Is your USB drive too hot? What it means and what to do

USB drives get hot when they transfer data, because all the work takes place inside a silicon chip with no moving parts. In most cases, such heating is not dangerous, but sometimes the temperature can indicate hidden problems.

SlashGear writes about it.

When does "hot" become a red flag?

A USB drive dissipates heat during electrical operations, and its casing only adds to the sensation: metal conducts heat better than plastic, so metal models feel hotter. Similarly, compact drives heat up faster, and the computer's port additionally transfers its own heat to the device. Regular or large portions of data copying also accelerate warm-up.

The normal operating temperature for a flash drive is 0 °C to 25 °C, while the safe range for a computer is 25 °C-45 °C. If the media literally turns red, it may indicate a defect inside or a faulty USB port. In such a situation, you should remove the drive correctly, let it cool down, and check both the device and the connector — the contacts may be clogged with dust or the part may be damaged.

Reliable backup of important files to multiple media remains the best protection against data loss. It's almost impossible to recover information from an overheated or physically damaged drive, so it's best to be safe in advance.

As a reminder, most of us have repeatedly encountered the fact that USB Type-A seems to be "stubbornly" unwilling to plug in the first time. But there is a simple visual guide that helps you connect the cable correctly on the first try.

We also wrote that modern TVs have turned into real multimedia centers. Almost all of them are equipped with USB ports to which you can connect a flash drive with movies or even charge your phone.