How to Increase USB Transfer Speed in Windows 11: Tips and Tricks

By / September 16, 2025

If you’ve ever tried moving large files to or from a USB drive, you know how frustratingly slow it can sometimes get. Waiting minutes — or even hours — for a transfer to complete can kill productivity. The good news? There are plenty of ways to increase USB transfer speed in Windows 11 so you can save time and keep things running smoothly.

In this guide, we’ll cover why USB transfers slow down, how to optimize performance, and step-by-step methods to boost transfer speeds — from built-in Windows settings to practical hardware tricks.

Why Is My USB Transfer Speed So Slow?

Before fixing the issue, let’s understand the possible culprits:

  • USB version mismatch (USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0/3.1/3.2).

  • File system limitations (FAT32, exFAT, NTFS).

  • Fragmented or corrupted drives.

  • Background processes eating resources.

  • Outdated drivers or firmware.

  • Poor quality cables or ports.

Knowing the cause makes it easier to apply the right solution.

Quick Fixes for Faster USB Transfers

If you don’t want to dive deep, try these quick fixes first:

  1. Plug into a USB 3.0/3.1 port (usually marked with blue).

  2. Use a high-quality USB cable.

  3. Close unnecessary apps during transfer.

  4. Restart your PC and try again.

If speed is still slow, keep reading — we’ll cover advanced fixes.

Method 1: Check Your USB Port Version

Not all USB ports are equal.

  • USB 2.0 → up to 480 Mbps (slow).

  • USB 3.0 → up to 5 Gbps (10x faster).

  • USB 3.1/3.2/Type-C → up to 10–20 Gbps.

How to Check USB Port Speed in Windows 11

  1. Press Win + X → select Device Manager.

  2. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.

  3. Look for USB 3.0 / 3.1 / 3.2 entries.

  4. Make sure your drive is connected to a matching port.

👉 If you’re using a USB 3.0 flash drive but plug it into a USB 2.0 port, it’ll be capped at slower speeds.

Method 2: Enable Better Performance Mode

By default, Windows 11 sets USB drives to “Quick Removal,” which prioritizes convenience over speed. Switching to Better Performance mode can help.

Steps:

  1. Plug in your USB drive.

  2. Press Win + X → choose Disk Management.

  3. Right-click your USB drive → select Properties.

  4. Go to the Policies tab.

  5. Select Better Performance and enable Write Caching.

  6. Click OK.

⚠️ Important: Always use “Safely Remove Hardware” when this mode is enabled to avoid corruption.

Method 3: Update USB Drivers

Outdated or corrupted drivers often slow things down.

Steps to Update:

  1. Press Win + X → open Device Manager.

  2. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.

  3. Right-click each entry → Update driver.

  4. Choose Search automatically for drivers.

👉 You can also visit your motherboard or laptop manufacturer’s site for the latest chipset drivers.

Method 4: Format the USB Drive for Speed

The file system plays a big role in transfer performance.

  • FAT32 → compatible but outdated (max 4GB file size).

  • exFAT → best for flash drives (fast + large file support).

  • NTFS → good for hard drives and advanced features.

How to Format USB in Windows 11

  1. Insert your USB drive.

  2. Open File Explorer → right-click drive → Format.

  3. Choose exFAT (for flash drives) or NTFS (for large storage).

  4. Select Quick Format → click Start.

👉 Formatting erases all data, so back up important files first.

Method 5: Defragment or Optimize Your Drive

Flash drives don’t need defragmenting, but external HDDs do.

Steps:

  1. Search Defragment and Optimize Drives in Start Menu.

  2. Select your USB hard drive.

  3. Click Optimize.

For SSDs or flash drives, use Windows Optimize instead, which performs a TRIM operation to keep speed stable.

Method 6: Disable USB Selective Suspend

Windows 11 sometimes slows down USB devices to save power. Disabling this can improve performance.

Steps:

  1. Press Win + R, type powercfg.cpl, hit Enter.

  2. Click Change plan settings next to your active plan.

  3. Click Change advanced power settings.

  4. Expand USB settings → USB selective suspend setting.

  5. Set it to Disabled.

  6. Apply and restart your PC.

Method 7: Scan for Errors

A corrupted USB drive can drastically slow transfers.

Steps:

  1. Open File Explorer.

  2. Right-click your USB drive → Properties.

  3. Go to Tools tab → under Error checking, click Check.

  4. Repair if needed.

Method 8: Use High-Quality Hardware

Sometimes the bottleneck isn’t Windows but the hardware itself.

  • Use USB 3.1/3.2 flash drives for faster transfers.

  • Avoid cheap, no-brand drives — they usually have poor read/write speeds.

  • Invest in an external SSD instead of a USB stick for large file transfers.

Method 9: Copy in Smaller Batches

Copying thousands of tiny files (like images) is slower than transferring fewer large files.

👉 To speed things up:

  • Compress multiple files into a single .zip or .rar before transferring.

  • Transfer in smaller chunks instead of dragging everything at once.

Method 10: Use File Copying Tools

Instead of Windows Explorer, try third-party tools optimized for speed:

  • TeraCopy → faster and safer transfers.

  • FastCopy → lightweight and efficient.

  • Robocopy (built-in Windows command).

Example Robocopy command:

robocopy D:\Source F:\Destination /E

Comparison Table of Methods

Method Difficulty Impact on Speed Recommended For
USB 3.0/3.1 Ports Easy High Everyone
Better Performance Mode Easy Medium Frequent large transfers
Update USB Drivers Medium Medium Outdated systems
Format (exFAT/NTFS) Medium High New setup, large files
Defragment/Optimize Medium Medium HDD users
Disable USB Suspend Easy Medium Laptop users
Scan for Errors Easy Medium Corrupted drives
Use High-Quality Hardware Easy Very High Professionals, gamers
Copy in Smaller Batches Easy Low-Medium File-heavy folders
File Copying Tools Medium Medium-High Power users

Pro Tips for Faster USB Transfers

  • Always plug directly into your PC’s main ports, not front-panel hubs.

  • Avoid multitasking while transferring.

  • Keep your USB ports clean — dust and dirt can cause poor connections.

  • Prefer USB-C to USB-C connections for maximum throughput.

Conclusion

Boosting USB transfer speed in Windows 11 comes down to the right mix of software tweaks and hardware choices. From enabling Better Performance mode and updating drivers to using USB 3.1 drives and powerful file copy tools, you can drastically cut transfer times.

👉 Next time you move files, try these tricks — your USB transfers will feel lightning fast compared to before!

FAQs About Increasing USB Transfer Speed in Windows 11

1. Why is my USB transfer speed stuck at 20 MB/s?

You may be using a USB 2.0 port or a slow flash drive. Upgrade to USB 3.0/3.1 for faster speeds.

2. Does formatting a USB drive improve speed?

Yes, especially if you switch from FAT32 to exFAT or NTFS for better performance.

3. Can I increase USB speed without new hardware?

Yes — by enabling Better Performance mode, disabling selective suspend, and updating drivers.

4. Is USB-C faster than USB-A?

Yes, USB-C usually supports higher transfer rates (depending on version: 3.1, 3.2, or Thunderbolt).

5. What is the maximum USB transfer speed in Windows 11?

  • USB 2.0 → 480 Mbps (60 MB/s).

  • USB 3.0 → 5 Gbps (~625 MB/s).

  • USB 3.2 Gen 2 → 10 Gbps.

  • USB4 / Thunderbolt → up to 40 Gbps.

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