USB stick cannot be formatted - what to do?

There are various reasons why your USB stick cannot be formatted. We'll show you what you can do.

USB stick: Formatting not possible

Some USB sticks have a mechanical lock function. Check the stick for a switch and, if necessary, set it to the open lock. If not, try the following instructions:

• Download the free "HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool" and start the executable with a double click. Note: You may have to start the tool with administrator rights. To do this, right-click on the file and select "Run as administrator".
• Connect the stick to your PC and open the program. If you have not already done so, select your stick under "Device".
• You can select FAT 32 or NTFS as the file system. We explain the differences in this practical tip.
• Under "Volume Label" give your USB stick a name of your choice and tick "Quick Format".
• Now click "Start" to start formatting and confirm the security question with "Yes".
• After formatting, the USB stick should work properly. If not, your stick may be defective.

In our video tip we show you how to make your USB stick bootable.