Save anything to a USB STICK

Unlock the full potential of your USB sticks by making them faster, easier, and safer to use. Robert Irvine reveals the best free ways to transfer, organise and protect your files

CONSIDERING THEIR SIZE, simple designs, and cheap price tags, USB sticks are incredibly useful devices. Plug one into a port on your PC and you can quickly copy files and favorite tools from your hard drive to carry around with you and create backups of important data—without needing to install any software.

However, even if you are a frequent USB stick user, like us, there are always new tricks you can learn to improve your stick and the way you use it. Most Maximum PC readers will probably already know how to run different software from your stick, but it’s equally helpful to know how to enhance its core function of storing your photos, videos, documents, and other files.

The more content you copy to a USB stick, the greater the likelihood it becomes slower, messier, and more prone to malfunction, making files more difficult to access and can causing data corruption.

Here, we reveal expert tips and tools for transferring files faster, whether manually or automatically, fixing common problems when saving items, organizing your USB stick so its contents are easy to find, and protecting your data from prying eyes, should your stick be lost or stolen.

We will also explain the best way to format your USB stick so that you can save and access all the files you need on any of your devices.

 TRANSFER FILES FASTER AND BACK THEM UP