There are many names for thumb drive, including usb key, pocket drive, memory stick, data stick, pen drive, jump drive, and maybe some others. This device can be thought of just like a file cabinet. It’s a place to store digital files of any kind. It can be accessed by any device that has a usb port. These are both usb ports on a computer. The blue one is a ‘super speed’.
A thumb drive is like having a file cabinet in your pocket. You can put any type of file that you want to save and/or transport on it. As you can see, there are many different thumb drives. They either have a cover over the usb end, or they swing out from inside. In the first picture they are ‘closed, in the second picture they are opened, ready to insert into your computer, or any other device with a usb port.
Here’s how you use it.
- First, on your computer, click on a file icon on the bottom strip of your computer.
- Find ‘This PC’. There should be a left-hand column with a long list, that’s the most common place you will see that. Under, or to the right, of ‘Local Disk C:’ you should see other named drives like, ‘DVD Drive D:’ etc. Anything with a letter followed by a colon, means some type of device lives there.
- Plug your thumb drive into one of the usb slots, hopefully on the front of your desktop computer. If you don’t have any on the front … you may want to get a newer computer, you have a dinosaur. If you have a laptop the ports could be anywhere.
- Depending on the speed of your computer, you should see a new drive name, usually the brand of your thumb drive, followed by a letter and a colon. (eg. Lexar E:). Note this name.
- On your computer go to your Pictures and find one that you want on your thumb drive, right-click on it
- Left-click on ‘Send To’ >
- Find the name and letter of your thumb drive and left-click.
That’s it, you have saved your file to the thumb drive!
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