A pen drive (also known as a USB flash drive) is a handy and portable storage device that can store various types of data. Whether you're transferring files, storing documents, or backing up important information, a pen drive is a convenient tool. However, there may be times when you notice that data on your pen drive seems to be "hidden" or inaccessible. This issue can arise due to various reasons, such as accidental deletion, corruption, malware infections, or simply system errors. In this article, we will guide you through simple and effective steps to recover hidden data from your pen drive. Whether your data is missing, hidden, or inaccessible, these techniques can help you retrieve your valuable files. 1. Understanding Why Data Becomes Hidden Before diving into the recovery process, it's important to understand why data might become hidden or inaccessible on your pen drive. Here are some common reasons: Accidental deletion: You may have accidentally deleted files or folders from your pen drive. Virus or malware infection: Sometimes, malicious software can hide your files or cause corruption. System errors: Your computer might be unable to read your pen drive properly, causing files to become hidden or lost. Corrupted file system: A corrupted file system can prevent you from accessing or seeing the files on your pen drive. Software glitches: Certain software or operating system issues can result in hidden files. 2. Check the View Settings on Your Computer The first step in recovering hidden data from your pen drive is to ensure that your operating system is set up to show hidden files. In many cases, files may be hidden, but not deleted. Here's how you can check and make hidden files visible on your computer. For Windows: Connect the pen drive into a USB port on your computer. Open File Explorer and navigate to your pen drive (usually under "This PC"). On the upper menu, press the View tab. In the Show/hide segment, find the box labeled Hidden items. This will display all hidden files on your pen drive, including those that might have been inadvertently hidden. For macOS: Attach your pen drive into a USB port. Open Finder and navigate to your pen drive. Press Command + Shift + Period (⌘ + ⇧ + .) to toggle hidden files. Hidden files will now be visible. By following these steps, you may be able to see the files that appear to be missing from your pen drive. 3. Use Command Prompt to Show Hidden Files If your files are still hidden despite changing the view settings, you can use the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS) to show hidden files. This method can help if a virus or malware is preventing your files from showing up normally. For Windows: Pick the Windows Key + R button to open the Run dialog box. Type the cmd and click Enter to open the Command Prompt. In the Command Prompt (CMD) window, enter the following command: attrib -s -h /s /d X:\*.* Replace X: with the drive letter of your pen drive (e.g., E:, F:). This command will remove the "System" and "Hidden" attributes from all files on your pen drive. Press Enter to execute the command. For macOS: Open the Terminal application. Type the following command: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES Click the Enter tab to execute the command, and then restart Finder. This method will unhide the files that have been hidden due to system settings or file attributes. 4. Scan for Viruses or Malware Malware and viruses are often responsible for hiding files and causing data loss. If your pen drive has been infected, you may notice that files disappear or become inaccessible. It's crucial to scan your pen drive for viruses and remove any malware that could be affecting your data. For Windows: Connect the Pen or USB drive into the USB port. Open Windows Defender or any other trusted antivirus program installed on your computer. Run a full scan of the pen drive to detect and remove any malware or viruses. For macOS: Download a reliable antivirus program for macOS (such as Malwarebytes). Install the program and run a scan on your pen drive. If any malware or viruses are found, follow the instructions to remove them. After scanning and removing any potential threats, check your pen drive again to see if the files have reappeared. 5. Use Data Recovery Software If the above steps don't work and your data is still hidden or inaccessible, you may need to use data recovery software that can recover deleted files from your pen drive. Here’s how you can use recovery software to recover hidden data: Download and Run the data recovery tool. Launch the program and select your pen drive as the location to scan. Start the scan process. The software will look for deleted or hidden files on your pen drive. Once the scan is complete, browse through the results and select the files you want to recover. Save the recovered files to a different location (not back to the pen drive to avoid overwriting). 6. Format the Pen Drive (Last Resort) If your pen drive is severely corrupted and none of the recovery methods work, you may need to format the drive. Formatting will erase all the data on the pen drive, but it can make the drive usable again. If you choose to format, try using data recovery software before formatting to retrieve your files. For Windows: Right-click on your pen drive under This PC. Select Format from the context menu. Choose a file system (usually FAT32 for smaller drives or NTFS for larger drives). Click Start to format the pen drive. For macOS: Open Disk Utility. Select your pen drive from the list of devices. Click the Erase button and choose the format (usually ExFAT or MS-DOS (FAT)). Click Erase to format the drive. Once the pen drive is formatted, you can use the data recovery software to attempt to recover files from the formatted drive (though this is less successful than recovering before formatting). 7. Prevent Future Data Loss To avoid facing hidden or lost data issues in the future, here are some preventive measures you can take: Regularly back up data: Always backup your important files to multiple storage locations, such as cloud storage, external hard drives, or other devices. Use antivirus software: Ensure that you have up-to-date antivirus software running on your computer and scan your pen drive regularly for malware. Safely eject your pen drive: Always safely eject your pen drive to avoid corruption. Format pen drive periodically: If you use your pen drive frequently, formatting it every few months can help prevent file system issues. Conclusion Losing or hiding data on a pen drive can be frustrating, but with the right tools and methods, it’s possible to recover your valuable files. Whether it’s changing your settings to show hidden files, scanning for viruses, using data recovery software, or formatting the drive as a last resort, there are numerous ways to recover hidden or lost data. Remember to back up your important files regularly to avoid future data loss and keep your pen drive safe from viruses or malware.