow them to update any drivers that may be out of date or corrupted when a USB device is first connected to the PC.
To update the USB controller driver, right-click it in the device manager, select “Update Driver,” and follow the prompts to install the new version.
To fix the issue, select ‘Remove device’ from the same menu and restart Windows.
To access Device Manager in Windows, open the Action tab and scan for hardware changes.
Windows 10 will scan for and reinstall any missing drivers needed for new components, so check if the Safely Remove Hardware icon is now visible.
Better safe than worry
It is recommended to keep the Quick Delete option disabled, as data security is more important than a few moments saved. If the icon is missing or giving an error, there are methods available to fix it.
Share your other methods in the comments!
If your computer isn’t recognizing an external drive, here are three ways to get it working again.
Fix ‘Safely Remove Hardware Icon Missing in Windows 10’ Issue: benefits
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Final note
If you’re having trouble with the ‘Safely Remove Hardware’ icon in Windows 10, this guide can help. Got questions? Ask us. And don’t forget to share it with your friends!
If you have any questions about fixing the ‘Safely Remove Hardware Icon Missing in Windows 10’ issue, please ask us in the comments section or contact us directly. This guide is for educational purposes only. If you want to correct any misinformation about this guide, please contact us. If anyone wants to add more methods to this guide, please also contact us. For help, use our contact page or follow us on Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter. We usually respond within 24-48 hours (weekends excluded). For software updates and discussion join our Telegram channel.
