Sometimes, when you plug a USB device to your Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 7 computer, you may receive a USB Device Not Recognized pop up message. If your USB device is not detected, then this post will show you how you can troubleshoot the issue. You may follow these suggested solutions in any order you think is bets suited for your version of Windows OS.
USB Device Not Recognized
On a Windows 10 computer you may see the following message:
The last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and Windows does not recognize it. Try reconnection the device. If Windows still does not recognize it, your device may not be working properly.
1] A simple restart of the Windows computer can sometimes solve this problem. Unplug your USB, restart you computer and plug in and see if it works now. If it does not, shut down your computer, wait for a few minutes and then start your computer again.
2] To avoid a possible conflict between two connected USB Devices, disconnect your other USB’s, connect this one and see if it helps.
3] Run devmgmt.msc to open Device Manager. Under Action tab, select Scan for hardware changes and see if it helps.
3] Check if you need to update your drivers. Open Control Panel > Printers and devices. Check if you can see any entry for Unidentified USB device or Unknown Device. Open its Properties and update its driver, if an update is found to be available.
4] From the Device Manager, under USB Root Hub Properties, uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. See if this helps. If not check it back again.
5] Run the Hardware and Device Troubleshooter or the Windows USB Troubleshooter and check if it helps. The automated tools check the hardware or USB connected to the computer for any known issues and fix them automatically.
6] If you are using Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2012, there is a specific issue that affected this version of Windows. This could happen, if your USB port gets disabled after you safely remove the device from the port. Download and request a hotfix from KB2830154 if you face this issue.
7] If its your USB 3.0 device that are not being recognized, see this post on USB 3.0 External Hard Drive not recognized in Windows. Also see this post USB Devices not working in Windows.
8] This post will help you if your External Hard Drive is not detected.
Hope something helps.
Have more tips on this? Let us know them via comments section below.
Related read: Fix Unknown USB Device error message on Windows 10.
I on some occasions encounter such Windows 7 dialogue box when one or more USB drives have been attached to a laptop for too much continuous time; usually then one or more of your suggestions as in your article does the trick.
But every once in a while, when the USB in question gets recognized again, I run HDDScan (a third-party portable) which can also scan USBs; sometimes at the end of such a scan, I see numerous “red” (bad) sectors on the USB having greater than 500ms read times (which certainly is yet another way a USB might become “unrecognizable” as its sectors appear unresponsive).
Why don’t MS fix this problem at once?? This so called “hotfix” or manual fix is to much trouble for ordinary users, and they are the ones that suffer the most from MS mistake.
I have >9 external HD:s and >6 external units like cameras, phones, USB-memorysticks that I’ll use on a daily basis and I cannot fix all of this manually.
This is bad customer service from MS!!
HEY ppl i don’t know what wrong with my computer i don’t even plugged in any kind of USB’s and is sows me ( Unknown device, device not recognized and its a code 43 ) I don’t know what it is pleas help its very creepy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXNzz4Ngc8s
this is the solution for it inshallah if anyone got question i will try my best to help out
This problem is totally frustrating me. I’ve tried all of the solutions above and none of them are working. Initially, the Microsoft Fixer solved the issue but not anymore. I really don’t want to have to buy another mouse. Are there any other fixes that can be tried, I’m at my wit’s end. Thank you so much
I try fix it but not solved I need help
Hello,
I tried all the tips above except for the hotfix. None of them helped. In case of the hotfix solution I received the error message the it is not applicable on my computer.
Could you please help further?
Thank you.
Hey.. Seb. It might be some of your pc hardware device, whose driver might not be installed properly. It might be your card reader device, or finger print reader, or somethin like that, just go to your device manager ,then check if there is somethin showin on other devices category. and update that device driver
Dell MIG41R M/B – JL1117 Motherboard.
*Disabled* Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller – 27CC
*Left* 27C8-27CB enabled.
Unknown USB Device changed to —> USB Mass Storage Device
Drive mounted, and functions now.
I don”t find the USB Root Hub Properties…
fuck yourself
check your mothers panties
i have a insignia ns-bbar need help reinstalling it
usb device have problem. change the device & check the antivirus
all has been done but still can not
flash time yesterday revoked without eject and when put back flashdisk not recognized or not Recognize or unknown device
please what’s the solution
thank you
masterwinkom
yasirmaster
After trying several weeks of trying different solutions from online that didn’t work , I just performed a Clean Boot startup and that solved the problem. Like this:
On the Start menu, click Run. A Run window (command prompt) appears.
Type msconfig in the Open field and click OK. The System Configuration Utility opens.
Click the General tab.
Select the “Selective Startup” option.
Deselect the “Load Startup Items” checkbox.
Click the Services tab.
Make sure that “Hide All Microsoft Services” is selected.
Click Disable All.
Click OK.
Click Restart.
The USB update will be installed and then do the same process and click normal startup and restart your system.
Try this method I posted above and below and tell us the outcome. Thanks.
On the Start menu, click Run. A Run window (command prompt) appears.
Type msconfig in the Open field and click OK. The System Configuration Utility opens.
Click the General tab.
Select the “Selective Startup” option.
Deselect the “Load Startup Items” checkbox.
Click the Services tab.
Make sure that “Hide All Microsoft Services” is selected.
Click Disable All.
Click OK.
Click Restart.
The USB software or update will be installed and then do the same process and click normal startup and restart your system.
i currrently am using an on-screen keyboard because my computer wont recognize my usb keyboard therefore i am locked out of my administrator account. someone please help!
when i get that message – my pendrive will never work .i lost 1-2 memory card readers with that messge .any help
i have 3.0 usb hub having 7 ports. In all 7, 3.0 hdd is detecting but 2.0 usb device such as gamepad,bluetooth etc is not detecting. How ???
I FOUND ALL THE OPTIONS GIVEN ABOVE AND TRIED ALL OF THEM BUT ITS STILL SAYING DEVICE NOT RECOGNIZED, GIVING ERROR CODE 43
I had a problem installing a kingston data traveler 32gb flash drive
It showed up as ‘other device’ in Device manager
Had ‘Access is denied’ message When installing driver
I had to remove AVG antivirus (It was corrupted)
Had to use AVG remover tool – http://www.avg.com/us-en/utilities?ECID=af:cj
To remove AVG
The only thing that worked for me was to restore my lap top to a previous restore point
on windows 8 go to contol panel and recovery ( bottom right) and restore to a previous update point it takes about 20 minutes but recovers all drivers including ipod ipad and usb drivers . I had spent over 1 hour transferring my usb material over to my one drive and emailing to myself on a friends computer then found this but at least all my work is now backed up
see my solution
try my solution
try my solution found this out today
pls say
This is what he means https://www.thewindowsclub.com/usb-device-not-recognized#comment-1702280379
I am a she not a he!!!!
its a bad update from Microsoft i spent 1 hour in chat and they couldn’t fix it then iTunes didn’t recognise my ipod so spent an hour in chat with them eventually after backing up everything onto my one drive i was desperate to fix it as i have most of my work on usb drives which meant as a freelancer i was losing work as i tavel. I restored my laptop back to before the 8.1 update and waited about 20 minutes for it to finish then rebooted my laptop now everything works and its a lot faster
Very Nice and Full guide for more in new window, You can see this one. may be helpful for all
http://www.toptechlive.com/2014/11/error-fix-usb-device-not-recognized.html
i do not find eject, safe remover icon inaction area
After spending too many hours and $$$ for tech support I found that this simple fix worked for my Sony VAIO laptop. Hope it works for you too. https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/39144/p/48903,49902,53532,53598/c/65,66/kw/unknown%20usb%20device
its worked thank wizinit 😀
I have had this issue happen to me with a few different USB devices (flash drives) and have been able to solve it every time by doing the following: Finding another computer on which the device will open properly, ejecting the device properly, and then connecting the device to the computer that previously stated it was not recognized. Then voila! It is now recognized. This has happened to me about 5 times with two different devices, and this method has not failed for me so far.
Your solution sucks. I don’t have a restore point.
I don’t know how this happened to me. None of these worked. Ive been looking for hours for a solution and, nothing.
You can create a restore point ! Nice comment how polite !
I have a laptop windows 8.1 and if I connect my printer it says usb not recognized what should I do
I followed the above description of going to Printers and Devices to update driver but the option was ‘grayed’ out. My work and personal mobiles won’t connect either (including to other PCs as well as my laptop). Anybody have any ideas? Thanks x
i have issue with asus zenfone driver and sorry that did not help
The odd thing here is that I spent two days searching for a solution and trying to fix this and not once did I ever find a link to the “hotfix.” So I’ll try that. I’ve tried all the above things and a few more ( minus the ho fix, but the best that happened for me is that I got it to work, BUT like some sadistic game made to uplift you just so you can have farther to fall, the problem comes back as soon as the computer is idol. Also, when I go into device manager and do anything windows 8.1 waits for me to shut the PC off and when turned back on it gives me the middle finger and resets all the settings in which was problematic….
i have tryed many many solutions without sucess, but the solution its very simple, just plug your external drive to a linux os and works fine no go back to windows and all works fine to,
I uninstalled the unknown device, but it’s still showing up sometimes and makes my mouse stop. Really annoying, when it dose not show that “USB Device Not Recognized” warning, the device isn’t showing it’s self in device menager.
I have the same problem you all have with ” USB device not recognized”. The thing with my computer though is that I can connect my USB mouse/keyboard and that works fine. But if I connect an external HD or USB flash drive or even my iphone it does not work. it does not see these other external devices except for my mouse/keyboard. I suspect it is an internal hardware problem. Any thoughts? Please share. Thank you.
I have a TFGHT COMPRESSED NOTICE AND MY COMPUTER DOES NOT BOOT UP. HAVING READ ABOUT THE PROBLEM ON LINE, iI DOWNLOADED THE REPAIR USB FROM WINDOWS. HOWEVER, THE COMPUTER DOES NOT RECOGNISE IT WHEN I TRY TO FIX THE BOOT UP PROBLEM WITH IT. ANY IDEAS_
Ah, Windows 10. The first OS to force itself upon me. Win 7 was working just fine. Did Apple and Google recruit away all of MS’s good programmers?
My usb DAC (schiit modi) worked fine in windows 7 made the jump to win 10 and didnt like it, went back to win 7 and now when I plug usb dac in it says error 43. I have tried a lot of things. I removed all the hubs and drivers, all usb devices restarted, turned off power management , and so many other things. The only other error i can detect from going back to 7 is there are a lot of things set to read only that will not let me change them back even as admin> any help at all i would be in your debt. If you check google and youtube for error code 43, or usb devices not recognized i have tried it so please no unplug plug it back in or windows fix it suggestions, thanks in advance.
This does not answer my question. What is happening is that I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, when it is dead, and I plug it into charge on my Windows 10 computer, I receive a “USB Device Not Recognized” error. It is not recognized because it is turned off, if I turn it on it is recognized no problem. I want to disable this message popup and its annoying sound. I know why the device is not recognized, I know it is not going to be recognized until it is charged, I do not need my computer to tell me about it every 3 seconds. How can this feature be permanently disabled.
THANK YOU! THIS WORKED PERFECTLY!!
if still not working, i’ve tried this way to recognized usb port.
1. open your device manager in control panel
2. in USB controller drop down list, uninstall ALL the usb hub/device, except the ones with Intel(R) –> do not uninstall this, okay!
3. unplug your usb cable devices
4. plug your usb cable device, wait for a moment and be patient, may be it will take long time to re-install the usb driver
5. InsyaAllah your problems will be fixed, as mine 🙂
Thanks
*sorry for my bad english*
Hi, I am encountering a problem with connecting smartphone with my comp. It’s samsung one and after the drivers are installed, the dialogue box saying “The USB device not recognized” pops. The problem is that I can’t flash my phone from sdcard because some system files are probably damaged so the only way to repair them is via computer (ODIN or even something else) but these ways are also not passable, what should I do? Thanks
Hi all. My 5 cents. Tried all, updating drivers, disabling power savings, etc. What worked for me is renaming external drive. Right click on start -> Disk Management -> click on unnamed drive of same/similar size -> Action -> All Tasks -> Change Drive Letter and Paths. Chose any letter and add.
I am currently having to type this with my touchscreen keyboard because my other keyboard is not connecting to my computer. For some reason however, my mouse, speaker, and printer are all able to connect to my computer without a problem. I tried everything here and have been trying for 3 days now without any luck. What can I do to get my keyboard to reconnect?