USB device not recognized in Windows 11: how to fix it

Applies to: Windows 11 (24H2 and 25H2) on desktops and laptops. Windows 10 uses the same Device Manager and Power Options screens, though some Settings pages look different. The steps cover flash drives, external hard drives and SSDs, printers, keyboards, mice, webcams, controllers and other USB devices.

What the message and error codes mean

The popup in the corner of the screen reads roughly: USB device not recognized, followed by a line saying that the last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and Windows does not recognize it. Older versions of the message, quoted in Microsoft’s archived article on this error, say “One of the devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned”. Either way, the message tells you Windows saw a device but couldn’t finish setting it up.

To see what went wrong, right-click Start, choose Device Manager and expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. A failed device usually appears there, or under Other devices, with a yellow warning icon. Double-click it and read the Device status box on the General tab.

• Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed). When a USB device is plugged in, Windows asks it to describe itself (what it is, who made it, which driver it needs). This name means the device didn’t send a usable answer. Because the conversation broke down before any driver was chosen, the cause is generally a cable, port, power or hardware fault rather than a missing driver. Similar names you may see, such as Port Reset Failed or Set Address Failed, usually point the same way.
• Code 43. Microsoft’s Code 43 reference gives the full text as “Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)”. It means a driver controlling the device told Windows the device had failed. Microsoft’s recommended fix is to uninstall and reinstall the device. On a USB device, Code 43 often appears together with the Device Descriptor Request Failed name.
• Code 28 or another code. Code 28 means Windows identified the device but has no driver for it, which is a different job; see our Code 28 guide.

Microsoft’s archived article lists the usual causes: an unstable or corrupt USB driver, missing Windows updates, unstable USB controllers, the device entering selective suspend, and out-of-date motherboard drivers. It was written for Windows 7 and Windows 10, but the same causes and settings still exist in Windows 11.

Where to start

What you see	Most likely cause	Start with
One device fails on every port	The device or its cable	Fix 1, then Fix 2
A device works on one port but not another	That port, a front-panel connector or a hub	Fix 1
Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)	Power, cable, port or hardware	Fixes 1, 2, 5 and 6
Code 43 on a named device	The driver gave up on the device	Fix 3, then Fix 7
Several USB devices fail or drop out	USB controller driver, power settings or firmware	Fixes 4, 5, 7 and 10
It works after a restart but not after Shut down	Fast Startup	Fix 9
It worked until the PC went to sleep	Power management	Fixes 5 and 6

Fix 1: Reconnect, change ports and cables

These checks sound basic, but they deal with the most common causes and take a couple of minutes:

• Unplug, wait, plug back in. Leave the device unplugged for about a minute so Windows clears it, then reconnect it. Microsoft’s archived article uses the same one-minute pause.
• Use a port on the PC itself. On a desktop, the ports on the back connect directly to the motherboard; front-panel ports go through an internal cable and are more likely to be loose. On a laptop, try a port on the other side.
• Skip unpowered hubs. Microsoft’s advice for external drives is not to use a non-powered USB hub and to plug the drive straight into the computer. Bus-powered hubs, cheap adapters and monitor ports share a limited amount of power between everything plugged into them. If you need a hub, use one with its own power supply.
• Swap the cable. Cables fail more often than devices, especially thin phone cables and USB-C cables that are bent at the plug. Some USB-C cables carry power only and no data, so a phone may charge while Windows never sees it.
• Remove other USB devices. Unplug everything you don’t need, then reconnect the problem device first. This rules out a power shortfall or a conflict with another device.
• Restart. Use Restart from the power menu, which reloads the USB drivers fully (see Fix 9 for why Shut down may not).

If the device starts working on one port and not another, the port is the problem. A port that fails for every device may be damaged or disabled in the firmware (Fix 10).

Fix 2: Try the device on another PC

This one test tells you where the fault lives, so it’s worth doing early. Connect the device, with the same cable, to another Windows PC, a Mac or even a TV or games console that accepts USB devices:

• It fails there too: the device or the cable is faulty. Try one more cable, then go to When the device itself has failed.
• It works there: the device is fine, and the problem is in this PC’s ports, drivers, power settings or firmware. Carry on with Fix 3.
• You have no second PC: test a different, known-good device on the same port of your PC. If that also fails, suspect the port or the PC.

Fix 3: Uninstall the device and scan for hardware changes

This is Microsoft’s recommended fix for Code 43, and it clears a device entry that Windows set up badly the first time.

1. Plug the device in, right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Find the failed device under Universal Serial Bus controllers, Other devices or its own category (for example Disk drives for an external drive).
3. Right-click it and select Uninstall device, then confirm. If a box offers to delete the driver, leave it unticked unless the driver came from the device maker and you can download it again.
4. Unplug the device and wait about a minute.
5. Plug it back in, or select Action > Scan for hardware changes in Device Manager. Windows detects the device again and reinstalls its driver.

If nothing changes, uninstall the entry again and restart the PC instead of scanning; Microsoft’s Device Manager driver guide says Windows tries to reinstall the driver after a restart. Old entries for devices that aren’t plugged in can be shown with View > Show hidden devices and uninstalled the same way, which helps when a device has failed many times on the same port.

Fix 4: Reinstall the USB controllers

When several devices fail, or the problem moves from device to device, the USB controller drivers themselves may be in a bad state. Microsoft’s archived article suggests uninstalling every entry under Universal Serial Bus controllers and restarting, after which Windows reinstalls them.

Before you start: a USB keyboard and mouse stop working as soon as you uninstall their controller, and won’t come back until the restart. Save your work first. On a desktop with only USB input devices, you’ll need to restart with the power button, so close everything before you begin.

1. In Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.
2. Right-click each USB Root Hub, Generic USB Hub and host controller entry (names often include eXtensible Host Controller) and select Uninstall device. Leave the delete-driver box unticked.
3. Restart the PC. Windows reinstalls the controllers automatically, then detects your devices again.

Fix 5: Turn off USB selective suspend

USB selective suspend lets Windows put an individual idle port to sleep to save power. Microsoft’s archived article lists a device “entering selective suspend” as one cause of this error, and disabling the setting as a fix. It’s most worth trying when a device works at first and then drops out, or fails after the PC wakes from sleep.

1. Press Win + R, type control and press Enter.
2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options and select Change plan settings next to your current plan.
3. Select Change advanced power settings.
4. Expand USB settings > USB selective suspend setting.
5. Set Plugged in to Disabled. On a laptop, set On battery to Disabled as well.
6. Select Apply, then OK, unplug and reconnect the device.

Two things to know. First, Microsoft’s driver documentation on selective suspend says the feature is on by default and strongly recommends not disabling it, because it saves battery power. If turning it off doesn’t fix the problem, set it back to Enabled. Second, on many newer laptops that use Modern Standby, the USB settings group may not appear in this window at all, so skip to Fix 6.

Fix 6: Stop Windows powering down USB hubs

Separately from the power plan, each USB hub entry in Device Manager can have its own power-saving switch. This isn’t in Microsoft’s article for this error, but it’s a widely suggested fix for devices that disconnect after idle time or sleep, and it’s easy to undo.

1. In Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.
2. Double-click USB Root Hub (it may be called USB Root Hub (USB 3.0)) or Generic USB Hub.
3. Open the Power Management tab and untick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, then select OK.
4. Repeat for each root hub and generic hub entry, then restart.

Not every hub shows a Power Management tab; that’s normal on some systems. Expect slightly higher power use on a laptop with these unticked.

Fix 7: Install chipset and USB controller drivers

The USB ports belong to the motherboard’s chipset, and Microsoft’s archived article recommends installing the latest chipset drivers from your computer or motherboard maker. Windows’ built-in drivers work for most PCs, but a maker’s package can fix problems specific to that board, particularly on AMD systems, PCs with extra USB controllers from ASMedia or similar chips, and laptops with Thunderbolt or USB4 ports.

1. Find your exact model: open Settings > System > About, or look on the sticker under a laptop.
2. Go to the support page for that model on the maker’s website (or the motherboard maker’s site for a self-built desktop).
3. Download the chipset driver and any USB, Thunderbolt or USB4 controller driver listed for Windows 11, install them and restart.

Avoid third-party “driver updater” tools. They can install the wrong package for your board, and they aren’t needed when the PC maker publishes the drivers.

Fix 8: Check optional driver updates

Windows Update offers some hardware drivers only as optional updates, so they never install on their own. Microsoft’s page on getting recommended drivers gives these steps for Windows 11:

1. Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
2. Check that Receive updates for other Microsoft products is on.
3. Under Additional options, select Optional updates.
4. If driver updates for a USB controller, chipset or the device are listed, tick them and select Download and install.
5. Restart the PC when they finish.

Install only drivers that match hardware you actually have. If the list is empty, that’s fine; it just means there’s nothing extra for your PC.

Fix 9: Do a full shutdown or turn off Fast Startup

With Fast Startup on, Shut down saves part of the system to disk instead of closing it completely, so a USB controller that got stuck can stay stuck after you power on again. Restart always does a full reload. If a device works after Restart but not after Shut down and power on, Fast Startup is a likely factor.

Try a one-time full shutdown first: hold Shift while you select Shut down. If that helps and the problem keeps returning, our guide shows how to turn off Fast Startup in Power Options. Startup will take a little longer with it off.

Fix 10: Update the BIOS or UEFI firmware

The firmware sets up the USB controllers before Windows starts. Firmware updates from PC makers often list USB, Thunderbolt or dock fixes in their release notes, and a firmware setting can switch ports off entirely.

• Check the settings. Restart into the BIOS or UEFI setup (the key varies by maker, often F2, Del or F10). Look for USB or port settings and make sure the ports you’re using are enabled. Some business PCs let IT disable ports here deliberately; if this is a work PC, ask IT before you change anything.
• Check the device there. Some setup screens list connected USB storage or let you choose it as a boot device. If a USB drive appears there but not in Windows, the hardware works and the problem is in Windows.
• Update the firmware. Download the update for your exact model from the maker’s support page and follow its instructions. Keep a laptop on its charger and don’t turn the PC off during the update, since an interrupted firmware update can stop the PC from starting.

When the device itself has failed

If the device fails on two different PCs with two different cables, the fault is almost certainly in the device. Signs that point that way:

• The device gets warm, smells hot, or its light doesn’t come on at all.
• A drive makes clicking, buzzing or repeated spin-up sounds.
• It connects and disconnects every few seconds on every PC.
• The plug or socket is loose, bent or visibly damaged.

For a drive with data you need, stop plugging it in repeatedly; each attempt can make a failing drive worse. A desktop external drive in an enclosure can sometimes be read by moving the internal drive into a new enclosure or a desktop PC, but if the data matters, a professional recovery service is the safer route. Check the warranty first, since opening the case may void it. If a ReFS-formatted removable drive mounts with a warning rather than failing outright, that’s a different issue covered in our ReFS removable drive guide.

For a keyboard that’s not recognized, our keyboard hardware checks include ways to keep typing while you troubleshoot.

Known issues

As of November 2026, Microsoft’s Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues page (last updated November 5, 2026) lists no open issue about USB devices not being recognized, USB storage, hubs or docks. The only open USB item affects USB Audio Class 1.0 devices, which can show This device cannot start (Code 10) after the September 2026 update. If you see Code 10 on a USB headset, speakers or DAC rather than “not recognized”, follow our USB audio Code 10 guide instead. Known issues change, so check the release health page again if USB devices stopped working straight after an update.

Related guides

• USB audio device shows Code 10 in Windows 11: how to fix it
• Code 28: “The drivers for this device are not installed” (7 fixes)
• How to disable Fast Startup in Windows 11 and 10
• Keyboard not working in Windows 11: how to fix it
• ReFS USB drive Event ID 524 and the January 2027 mount block: what to do
• External hard drive not showing up in Windows 11: how to fix it

Official sources

• Microsoft Learn: “USB Device not recognized” error when you try to access a USB external hard drive (archived)
• Microsoft Learn: Code 43, CM_PROB_FAILED_POST_START
• Microsoft: Update drivers through Device Manager in Windows