Fix "USB Device Not Recognized" in Windows 10 - Quick Guide
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Key notes
- “USB device not recognized” is a fairly common Windows issue.
- First, try restarting your PC, plugging out other USB devices, updating drivers, fixing the USB root hub, and more.
- If that doesn’t help, try a different computer/operating system and see if the problem persists.
If your USB device is not recognized in Windows 10, then this guide will help you solve the issue. This problem has existed since Windows 98, and sadly, the latest versions also seem to have inherited the quirk. Thankfully it isn’t difficult to make your device detect your USB device. Follow this tutorial if your USB device is not recognized in Windows 10.
Restart
As Moss and Roy famously put it in The IT Crowd TV show, a simple restart can do wonders for you. So plug out the device, reboot the computer and plug it back in to see if anything changes.
Driver Issue
If your USB is not recognized in Windows 10, it could be due to a driver issue. If the computer prompts you to install a driver, let it try. If it doesn’t, go to Control Panel > Printers and devices to see if there is any Unidentified USB device or Unknown device listed there. In case there is, go to its Properties and update its driver. You might again need to reboot the machine, Alternatively, you might want to visit USB device’s manufacturer website to get a driver for it.
Plug-out all other USB devices
If your newly inserted device isn’t getting read by the computer, try disconnecting other USB devices to see if anything helps. Sometimes having multiple devices on the machine may create a conflict.
Fix USB Root Hub
If the aforementioned methods still don’t make your device recognisable, you could try opening Device Manager, expanding USB Serial Bus controllers. Once there, right click on USB Root Hub and click Properties. Click on the Power Management tab and uncheck the option that says “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”. If there are more than one USB Root Hub listed, you will need to perform the same with every entry. Click OK and restart your computer. Plug back the USB device in and see if the computer is able to recognise it.
Try a different computer / operating system
If your USB device is still not recognized in Windows 10, you might want to try it on any other device, and also check if it works on any other operating system. In case it does, transfer all your important files onto a different device. In case it doesn’t, we’re afraid your USB device has probably gone rogue.
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