How to disable access to removable storage devices on Windows 10
Yes, you can restrict access for all removable storage drives on your PC, and in this guide, we’ll show you how on Windows 10.
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On Windows 10, if a USB or another supported port is available on the computer, users can connect removable storage devices (such as USB flash drives, external hard drives, and other types of mass storage devices) to access or export data.
Although it’s a common practice to use removable drives, there are times when you may want to restrict access to these types of devices. For instance, you may want to disable access to prevent users from connecting foreign devices, whichmay contain malwarethat can harm the computer or make it more difficult to install applications from unknown sources.
Or if the device stores sensitive data, disabling read and write access to removable storage devices can help lock-down the system to stop users from trying to make a copy of certain information, improving security – even if the data is stored in the network.
Regardless of the reason,Windows 10includes settings that allow you to disable access to all removable storage devices using the Local Group Policy Editor or Registry.
In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to disable read and write access for all removable storage device classes.
How to disable all removable storage access using Group Policy
On Windows 10 Pro (Enterprise or education), the easiest way to prevent users from accessing removable storage is using the Local Group Policy Editor.
To disable removable storage access on Windows 10, use these steps:
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Once you complete the steps, Windows 10 will deny access to removable storage classes, including USB flash drives, USB external hard drives, physical discs (such as CD and DVD), and other storage that falls into the removable class.
If you change your mind, you can always revert the changes using the same instructions, but onstep No. 5, make sure to select theNot Configuredoption.
How to disable all removable storage access using Registry
Windows 10 Home doesn’t include access to the Local Group Policy Editor, but you can achieve the same results by modifying the Registry.
Warning:This is a friendly reminder that editing the Registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don’t do it correctly. It’s recommended to make a full backup of your PC before proceeding.
To prevent access to all removable storage, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, users will no longer have access to available removable storage devices, nor will they be able to connect external storage drives.
You can always undo the changes using the same instructions outlined above, but onstep No. 4, make sure to right-click theRemovableStorageDeviceskey and select the Delete option. If you have other settings configured inside the key, don’t delete it. Instead, double-click theDeny_AllDWORD and change the value from1to0.
After undoing the changes using either method, you should regain access to storage devices immediately. However, if this is not the case, then reboot the device to refresh the changes.
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
