Windows 10: Unable to Safely Eject my Phone after Debugging Using it "because a program is still using it"

Now I'm using my Android phone for the purpose of debugging Visual Studio software to make sure it actually runs. It's great.


Of course, I need to connect my phone to my PC in order to do so. But after connecting my phone to my PC and debugging, I run into a very annoying issue where Windows flat out refuses to let me eject my device safely. Behold, the error I get when trying to do so:



So, my next option is to go from the settings menu. Which gives me this:




I close Visual Studio and try again, and the exact same errors pop up. So great, now I can't safely eject my phone because something is still using it. What's using it? Well I don't know.It didn't tell me. I was able to eject my device safely before I started debugging with Visual Studio, but as soon as I start debugging, even after I close Visual Studio, my phone is still being held hostage because something is using it.


I know I'm not the first person to complain about this, and I won't be the last. But why the heck can't Windows actually tell us exactlywhat is using the device so we can close it?


How can I find out exactly what programs are still using my device, so that I can finally free the poor thing? And why on Earth can't Windows tell me this itself? It knows what programs are using the phone, it just chooses not to tell me because reasons.

:)

 

Missing Eject in "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" List

Hi Tze Lin Wong,

The configuration to this can be found under settings. To enable this feature follow these steps:

1. Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
   
2. Under Notification Area, choose
   Select which icons appear on the taskbar.
3. Scroll to Windows Explorer: Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media
   and turn it on.

If this doesn't work, I suggest that you check with your USB drive manufacturer for new drivers or other updates.

All the best.

 

Lost Eject Function/unable to safely eject

A while back I lost "eject" option for USB connected devices. I think it was after one of the Windows 10 updates since it worked just fine before. I tried the
"rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll" in the run box but the
"remove safely" dialogue box does not list any of the connected devices/stays blank. I have tried tried using the "device manager" and "devices and printers" in the
control panel. The connected devices do show but there is no option to
eject/safely remove. Before all this I was able to right click on the device in the "file manager" and select "eject" but that option has disappeared from the right click menu. Any help would be really appreciated.

 

Missing Eject in "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" List

I use to be able to eject my USB drive via "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" with list as below:

- Open Devices and Printers
- Eject Data Traveler 111
- USB Drive (D
- Eject My Passport Ultra
- My Passport (E

However recently the "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" list seems corrupted and shows:

- Open Devices and Printers
- USB Drive (D

- My Passport (E

with { - USB Drive (D } and { - My Passport (E } are grayed out.

Currently the only way for me is go to file explorer and right click the removable drive and click Eject.

Please help!