Ubuntu: USB stick is not recognized - you can do that
If your USB stick is not recognized under Ubuntu, you will find possible causes in this practical tip. Depending on which operating system the stick was attached to or which BIOS settings you have on your Linux PC, the USB device may not be correctly detected.
USB stick under Ubuntu: Therefore it is not recognized
In the basic settings, Linux recognizes a USB stick as soon as you connect it. You will then be asked what action you want to take with the device. If this is not the case and the USB stick does not appear in your device manager, test the following steps:
- Test the USB stick on another device to rule out that it is defective. Also check it on Windows. Make sure to remove the device safely. If the Windows PC does not recognize the stick, the problem is with the USB stick.
- If you originally formatted the USB stick under Windows, the file format may be wrong. In another article we listed the permitted file system for Linux.
- Try a different USB port. If this is not successful, you can check in the BIOS when the system is restarted whether all USB slots are activated.
- If the USB stick is USB 2.0, you should choose the appropriate slot. The same applies to newer USB sticks with USB 3.0. The colors tell you which generation your USB stick or connection belongs to. In another article, we explain what the different colors of USB ports mean.
In our next practical tip you will read how to proceed if Linux does not recognize the external hard drive. The Linux operating system is available for download here.