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support category usb
DataTraveler Max USB Flash Drive (DTMAX)
DataTraveler Max USB Flash Drive (DTMAX)

DataTraveler Max USB Flash Drive - Support

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Using a USB drive on a Mac

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Using a USB drive on a Windows PC

Frequently Asked Questions

The transfer rate for DTMAX series is contingent on multiple factors. The USB port on the host device is one of the primary reasons performance of the USB drive will be limited. The interface needed for optimal performance is USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbs).

Please confirm that the host system meets the following criteria:

• The host machine has a Type-C or Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 port.
• If using an extension cable or USB hub, please make sure the cable or USB hub is rated for USB 3.2 Gen 2. Cables and hubs of low quality may be incapable of high-speed data transfer, please check the cable manufacturer’s specifications.
• The host machine has the latest updates, including BIOS, Chipset, and USB drivers.

FAQ: DTMAX-01001-001

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Yes. Thunderbolt/USB4 is often limited to USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds (10Gbs) (see table below). Please check the specification of your host device.

Kingston -> Compatible Interface for Optimal Performance Standard Max USB Data Transfer Speed    
USB 2.0 480 Mbps
USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps
DTMAX-> USB 3.2 Gen 2 10 Gbps
DTMAX-> USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20 Gbps
DTMAX -> USB4/Thunderbolt 10 Gbps, 20 Gbps, 40 Gbps
(Depends on host specs)


FAQ: DTMAX-01001-002

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This is common for flash storage, whether internal SSD or external USB storage. It is due in part to a variance in how flash memory vs spinning platter hard drive manufacturers calculate megabyte. Hard drive manufacturers calculate a megabyte (or 1,000x1,000 bytes) as 1,000KBs, whereas the binary calculation for flash-based storage is 1,024KBs.

Example: For a 1TB flash-based storage device, Windows will calculate it as having a capacity of 931.32GB. (1,000,000,000,000÷1,024÷1,024÷1,024=931.32GB).

Furthermore, Kingston reserves some of the listed capacity for formatting and other functions, such as firmware and/or controller-specific information, and thus some of the listed capacity is not available for data storage.

FAQ: KDT-010611-GEN-06

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Windows may not recognise the MacOS Extended or Standard file system. To resolve, format the drive in macOS with MacOS DOS or exFAT file system so that it can be used in both environments.

WARNING: Formatting will erase all of the data on the DataTraveler. Back up your data before proceeding.

  1. Insert the DataTraveler into the macOS machine and wait for it to mount.
  2. Click on the "GO" option on the menu bar.
  3. Double-click on Utilities (If you do not see Utilities, double-click on Applications and then double-click on the Utilities folder.)
  4. Double-click on the Disk Utility icon.
  5. On the Disk Utility Dialog box, click once on the Kingston DataTraveler active partition.
    Note: There will be two listings for the DataTraveler, the first one is the active partition and the second is the volume label.
  6. Click the erase tab located on the right side of the screen.
  7. Using the Volume Format drop-down, select "MS-DOS File System" or "exFAT" from the list.
  8. Click Erase.
Note: macOS 10.6.5 and later has full support for read and write access of exFAT formatted drives. However, macOS still has read only access to NTFS formatted drives.

Some devices (MP3 players, digital photo frames, etc) will not read NTFS or exFAT file systems.


Also Windows XP and Vista will require an update in order to access exFAT.

FAQ: KDT-010611-GEN-18

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When you delete files from the drive while the drive is connected to a macOS system, macOS will keep a backup of the deleted files, allowing you to recover files if accidentally deleted. Because of this feature, macOS will also reserve space on the drive in the event that you do recover the deleted files. Therefore, in order to recover the available storage space back to the drive, you will need to empty the macOS Bin while the drive in question is connected to the macOS computer. 

If this does not work, the device should be completely reformatted. Please follow these instructions to format your Kingston drive.

WARNING: Formatting will erase all your data so please make sure you have a copy before proceeding.

  1. Go to Go > Applications > Utilities and Open Disk Utility.
  2. Choose your drive from the left panel and then click Erase on the right.
  3. Select a Volume Format. Select MS-DOS File System or exFAT if you plan to use the drive on macOS and Windows. If used only in a Mac then select Mac OS Extended as the Volume Format.
  4. Click Erase.

FAQ: KDT-010611-GEN-04

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Our flash drives are plug-n-play devices. Therefore, additional drivers are not required.

FAQ: KDT-110611-GEN-09

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The transfer rate for DTMAX series is contingent on multiple factors. The USB port on the host device is one of the primary reasons performance of the USB drive will be limited. The interface needed for optimal performance is USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbs).

Please confirm that the host system meets the following criteria:

• The host machine has a Type-C or Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 port.
• If using an extension cable or USB hub, please make sure the cable or USB hub is rated for USB 3.2 Gen 2. Cables and hubs of low quality may be incapable of high-speed data transfer, please check the cable manufacturer’s specifications.
• The host machine has the latest updates, including BIOS, Chipset, and USB drivers.

FAQ: DTMAX-01001-001

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Yes. Thunderbolt/USB4 is often limited to USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds (10Gbs) (see table below). Please check the specification of your host device.

Kingston -> Compatible Interface for Optimal Performance Standard Max USB Data Transfer Speed    
USB 2.0 480 Mbps
USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps
DTMAX-> USB 3.2 Gen 2 10 Gbps
DTMAX-> USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20 Gbps
DTMAX -> USB4/Thunderbolt 10 Gbps, 20 Gbps, 40 Gbps
(Depends on host specs)


FAQ: DTMAX-01001-002

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Our flash drives are plug-n-play devices. Therefore, additional drivers are not required.

FAQ: KDT-110611-GEN-09

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In most cases, it is normal for an external USB device to get warm or hot to the touch since the exterior shell helps cool the internal components by emitting heat into the air.

Some of the factors of a USB external device getting warm or hot:

    • Material: Metal flash drives and readers tend to get warmer while in use than other types of USB flash devices. This is simply because metal absorbs heat much more easily than materials like plastic do.
    • Environmental Temperature: If the host device or surrounding temperature is high, the drive's cooling capability decreases. USB drives often become warmer when used in hot environments or with warm devices.
      • File Transfers: Transferring large files or a high volume of files can raise the drive's temperature. Large files take longer to transfer, requiring more energy, thus generating more heat. Quick consecutive file transfers have the same effect as transferring large files, increasing the drive's temperature. During data transfer, the drive heats up internally and releases heat through its casing.
    Note: None of the above listed factors impact the functionality of the USB device.

    After the data transfer is complete, wait 30-60 seconds before removing the USB device from the host machine. This should provide enough time for the temperature of the USB device to cool.

    FAQ: KTD-021211-GEN-01

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    This is a limitation of the FAT32 file system, which has a limit on the number of files stored on the root of the drive. To transfer more data to this unit, you will need perform one of the following.

    A) Create folder(s) on the root of the drive and then transfer all data to the folder(s). Once this is done, you should be able to transfer more data to the DataTraveler.

    B) Back up the data on the drive to another storage, then reformat the drive with exFAT file system. Once this is done, you should be able to transfer more data to the DataTraveler.

    FAQ: KDT-010611-GEN-12

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    Windows may not recognise the MacOS Extended or Standard file system. To resolve, format the drive in macOS with MacOS DOS or exFAT file system so that it can be used in both environments.

    WARNING: Formatting will erase all of the data on the DataTraveler. Back up your data before proceeding.

    1. Insert the DataTraveler into the macOS machine and wait for it to mount.
    2. Click on the "GO" option on the menu bar.
    3. Double-click on Utilities (If you do not see Utilities, double-click on Applications and then double-click on the Utilities folder.)
    4. Double-click on the Disk Utility icon.
    5. On the Disk Utility Dialog box, click once on the Kingston DataTraveler active partition.
      Note: There will be two listings for the DataTraveler, the first one is the active partition and the second is the volume label.
    6. Click the erase tab located on the right side of the screen.
    7. Using the Volume Format drop-down, select "MS-DOS File System" or "exFAT" from the list.
    8. Click Erase.
    Note: macOS 10.6.5 and later has full support for read and write access of exFAT formatted drives. However, macOS still has read only access to NTFS formatted drives.

    Some devices (MP3 players, digital photo frames, etc) will not read NTFS or exFAT file systems.


    Also Windows XP and Vista will require an update in order to access exFAT.

    FAQ: KDT-010611-GEN-18

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