On Windows, Microsoft Sysinternals Process Explorer can search for a file or directory open on a removable drive and show the process holding a matching reference. Search for the drive letter or a distinctive path, close the identified app or document normally, then try ejecting again. On a Mac, quit apps using the disk and retry ejecting it.
Find the process blocking ejection in Windows
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Try ejecting the device once so you can note its drive letter, such as E:. In File Explorer, right-click the drive and choose Eject, or use the eject option for the device in the taskbar’s Safely Remove Hardware menu.
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Open Microsoft Sysinternals Process Explorer. Its documentation lists version 17.14, published September 10, 2026, and Windows 11 and later for client systems.
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Choose Find > Find Handle or DLL, or press Ctrl+F, then search for the drive letter or a distinctive folder or file path from the removable drive. Microsoft’s legacy USB mass-storage ejection article uses a drive-letter search as an example; its old Windows-specific interface details should not be treated as current instructions.
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Review the matching process name and path. A result shows a process with a matching open reference; it does not prove that the process is the only reason ejection failed.
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Save your work and close the matching file, document, or application normally. A file browser preview, media player, backup or synchronization task, or document editor can be worth checking if it relates to files on the drive, but none is a guaranteed cause.
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Try Eject again. Disconnect the device only after Windows confirms it is safe to remove or it disappears from the eject menu.
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Microsoft’s safe-removal guidance says to safely remove USB drives and external hard drives before disconnecting them to avoid data loss. The guidance covers Windows 11 and Windows 10; Windows 10 support ended October 14, 2025.
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Command-line option: Microsoft Handle
Microsoft Sysinternals Handle is a command-line alternative for finding processes with open file references. Its version 5.0 documentation, published October 26, 2022, says it requires administrative privilege. Use its results to identify the app and then close the app normally; do not use Handle to force-close a handle as a routine fix. Microsoft warns that closing handles can cause application or system instability.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the device is connected to a Mac
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If macOS says an app is using the disk, quit that app and try ejecting again. If it will not quit, close documents stored on the disk and retry.
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If another logged-in user is using the disk, log that user out or restart the Mac.
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If an external disk still will not eject, Apple’s general troubleshooting guidance is to log out and try again. If that does not work, shut down the Mac before disconnecting the disk, then restart the Mac.
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