A USB Type C or USB-C connection is primarily used to connect mobile phones, docking stations, or charge your Windows 11/10 PC. Still, unforeseen conditions like incompatibility in hardware-software combination can upset the connection. In such cases, notifications on your Windows PC screen can help you pinpoint the problem and try a few tips to fix things quickly.
Here are some USB-C notifications you might receive if there’s a problem:
- PC isn’t charging
- USB device functionality might be limited
- Display connection might be limited
- USB device might need more power
- Unsupported USB-C Audio Adapter
- MHL device functionality might be limited
- USB4 device functionality might be limited
- USB device not recognized
- Thunderbolt device functionality might be limited
- Slow USB charger connected
- Use different USB port.
USB-C not working on Windows 11/10
Before you begin, ensure you have installed all the latest Windows Updates on your device. If you receive messages like This USB port doesn’t support DisplayPort or Thunderbolt or MHL or The USB device might have limited functionality when connected to this port, use a different USB Port to connect. If this does not help, proceed.
- Check for Unknown devices.
- Check Charging Status
- Thunderbolt device functionality might be limited
- Check DisplayPort Alternate Mode
- USB device might need more power
- Unsupported USB-C Audio Adapter
- USB4 device functionality might be limited
- Run the Hardware and Device Troubleshooter
You will need a clear understanding of the connected device, ports, etc.
1] Check for Unknown devices
If the USB device your Windows 11/10 PC (or Phone) is connected to reports an issue or a problem with the device driver, open Device Manager and find the unknown device causing the problem by checking for a yellow exclamation marked against the symbol of the device. After that, select the device, choose its click Properties and check the status displayed under Device status.
If it displays an error code, check the Device Manager Error code and use it to troubleshoot the issue.
2] Check Charging Status
Another likely reason USB-C not working on Windows 11/10 could be insufficient PC charging. It may occur when,
- The charger isn’t compatible with your PC.
- The charger isn’t powerful enough to charge your PC.
- The charger isn’t connected to a charging port on your PC.
- The charging cable doesn’t meet the power requirements of the charger.
To fix this, always use the charger and cable included with your PC and make sure you’re connecting your charger to the USB-C charging port on your PC. Also, try using a can of compressed air to clean the USB-C port on your PC. In this case, it is best to use the charger and cable that were included with the PC
3] Is it supported?
The USB or Thunderbolt device functionality may be limited. The connected device or dongle likely has new features for USB-C that your PC (or phone) might not support, or the connected device or dongle isn’t connected to the correct USB-C port on your PC/ additional Alternate Mode devices or dongles are connected to your PC (or phone).
For an Alternate Mode to work correctly, the hardware and the software on the PC and the connected device or dongle must support the Alternate Mode. Certain Alternate Modes might also require a specific USB-C cable. So, make sure the device or dongle is connected to the USB-C port on your PC that supports the correct Alternate Mode. For example, if you’re connecting a Thunderbolt Alternate Mode device, make sure it’s connected to the USB-C port on your PC that supports Thunderbolt.
Also, ensure your PC and cable support the same USB-C features as the connected device.
4] Check DisplayPort Alternate Mode
The DisplayPort/MHL connection may fail to work. As you are aware, the DisplayPort Alternate Mode lets your project video other visual content and play audio on an external display that supports DisplayPort. There are other modes are Alternate Modes as well. These include,
- MHL – The MHL Alternate Mode lets you project video and play audio on an external display that supports MHL.
- HDMI – The HDMI Alternate Mode lets you project video and play audio on an external display that supports HDMI.
To fix problems caused by this issue, make sure your PC, the external display, and the cable support DisplayPort or MHL alternate modes and the device or dongle are connected directly to your PC.
5] USB device might need more power
If you receive a message saying the connected device needs more power, then some solutions can fix it. Say, for example, if your phone is not charging or the connected HDD or SSD is not turning on. Check the following:
- Connect Laptop to power in case of low battery as the power plan could be limiting on the USB ports
- Disconnect any additional and less important devices so the power can be diverted to rest
- Unsupported device
Lastly, check if the device needs more power than the requirement. For example, USB-C-based laptops need a powerful charger head to charge. If you are connecting another charger that delivers less power, then it will not work.
6] Unsupported USB-C Audio Adapter
There are two types of Audio adapters for USB-C—Analog and digital. Most modern PCs only support USB-C digital audio adapters. They can convert digital audio into analog audio so you can play it through speakers and headphones. To make it work, you must change from an analog adaptor to a digital one.
7] USB4 device functionality might be limited
USB4 is a new standard of USB that provides better port usage, faster transfers, and the ability to connect multiple devices to a single PC. So if you have a USB HUB (USB4), one cable can power several USB-C devices, including support for data transfer. That said, check the following:
- Check if the USB4 support is available on your PC and connected to the right port
- The USB cable supports USB4
- Check if the dock supports USB4
The solution to this is simple. Ensure you connect USB4 to USB4 and the devices are compatible.
8] Run the Hardware and Device Troubleshooter
Run the Hardware and Device Troubleshooter or the Windows USB Troubleshooter and check if it helps. These Troubleshooters check the hardware or USB connection to the computer for any known issues and fix them automatically.
Related read: USB Device is not recognized.
Conclusion
USB-C issues can happen anytime, and they are usually because of either lower power or compatibility issue. You will need to check the power requirement, compatibility, and what you plan to plug into the PC.
How do I know if my USB-C port is damaged?
The easy way to figure it out is by connecting it to various USB-C compatible devices and seeing if they are powering up or getting detected. If none of them are not working, then the port is damaged. You can also try the device on another TV to check if the device is at fault.
Why is my monitor not working with USB-C?
If you use USB- C to HDMI or USB-C to USB-C to extend the display to an external monitor, ensure that the external display and the cable all support DisplayPort or MHL alternate modes. Also, some USB C adaptors need external power if the USB port from the TV doesn’t deliver enough power to turn on the device. This applies to a stand-alone device that connects to a monitor over the USB C port.
