How do I safely remove a USB drive without corrupting my files?

You'll be able to: Safely eject USB flash drives and external disks to prevent data loss

The steps

1
Close any files or folders that are currently opened from the USB flash drive. No applications are actively reading or editing files on the drive.
Why should I safely eject?
Windows caches file writing in memory. Safely ejecting ensures all data is completely written onto the physical drive before power is disconnected.
2
Click the small upward arrow ^ in the bottom-right notification area of your taskbar. A small tray of hidden background icons pops open.
Windows notification tray showing the Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media icon.
Screenshot on the way. The steps above are complete without it.
3
Click the USB drive icon (with a green checkmark or flash drive outline) and click Eject next to your drive's name. A notification appears saying Safe to Remove Hardware.
Tip
Once the "Safe to Remove" notification appears, you can pull the USB drive out of your computer with total peace of mind.

It looks different on my screen

You can also open File Explorer (WinE) > This PC, right-click your USB drive, and click Eject.

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