Airport Screening: Can It Damage Your Flash Drive?

Airport security scanners use X-rays to check the contents of luggage. X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, similar to visible light but with a shorter wavelength and a higher frequency. This allows X-rays to pass through objects like plastic, skin, and tissue but not metal or bones. While X-rays can be harmful to biological tissue in large doses, electronics are not affected in the same way. So, do airport screening procedures damage flash drives?

Do airport X-rays damage flash drives?

X-ray machines at airport security checkpoints emit X-ray radiation, which can make travellers concerned about potential damage to their electronic devices. However, X-rays do not damage or destroy electrical equipment or data. This includes flash drives, which are not sensitive to light and are therefore not damaged when going through an X-ray machine.

Other storage devices such as floppy diskettes are only sensitive to magnetic charges, so taking them through an X-ray will not damage the drive. Hard drives are also only sensitive to magnetic charges, so they will not be damaged by X-rays either.

However, it is important to note that taking a laptop, hard drive, flash media, or magnetic media through metal detectors, such as those at airport security checkpoints, can cause permanent damage. This is because these detectors send out a strong magnetic pulse that can erase hard drives. Therefore, it is recommended to back up all data on your computer before travelling by air.

While X-rays do not harm electronic devices, other factors related to air travel may cause damage. For example, rough treatment or physical damage during transit could affect the functionality of a flash drive. Additionally, high temperatures during air travel may reduce the reliability of electronic devices over time.

Are airport metal detectors safe for flash drives?

It is generally considered safe to take flash drives through airport metal detectors. However, there are some conflicting opinions on this matter.

X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation, similar to visible light but with a shorter wavelength and a higher frequency. They are not radioactive and do not leave any lingering residue. X-rays are used in airport security scanners to create live images of the contents of luggage. While X-rays can be ionizing, which means they can damage biological tissue and cell DNA, they do not affect electronics in the same way.

Flash drives use transistors to store data, and this method is not affected by X-rays. Therefore, it is generally considered safe to take flash drives through airport X-ray scanners. Additionally, flash drives are not photosensitive, so they are not affected by the specific wavelength of light used in airport X-ray machines.

However, there are some reports of electronic devices, including laptops and smartphones, being damaged after passing through airport security. In one case, a user reported that their flash drive stopped working after going through a complete luggage scan at an airport. While it is unlikely that the airport scan caused the issue, there is a possibility that the strong magnetic pulse from metal detectors could affect electronic devices.

To minimize the risk of damage, some recommend turning off electronic devices before passing them through X-ray machines and metal detectors. It is also advisable to back up all data before travelling by air, just in case any issues occur.

What about other electronic devices?

X-rays are not known to damage or destroy electrical equipment or data. However, it is recommended that you back up all data on your computer before travelling by air.

X-rays are ionizing radiation, which means they have enough energy to knock electrons out of atoms, creating positively charged ions. While this can harm biological tissue and cell DNA, electronics are not affected in the same way.

Computers and Laptops

Computers, laptops, and the components within them are not sensitive to X-rays. A laptop's hard drive stores data as magnetic media, and airport X-ray machines use a specific wavelength of light to operate. Therefore, your hard drive will be unaffected by the airport X-rays.

However, if your laptop is examined with a metal wand or sent through a metal detector, there is a risk of losing the hard drive as these detectors emit a strong magnetic pulse.

Mobile Phones and Media Players

Mobile phones and media players do not use any photosensitive materials in their construction, so they will not be damaged by X-rays.

Cameras and Camcorders

Cameras and camcorders have photosensitive sensors, but these are protected by shutters and device enclosures. Unless your device is actively capturing light, there should be no problem.

Undeveloped films are more sensitive to X-rays, and the higher-energy X-rays can pass through the plastic film container and ruin your images. It is recommended to have any film with important images processed before travelling by air.

Other Electronic Devices

Other electronic devices, such as tablets, MP3 players, smartphones, and USB drives, are not affected by X-rays unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer. These devices are also not sensitive to light and will not be damaged when going through an X-ray machine.

While X-rays are not known to cause damage, some travellers have reported issues with their electronic devices after passing through airport security. For example, a Kindle that worked perfectly until the user got on the flight, and a brand new Galaxy S3 that stopped working after going through airport security. In these cases, it is unclear whether the X-ray scan or other factors caused the issues.

To minimise the risk of damage, some travellers recommend turning off your devices completely (not just sleep mode) before passing them through the X-ray machine. Additionally, if you have any sensitive equipment, you can request a hand inspection instead of X-ray screening.

What about film?

Unlike flash drives, traditional film is damaged by X-rays. However, there is some debate about the extent of the damage caused by airport X-ray scanners. Some sources claim that only film with an ISO of 800 or higher will be damaged by the scanners, while others argue that even films with an ISO as low as 100 can be affected.

One photographer recounts how they travelled with 20 rolls of T-MAX 400 film through a Geneva airport scanner, and upon developing, found that the films were fully burnt. They then conducted an experiment, taking film through the "old" X-ray scanners in Berlin six times, and the powerful CT scanners in Amsterdam three times. The Berlin scanners caused no waves and almost no base fog, except on 400 ISO film, which gained 0.03 in base fog after six passes. The CT scanners, however, caused immense damage to all films, even those with an ISO as low as 50.

Protective lead-lined bags can help to mitigate the damage, but only up to a certain point, and they are very heavy and impractical for travel.

Therefore, if you are travelling with film, it is best to request a hand check, although this may cause delays and even lead to conflict with airport security staff, as recounted by the photographer above.

What if my flash drive is faulty?

If your flash drive is faulty, there are a few things you can try to fix it. Firstly, it's important to determine whether the issue is with the flash drive itself or with the USB port. Try testing the flash drive on a different USB port or computer. If the drive works on a different port or computer, then the issue is likely with the original USB port and not the drive itself.

If the flash drive is not working on any ports or computers, there are still some things you can try. Try wiggling the USB flash drive gently back and forth—if the connection is loose, wiggling it might help it connect temporarily so that you can copy files to your computer. You can also try cleaning the USB port and checking for debris, as lint or dust can clog the port and make it seem like the flash drive is broken.

If your flash drive has corrupt data, you can reformat it, but this will erase all the files on the drive. There are different ways to do this depending on whether you are using a Windows or Mac computer.

If your flash drive has physical damage, it is best to take it to a data recovery professional. However, if you are comfortable risking your files, you can try to repair it yourself. Be aware that physically repairing a flash drive is unlikely to work unless you have professional experience in repairing this type of damage. If you do attempt a repair, you will need a soldering iron with solder and flux, wire cutters/strippers, a small flathead screwdriver, and a magnifying glass or jeweler's loop.

To summarise, while there are some things you can try to fix a faulty flash drive, in many cases it is best to seek professional help, especially if your data is important to you.

Frequently asked questions