The cases of USB devices not working in Windows 10 are reported more frequently after Windows update. However, this problem can occur at any other time and you can find below the steps to fix the USB device not working issue in Windows 10.
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USB device not working in Windows 10
The USB device not working Windows 10 issue can be related to various issues ranging from outdated device drivers and power management settings to USB devices not loading or loading inconsistently on a Windows computer.
Before proceeding with the steps to fix USB device not working issue in Windows 10, you should rule out the possibility that the USB device itself is faulty.
Remove the USB device from your computer and connect it to another computer and see if it works. If it works, then the device is fine and you can follow the steps below to fix the problem on your computer.
1. Power flushing the computer
USB devices not working Windows 10 issue can be due to minor software bugs or stuck programs and processes.
1. Turn off your computer by pressing power button.
2. After the computer turns off, disconnect the computer from its power supply Source.
3. Wait 5 minutes and Start anew the computer
2. Uninstall the faulty device driver
1. Right-click beginning button and then click device manager.
2. On the Device Manager screen, expand for Universal serial bus controller > Right click on the Unknown device and click Uninstall device Possibility.
3. Click on the confirmation popup OK confirm.
4. Repeat the above steps for other affected devices (if any) and Start anew your computer.
Once your computer restarts, Windows 10 will automatically load the correct drivers as needed.
3. Change the power management setting for the USB root hub
To save power, Windows 10 tends to turn off power to unused USB ports and this can cause the USB devices not working issue in Windows 10.
1. Right-click Start button and click device manager Possibility.
2. On the Device Manager screen, right-click USB distributor and click Characteristics.
3. On the Properties screen, click power management Uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save battery” and click OK.
4. Repeat the above steps for other USB root hubs (if any) and Start anew your computer.
4. Disable fast startup
While the Fast Startup feature in Windows 10 helps the computer boot up in no time (YES! faster than Mac), this feature can sometimes cause USB devices to not load or not load consistently (ON and OFF).
If you find that USB devices sometimes work and sometimes don’t, disabling fast startup may fix the problem on your computer
1. Open settings > click system Symbol.
2. On the system screen, click Performance & Sleep in the left pane. In the right pane, scroll down and next Additional power settings Shortcut.
2. On the Power Options screen, click Choose what the power buttons do Shortcut.
3. On the next screen, scroll down to “Shutdown Settings” and uncheck the box Turn on fast startup Possibility.
4. Click on save Changes Button.
Now restart your computer and check if the USB device works on your computer now.
5. Check for updates
Check if an update is available for your computer. If an update is available, Windows will also install the latest available USB port drivers on your computer.
1. Click on that Start button > Settings icon > Updates & Security.
2. On the Update & Security screen, click windows update in the left pane, and then click Check for updates Button.
3. Let Windows check for available updates and install them on your computer
If updates are available, the latest available device drivers will also be installed on your computer.
6. Disable the USB selective suspend setting
By default, the Windows computer is set to save power by cutting off power to external USB devices when they are idle.
However, this power saving setting can sometimes cause problems like error code 43 and USB device not recognized in Windows 10.
1. Go to settings > system > Performance & Sleepscroll down and click Additional power settings Shortcut.
2. On the Power Options screen, click Change plan settings Link next to the current power plan.
5. Then click on Change advanced power settings Shortcut.
6. On the next screen, click USB settings > Setting for selective USB suspend and select disabled Option for “Plugged In” and also for “On Battery” if you are using a laptop.
7. Click on OK to save the above settings.
