Flash drives can do more than just save your old photos. Did you know they can be turned into gaming systems? You can also use them as physical keys to unlock your computer, which is much more secure than a password any hacker could steal. Here is a list of cool things to do with USB flash drives.
Tip: USB flash drives, thumb drives, memory sticks, and pen drives are all different names for the same thing!
Browse the Web Privately
Want to use the Internet without being tracked? You can use your flash drive for that! It’s called “Tails,” which stands for “The Amnesic Incognito Live System.” It’s an entire operating system that runs on just a flash drive. It can turn your computer into a super secure device. Tails is free to download. For more information, see their official website.
Create a Physical Key to Unlock Your Computer
The problem with passwords is anyone can steal them, especially when we spend so much time online. But what if your computer needed a physical key to unlock it, just like your house and car? You can use a flash drive for this! Plug it in to access your computer, then take it out to lock it. You can do this by downloading free software like USB Raptor.
Create an Offline, Digital Library
Do you like ebooks and audiobooks? It’s a good idea to download them so you can read them even if you lose internet access. There are many websites where you can download ebooks for free!
Restore an Old, Slow Computer with Linux
Do you have an old laptop or other computer that you don’t use any more because it is slow and not getting security updates? You can revive it with Linux. Download a Linux distro for free onto your USB flash drive, and then install it onto your computer. Check out the laptops.lol Linux Lite tutorial to get started.
Make a Cheap Gaming Console
Modern gaming consoles cost hundreds of dollars, but gaming doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby! You can turn your USB flash drive into a portable gaming console with Batocera, a Linux gaming operating system. Batocera is free to download and can be used with Windows computers, Apple computers, Raspberry Pi computers and other devices- even SteamDecks! All you need is a USB Flash Drive. If you don’t already have one, you can purchase one from the laptops.lol Zazzle store.
Tip: Use a USB 3.0 for faster speed!
