5 uses of a USB device you may not know

We use USB to transfer files between computers and back up data, but there are other interesting things you can do with USB. You can use USB to lock and unlock your computer like in movies.

You can also use USB to quickly connect to wireless networks on all PCs, boost computer performance, or even run web servers directly from USB itself.

Here are some surprising ways you can use USB.

1. Use USB to lock / unlock the PC

Do you want to lock and unlock your computer with a physical tool, like in movies? With the free PREDATOR tool, you can!

PREDATOR turns USB into an access control device. When you leave the PC, simply unplug the USB device and the computer will be locked. When you return, plug in the USB drive again and the computer will be unlocked.

This is like using the Lock function in Windows, but the only difference is that you do not have to enter the password when you return.

1. Download PREDATOR for Windows

2. Run the portable application anywhere

One of the weirdest things about software is that it often needs to be installed. However, with portable applications, things are different.

Portable applications and games can easily be copied to a USB memory stick, then run from any compatible device, usually a 32-bit or 64-bit PC. Browsers, email tools, messaging apps and games can all be run from USB.

This is an especially useful solution if you want to keep a bunch of applications with you to use on any PC possible.

3. Increase performance with ReadyBoost

If you have a slow hard drive in your computer, ReadyBoost can help speed things up. When you enable ReadyBoost for a drive, it acts as a cache for the hard drive, saving frequently used files. If reading from a USB rather than a hard drive is faster, Windows will read the cache of the flash drive instead.

You won't see much performance increase if you have a 7200+ RPM drive. If you have an SSD, Windows will not allow you to use ReadyBoost because the cache will be slower than SSD.

To turn on ReadyBoost, right-click USB in Windows Explorer, select Properties and use the options on the ReadyBoost tab . Windows will only allow you to activate ReadyBoost if the USB is fast enough, so you may see these options grayed out for some devices. ReadyBoost also requires USB to have at least 256MB of free space.

4. Create backup with Win32 Disk Imager

If you use a USB memory stick for a variety of purposes, backing up content may be helpful. An easy way to do this is with Win32 Disk Imager.

Although Win32 Disk Imager is often used to write bootable disk images to USB, it can also create images. Just install and run the tool, plug in the USB, select the destination and name for Image File. Click Read to copy the drive contents.

When you need to recover a disk image, just browse to the image and click Write.

1. Download Win32 Disk Imager for Windows

5. Archive important travel documents

If you travel often, you might lose important documents. Visa (visa), booking confirmation, even passport can easily get lost somewhere. Packing the wrong paper bag can lead to problems if the baggage handler makes a mistake.

One solution is to store all travel documents on a compact USB stick and take with them, possibly even scanning the passport, if only need to give immigration officials the information they need to proceed. Check your resume, in case your passport is lying somewhere and you can't find it right away.

6. Install almost any operating system

Can use bootable USB disk image of operating systems to install new operating system on PC.

For example, Windows 10 users can create bootable USB installers with a dedicated tool. In case of an operating system problem, this tool can be used to restore or even reinstall Windows.

Similarly, all versions of Linux-based operating systems can also be installed from USB. Many options provide a live environment, giving you a sense of the operating system, running directly from USB before installation. It is even possible to create a USB installer for macOS.

7. Keep online secure with live Tails operating system

Also, you may be looking for an operating system that can run from USB to keep online operations private.

The solution to this problem is Tails, unlike standard operating systems, which protects your privacy and anonymity. No logs are kept on this operating system. Meanwhile, modern encryption software encrypts files, emails and instant messages, and Internet data is routed through Tor.

Every time you use Tails on USB, it will start a whole new session. This enhances online privacy and security (as long as you make sure you use a secure password)!

1. Download Tails