Q&A for How to Remove a Flash Drive from a Windows 10 Computer

Check if an application, file, open document, music or video file or any other application is in use and close it. You can also run the Task Manager to "kill" any processes used by the device. Be careful—ending tasks doesn't damage your computer per-se, but it can lose unsaved files and corrupt existing open files if you close a program that is using them, and it can cause your computer to do an emergency shutdown. It won't cause permanent damage unless the program is doing something like flashing the BIOS (in which case, you shouldn't be removing flash drives!).

The system tray isn't something that you can download. It should be on all Windows 10 computers in the right hand corner. It looks like this ∧.

Usually you can just take the USB Flash Drive out without safely removing it. Only when you are doing stuff on it like moving files from or to it, or watching movies from it. Even then, there is a low possibility that it's going to become corrupted or something.

The touch pad and/or L & R buttons are malfunctioning. Consult your device manufacturer to fix this.

Windows 10 may prevent safe removal of a USB drive even when no programs appear open due to background processes like indexing, antivirus scans, or system services still accessing the device. To resolve this, you can try closing background programs, restarting Windows Explorer via Task Manager, or taking the drive offline using Disk Management. Another option is to run `chkdsk /f X:` (replace X: with the drive letter) to release open handles, or enable 'Better Performance' in Device Manager policies for safer removal. Restarting or logging off your computer can also help.