Invented back in 1971, the floppy disk is remembered as one of the most iconic and reliable disk storage solutions. Specifically, it was the 3.5-inch floppy that became a literal icon, one we still use today on buttons meant for saving data (even as Gen Zers scratch their heads over it).
Today, the 3.5-inch floppy disk is out of production, but you might have a few in your possession. Can you still use them on modern PCs? Surprisingly, yes! Windows 11 can handle them without too much pain. Here’s what you need to know.
Why use a floppy disk?
The 3.5-inch floppy disk dominated the disk storage medium for more than a decade, and hundreds of millions of disks were produced. Many of them are still sitting in attics and closets, forgotten to time — and if you ever stumble upon such a cache, it’s fun to take a trip down memory lane.
Old floppy disks are also useful for retro PC enthusiasts. It’s possible to upgrade most retro PCs to bypass the need for floppies, but until you make that upgrade, a 3.5-inch floppy remains the best option for transferring data with an ancient machine. Floppies may also be the only way to enjoy retro PC games from back in the day.
Buying a 3.5-inch floppy drive today
Windows 11 computers don’t come with floppy drives, so if you want to use floppy disks on a modern PC, you’ll need to buy a floppy drive. Fortunately, you can shop online right now and buy a USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drive for relatively cheap.
Chuanganzhuo
Want my recommendation? Here’s the floppy drive I use, which only costs $19 as of this writing. Most USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drives are similar, but a few things stand out about this one:
- It has a drive activity LED.
- It has reasonably sized cushioned feet.
- It has a 2-foot USB cord. (Others tend to be shorter.)
- It has a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter instead of the strange and annoying USB-A/USB-C combo cord that some floppy drives now have.
These aren’t exactly headline features, but when you’re choosing between a couple dozen drives that are similarly priced and appear to be identical, it’s the little details that matter.
Important note: While Windows 11 does support this particular USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drive, it’s only true for x86 and x64 systems. Windows for Arm doesn’t have a floppy driver and modern versions of MacOS also lack a floppy driver. Unfortunately, if you have either kind of system, then a floppy drive isn’t an option for you.
Setting up the 3.5-inch floppy drive
The 3.5-inch floppy drive you receive will be a plug-and-play device, so it should “just work.” But a few common problems might trip you up.
These days, all new USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drives rely on USB for power. The label on mine, for example, asks for 5 volts at 500 milliamps (5V/500mA). Any USB port should do it (since the minimum specification requires it), but if you’re using a dodgy USB hub or have a bad port on an older computer, the drive may not work due to lack of power.
Matt Smith / Foundry
Once plugged in, you’ll need to search a bit to find the drive. It won’t pop up like a typical USB flash drive would, and the drive probably won’t appear in the list of drives in File Explorer. To find it, open File Explorer and navigate to This PC. (Make sure to fully open This PC in the main view of File Explorer by clicking the This PC icon in the sidebar.)
Matt Smith / Foundry
Still not seeing the A: floppy drive? Open the Settings app, then navigate to Bluetooth & devices in the side panel. Scroll down and click on Devices, then scroll down again to More devices and printer settings. This will open the old-school Devices & Printers view where, hopefully, you’ll see the floppy drive listed under Other Devices.
Joel Lee / Foundry
Once it’s all set up and working, the USB floppy drive will basically perform like a slow USB flash drive. You can drag-and-drop files into and out of the drive (assuming you have a floppy disk in it). And if you need to create a disk image (which is required for some software installs), you can use a disk-imaging tool like WinImage.
Buying 3.5-inch floppy disks today
Suppose you want to transfer data from your current PC to an older PC that only has a floppy drive. Not only do you need the USB-compatible 3.5-inch floppy drive for your current PC, but you’ll also need to buy some blank floppies to make that data transfer.
Your first (and best) option is to check out any local vintage electronics stores and/or recyclers in your area. These stores typically have used 3.5-inch floppy disks for sale, and you can expect to pay around $0.25 per disk. No more than $0.50 each, else you’re being ripped off.
If your local store won’t give you a fair deal, or if you don’t have any such local stores in your area, you can check out floppydisk.com. They sell 50-packs of recycled 3.5-inch floppy disks for $20 each or 10-packs of brand-new 3.5-inch floppy disks for $13 each. Alternatively, you can get a 10-pack of new disks on Amazon for $19.
If you’re buying, I recommend getting at least several dozen disks because you’re going to need more than you think. Most programs will span at least a few disks, and some larger programs can require more than a dozen on their own. You’ll also need replacements for disks that fail. (The last floppy disk was produced in 2011, so most in circulation are over 20 years old. Expect high failure rates.)
Troubleshooting 3.5-inch floppy disks
It’s actually pretty amazing that I can pop a disk from the 1980s into a Windows 11 PC sold this year and reasonably expect to read its data. Yet while it’s usually smooth sailing, it isn’t always. You may run into a few common problems when using floppy disks today.
Matt Smith / Foundry
For example, you might not be able to write to the disk even though the drive is working properly. Check the read-write tab — a small square tab on the edge of the disk opposite the side you insert into the floppy drive — and make sure it isn’t set to read-only mode. (When the tab is “open,” the floppy disk is in read-only mode.)
File system formats could also cause problems. Windows 11 can read FAT all the way back to FAT12, so most FAT-formatted floppy disks should work. Older Mac disks can be read with a program called MacDisk. I don’t think any Windows software can read disks formatted for an Amiga, but Amiga Forever lists several workarounds.
Upgrading an old PC from floppy disks
I hope this guide helps you read and write to floppy disks on your Windows 11 machine. But even if it does, floppy disks are sadly dying off. If you still use an older PC that relies on floppy disks for data transfers, you should consider adopting a modern alternative when you can.
An IDE-to-SD-card adapter or SATA-to-SD-card adapter is a good place to start. They’re inexpensive and easy to install. Just plug-and-play into your old PC’s IDE or SATA slot to be able to read SD cards. You can even install an operating system directly on the SD card, bypassing the need for an older (unreliable) mechanical hard disk drive.
Alternatively, you can pick up a USB-to-floppy-drive emulator. These are sized to fit within an older PC’s floppy drive bay and physically replace the floppy drive. Once installed, you basically gain a USB port on your PC case and you can plug in USB drives per usual.
Any of these options are more reliable than floppy drives, so if you have an older PC and don’t want to be stuck with floppy disks forever, then make the upgrade sooner than later. That said, I won’t fault you if you put it off — it’s always fun to hear that floppy drive whirr away.
Further reading: Cheap or free ways to make an old PC run faster
