Solved: USB Device Not Recognized error Windows 11/10

Getting “USB device not recognized” error while plugging in a USB keyboard, mouse or flash drive to your Windows computer? Sometimes this error message disappears on its own after reconnecting the affected USB device, but not always. So what causes USB Device Not Recognized error? It could be a hardware error, Faulty drivers, Connectivity problems or Configuration issues that cause this USB Device Not Recognized error on your PC.

USB Device Not Recognized

“The last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it.”

Why USB Device Not Recognized in Windows PC

Several reasons cause “USB Device Not Recognized” error, It may be due to Outdated or incompatible USB drivers prevent your computer from recognizing the connected USB device. Insufficient power supply or an unstable connection between the USB device and the computer can result in the device not being recognized.

Again, Hardware issues such as malfunctioning USB ports, damaged USB cables, or a defective USB device can cause the error on Windows PC.

USB Device not recognized One of the devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and windows does not recognize it.

Quick fix USB device not recognized error

Sometimes, a temporary connection issue can cause the “USB Device Not Recognized” error. Let’s disconnect the USB device from your computer and wait for a few seconds. Now reconnect it to a different USB port and check if this helps.

Faulty USB cables can also lead to connection problems. Try using a different cable to see if it resolves the issue. Also, If possible, connect the USB device to another computer to determine if the problem lies with the device itself or your computer.

Sometimes rebooting your system can often resolve temporary glitches and refresh the USB drivers.

Update USB Drivers

Outdated or incompatible drivers can prevent your computer from properly recognizing and communicating with USB devices. Updating the USB drivers allow your computer to have the necessary software components to communicate properly with USB devices. This can resolve compatibility issues and ensure that the USB devices are recognized by your system.

Outdated or incompatible USB drivers can cause issues with device recognition.

• Press Windows+ R, type devmgmt.msc, and ok to open the device manager.
• Locate and expand the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” section.
• Right-click on each USB device listed under this section and select “Update driver.”
• Choose the option to search for drivers automatically. Windows will search online for the latest drivers and install them if available.
• Wait for the driver update process to complete. If Windows finds any updates, it will download and install them automatically.

After updating the drivers, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

• Also, you can select Browse My Computer for driver software to install the default USB driver.
• Click on Let me pick from a list of the available drivers on my computer.
• Select Generic USB Hub and click Next, Windows will update the USB drivers.

Now remove the USB device simply restart Windows and reconnect the USB device to check that it worked. If not visit the device manufacturer’s website, and download and install the latest available driver.

Install the Latest Windows Updates

Microsoft regularly releases updates that include bug fixes, performance improvements, and compatibility enhancements, which can address known issues related to USB devices and their recognition.

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard or click on the Windows icon in the taskbar to open the Start menu.
2. Click on the “Settings” gear icon, which is usually located above the Power button.
3. In the Settings window, click on “Update & Security.”
4. In the Update & Security settings, click on the “Windows Update” tab on the left-hand side.
5. Click on the “Check for updates” button. Windows will now check for available updates.
6. If updates are found, click on the “Download” or “Install” button to begin the update process. It may take some time depending on the size of the updates.
7. Once the updates are downloaded and installed, you may need to restart your computer to complete the update installation. Windows will usually prompt you to do so.
8. After the restart, check if the USB device is now recognized without any error.

Change USB Power Management Setting

There are chances, Power Management would because of this USB problem “USB Device Not Recognized error”. Let’s uncheck the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power option will also fix this issue.

• Right-click on the Windows Start button and select Device Manager.
• Go to the Universal Serial Bus controllers section and find USB Root Hub
• If you have multiple USB Root Hubs you’ll have to repeat this step for each one of them.
• Right-click USB Root Hub and choose Properties.
• Go to the Power Management section and make sure that Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power is unchecked.
• Save the changes and repeat the steps for all USB Root Hubs that you have in Device Manager
• Once Restart the Windows, and check this trick may work for you.

Disable USB Selective Suspend Setting

By default, a Windows computer is set to conserve power by suspending the power supply to external USB devices, whenever they are inactive. But this power-saving setting can sometimes cause problems like Error Code 43 and USB Device Not Recognized Error in Windows. Disable the USB selective suspend setting by following the steps and check if it helps.

• Press Windows + R, type powercfg.cpl, and hit the enter key to open the Power Options window.
• Now On the Power Options screen, click on Change Plan Settings link located next to the current Power Plan.
• Next, click on the Change Advanced Power Settings link.
• A new popup window will open here expend USB Settings then again Expand USB selective suspend settings As shown below image.

Here select the disabled option for “Plugged In” and also for “On Battery” in case you are using a Laptop. Click Apply and OK to save the above settings, restart Windows and plug the USB device to check it’s working.

Disable Fast Startup

Some Windows users report After disabling the Windows fast Startup Feature on the power option the problem USB device is not recognized Error is fixed for them.

• Press Windows key + R, type powercfg.cpl and click ok
• This will open the power options window,
• Click Choose what the power button does.
• Click on the change settings that are currently unavailable link.
• And finally, uncheck the option Turn on fast startup. then click on save changes.
• Again attach your USB device to your PC and check if there is no more error occur.

Tweak Windows Registry to fix Device not recognized Error

If all the above solutions fail to fix the Device not recognized Error, Let’s tweak the Windows registry to fix this error. First plugin the problematic Device, and open the device manager. Then expand Universal Serial Bus controllers, Right-click on the yellow triangle marked USB device which one causing the problem and select properties.

Next move to the Details tab Here, below the Property drop-down, select the Device instance path. And in the Value section, highlight the value and right-click it, select Copy. For example, as shown below, my device instance path is: USB\ROOT_HUB30\4&2060378&0&0

Now Press Windows + R, type Regedit and ok to open the windows registry editor. Then navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\<Device Instance Path>\Device Parameters.

Note Device instance path: USB\ROOT_HUB30\4&2060378&0&0 ( Highlighted one is Device Instance Path.) May for you Device instance path is different. change it as per yours.

Then right-click on Device Parameters New > DWORD Value and name it EnhancedPowerManagementEnabled. Again Double click on it and on the value field set 0. click ok and Close Registry Editor. Now Remove the USB device and simply Restart the Windows. When next time you plug in the device this will work without any error.

Uninstall USB Controllers

If the above steps haven’t resolved the issue, you can try uninstalling the USB controllers and letting Windows reinstall them automatically. Here’s how:

1. Press Windows + X and select “Device Manager.”
2. Expand the “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” section.
3. Right-click on each USB device listed and select “Uninstall device.” Confirm the uninstallation.
4. Once all USB devices are uninstalled, restart your computer.
5. After the restart, Windows will automatically reinstall the USB controllers. Check if the USB device is now recognized.

Check for Hardware Issues

If none of the above steps have resolved the problem, there may be a hardware issue with either the USB device or your computer’s USB ports. Consider the following:

• Test the USB device on another computer to rule out any device-specific issues.
• Try connecting a different USB device to your computer’s USB ports to determine if the issue lies with the ports themselves.
• If possible, consult a professional or contact the manufacturer’s support for further assistance.