Device Manager displays a list of all devices that are installed on a Windows computer. When you view device information in Device Manager, you may see a device listed as Unknown Device next to a yellow exclamation mark.
Unknown Device in Device Manager of Windows 11/10
If you see such an entry, it may be difficult to determine the cause of this unknown device because there are few indications of what generates it.
The main reason the Unknown Device appears in your Device Manager is that you have a device that is not working correctly.
Causes of Unknown devices in Device Manager:
- The device does not have a device driver
- Unrecognized Device ID
- Using an older Microsoft Windows Device Driver
- Faulty Hardware or Firmware
How to Identify Unknown Device in Device Manager
Use System Information tool
Open the built-in System Information (msinfo32) > Components and expand Problem Devices. If there are Unknown devices you will see them listed here.
- The Device column lists the name for the device or the name of the driver
- The PNP Device ID column lists device IDs, such as Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) ID, ISA ID, etc
- The Error Code column lists the error code associated with this specific problem.
Using the device name, you should use the information in the Setupapi.log file, located in the %SystemRoot% folder to determine the cause of an unknown device.
Use Unknown Device Tool
You can check out Unknown Device Tool. It is a small utility available at Sourceforge that was written to provide computer technicians with a simple way to identify those “Unknown Device” devices that show up in Microsoft Windows after a fresh install.
Run the portable app and all the Hardware Devices that are listed as Unknown Devices will be listed.
However, this app only displays PCI and AGP devices. It cannot help with ISA-based devices or original PCMCIA cards. Moreover, it shows all devices found in the Windows registry, including devices that no longer exist.
Use Unknown Device Identifier
There is another freeware Unknown Device Identifier.
This tool allows you to identify the Unknown Devices and gives you a detailed summary for the manufacturer name, OEM, device type, device model and even the exact name of the unknown devices.
How to fix Unknown Device in Device Manager
To fix this issue, obtain an updated driver for the device via Windows Update or by a direct download from the internet. This post offers more suggestions on what you can do if you see a Yellow Exclamation Point next to a device in Device Manager.
You can also use the Driver Verifier Manager to troubleshoot Driver Problems.
NOTE: This post will show you how to find, download, and install Drivers for Unknown Devices or Hardware.
Additional resources:
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