Is a USB port not working on your Windows 10 computer? With our instructions you will get to the bottom of the problem.
- If a USB port works on Windows 10 computers, this can have various reasons.
- We’ll show you how to approach the cause and solve the problem.
USB connections are currently the standard for operating peripheral devices. Whether keyboard, mouse, printer, webcam, external hard drives and much more – if under Windows 10 the usb port doesn’t work, that’s no small matter.
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In order to solve USB problems, as is so often the case, an approach based on the exclusion principle is required. There are a number of possible causes for a non-functioning USB port.
In order to solve your USB problem, we recommend that you check the following possible causes in turn. This almost always enables a non-functioning USB port to be activated.
Step 1: Remove the end device and reconnect
Windows 10 uses the “plug & play” principle for USB and automatically sets up connected devices. Occasional recognition problems are not that rare. Therefore, first pull out your USB plug and plug it into the USB socket again. If you have multiple USB ports, you can also switch to another slot. This too sometimes works wonders.
Step 2: Restart Windows 10 computer
In the case of many problems, a restart will help, as all existing chipsets and devices will be reinitialized. Often this also dissolves USB problems into thin air.
Step 3: Cross test – change device and computer
If your device is also not recognized on another computer, this is a strong indication that it is not due to your USB connection. If another USB device is then recognized without any problems at the USB port that was initially on strike, the problem is not with the USB port and Windows 10.
Step 4: Outdated USB port for USB 3.x or USB 4.x device?
Make sure that your USB port supports the version required for the connected device. Version 4.0 of USB is now available and not all devices that work with USB 3.0 and higher are downward compatible or also work with older connections.
Step 5: Check the drivers and install them if necessary
As a rule, Windows 10 recognizes USB devices and automatically installs the necessary drivers without any additional effort. For many USB devices there are so-called “legacy” drivers (standard drivers), as well as driver versions specially adapted by the manufacturer. Sometimes this also includes certain setting or control software. This is the rule with webcams.
In a separate manual we explain how you can install the latest version of the drivers required for your device. Take this opportunity to check the installed driver for your USB controller. This can also be out of date and cause problems.
Step 6: Perform system repair with SFC and DISM
In rare cases the problem is not the USB connection itself, but the failure of a recognized device to be integrated into the operating system due to faulty system files. Performs a. As shown in our specific guide automatic system check with SFC and DISM. Maybe your USB problem will vanish into thin air.
Step 7: possibly undo Windows 10 update
Faulty Windows 10 updates have already made headlines several times, saying that initially functioning drivers were rendered unusable. If your USB connection worked with a certain device so far and gave up the ghost immediately after an update, this could be the problem. By turning back a major update or the manual Uninstalling minor updates you can solve the problem with a little luck.
Do not torment you USB, but Bluetooth-Problem? Then the linked article will help.
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