[Fixed] USB Device Not Recognized – What Should I Do?

Jack

By Jack

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USB device not recognized

Once you plug a USB drive into your computer, you will be able to see the message that indicates the USB device is not recognized.

This can be a painful situation for many. That’s because you don’t clearly understand what you should do.

However, don’t worry because there are some effective methods to fix your computer’s “USB device not recognized” error.

USB Device Not Recognized

Here are some solutions to try to fix the “USB device not recognized” issue you see on your computer.

You can follow these steps, pick any convenient solutions from the list, and go ahead with the application. This can provide you with outstanding results at the end of the day.

1. Restart Your Computer to Fix USB Device Not Recognized

Restarting the computer is one of the steps you should do if the computer does not recognize the USB drive.

Restarting the computer will provide you with assistance in overcoming many underlying problems that you have on the computer, as well. You can plug in the USB drive and wait for a few minutes to see if the problem is fixed or not.

If not, you can take out the USB drive, restart your computer and then plug in the USB drive again. Then you will be able to notice how the device is recognized.

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2. Plug The USB Drive To Another Computer

You will not open the USB drive if there is an issue. Then, you will have to see the error “USB device not recognized” on the screen.

This is where you need to go ahead and take appropriate steps to plug the USB drive into another computer. Then you will be able to gain access to the computer. If this process worked, you would need to think about getting your USB drive repaired.

3. Remove The Other USB Drives That You Have Plugged

It is worth removing the other USB devices you have plugged into the computer and seeing how it works. In some instances, a conflict would create this issue. Therefore, you will need to try your best to eliminate your conflict.

Hence, you need to disconnect the other USB drives, plug in your USB drive, and see if it works.

4. Update Drivers Of The USB Port

If the drivers of your USB port are outdated, there is a high possibility for you to come across this issue. That’s where you need to think about updating the USB port drivers.

Here, you are provided with two different options to proceed with. Either you will be able to update the USB port drivers manually, or else you will be able to proceed with an automatic driver update process.

If you decide to update the USB port drivers through the manual process, you need to understand that it is important to keep a lot of patience while getting the job done. That’s because you will go through a risky process that will test your patience.

You should first research the internet and locate the correct drivers that are available for the USB port. Then please download & install those drivers. Installing the incorrect drivers can make things risky.

And if you don’t want to take this risk, you can go ahead with the automatic driver update. This is where you will need to think about getting your hands on a third-party driver update tool.

You will be able to locate many third-party driver update tools available out there on the internet. You can go through the list of tools and find the perfect tool out of them. You will also be able to proceed with the driver update and get the job done.

Here are the steps you must follow while proceeding with the automatic driver update process.

  • You should first download and install a driver updating tool on the computer. Many options are available for you to consider here, too. Out of those options, Driver Easy is one of the best tools available to consider. You can update your drivers effortlessly with the help of Driver Easy. You need to launch Drivereasy and hit on the “Scan Now” button. This will scan your computer and detect the underlying problems with drivers on the computer.
Driver Easy Scan Now
  • Then you will be able to hit on the Update button. You will be able to see the USB port in the list of driver updates that are recommended. Here, you will be able to pick the USB port and proceed only with updating its drivers, or else, you can Update All the missing drivers on your computer. You just need to proceed with the best solution out of what is available to you accordingly.
Fix USB Device Not Recognized with DriverEasy

5. Remove the Power Supply

Removing the power supply will also provide positive results when dealing with the “USB device not recognized” issue on your computer. This can be considered another quick and straightforward solution available for you to consider.

It would help if you made sure that the computer was turned off completely. Most modern computers will not turn off immediately. Therefore, you will need to hit Shut down on your computer and then unplug the computer from the power supply.

This will provide you with assistance in removing the supply of electricity. Then you can keep it for some time, plug it back in and turn on the computer.

Once you do it, you will see how your issue has been fixed. You will proceed with this solution even if you are a non-technical person. And it will help you get the job done accordingly.

6. Fix The USB Root Hub

Fixing the USB root hub is another excellent solution for people dealing with this issue. Follow the steps to improve the USB root hub.

  • You will need to click on your Start button and then enter the Device Manager. Once you locate Device Manager, you should open it.
  • Now you will need to scroll down until you can see the USB Serial Bus Controllers option. You can then expand it. Then you can right-click on the USB Root Hub and then click on properties.
Fix the USB Root Hub to fix USB Device Not Recognized
  • Now you will need to enter the Power Management Tab. You should make sure that you are unclicking the option which indicates that you are ‘Allow the computer to turn off the device to save power.’ You will need to repeat this process for all the USB ports on your computer.
Allow the computer to turn off the device to save power
  • Once you do the job for all the USB ports, you can simply save the settings and move forward to the next step so that you can see whether the issue has been fixed or not.

Recovering Data If The USB Device Not Recognized Issue Is Not Fixed

Now you know some of the most prominent methods available to fix the “USB device not recognized” issue you see on the computer. However, all these methods would not work. In such a situation, you will worry about recovering your data.

Recovering data will not be difficult because you need to seek the assistance of an appropriate data recovery tool. That’s where Tenorshare 4DDiG will be able to assist you.

It is one of the most reputed data recovery applications available out there as of now. You can easily use this tool and recover any data stored in the USB drive.

Key Features of Tenorshare 4DDiG

  • One of the best features of 4DDiG is that it can help you recover data from various storage devices. They include flash drives, hard drives, mobile phones, and memory cards. No matter why you have issues accessing data, you can seek the assistance of 4DDiG and recover them. Then you will be impressed with the results that you see.
  • Tenorshare 4DDiG can help you with recovering more than 1000 different file formats. They include documents, videos, music files, photos, and many more. Your data recovery will not be limited only to USB drives. You will also be able to scan and recover data from your other internal and external storage drives.
  • And you don’t need to be a person with a lot of tech skills to use Tenorshare 4DDiG. You need to use basic computer knowledge and 4DDiG to get the job done. In order to complement you with this, Tenorshare 4DDiG will also provide you with a simple user interface. You will be able to get the work done effortlessly with the support offered by that user interface.
  • You will be able to make data recovery a quick and easy task with the help of Tenorshare 4DDiG. And you are provided with the chance to use 4DDiG for free with the basic version. You can initially try this basic version of the tool. See how it works before you go for the full version.

Steps to Recover Data via Tenorshare 4DDiG

The following steps will teach you how to use 4DDiG and get hold of the deleted or inaccessible files on your USB drive.

  • 1 – Please download and launch 4DDiG on your PC. And choose the drive your data was restored, and then click on the Scan button to proceed.
Tenorshare 4DDiG
  • 2 – Please choose the file you want to recover and click on the Recover button.
4DDiG Scan lost data
  • 3 – Now, select a folder to save your recovered file, and click OK.
Recovering Data If The USB Device Not Recognized Issue Is Not Fixed

You can preview the files from the list and recover them according to your preferences.

FAQs

  1. Why does my computer show the “USB Device Not Recognized” error?
    • The error can be caused by various factors, such as faulty connections, outdated drivers, power-related issues, Device Manager errors, or hardware incompatibility.
  2. Can a faulty USB cable cause the “USB Device Not Recognized” error?
    • Yes, a damaged or defective USB cable can prevent your computer from recognizing the connected device. Make sure to check your cables for any signs of damage.
  3. How do I update USB drivers?
    • You can update USB drivers through the Device Manager. Right-click on the USB device with the error, select “Update driver,” and follow the on-screen instructions.
  4. Should I try connecting the USB device to another computer?
    • Yes, testing the device on another computer can help determine if the issue is specific to your computer or the device itself.
  5. Is it safe to modify registry settings?
    • Modifying registry settings can be risky. Proceed with caution, create backups, and only modify settings if you are confident about the changes you are making.

Conclusion

Encountering the “USB Device Not Recognized” error can be frustrating, but with the right troubleshooting steps, you can resolve it effectively. Start by checking the physical connections, updating USB drivers, and addressing power-related issues.

If necessary, delve into advanced solutions like disabling USB Selective Suspend or modifying registry settings. Remember to proceed cautiously and create backups when modifying the registry.

Jack
Jack

Ten years of experience in information and computer technology. Passionate about electronic devices, smartphones, computers, and modern technology.

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