Computer Not Recognizing USB or Peripheral Devices: How to Fix It

Quick answer: To fix a computer that will not recognise USB or peripheral devices: (1) try another port, cable and the device on another PC to isolate the fault; (2) restart, and power-cycle a laptop (shut down, unplug); (3) in Device Manager, uninstall any entry with a warning icon then Scan for hardware changes to reinstall drivers; (4) disable USB power saving (USB Root Hub > Power Management > untick Allow the computer to turn off this device); (5) turn off USB selective suspend in Power Options; (6) run the Windows troubleshooter; (7) update chipset/USB drivers and Windows. For external drives that are detected but not shown, assign a drive letter in Disk Management.

Common causes

• Faulty or dusty port, or a bad cable.
• Outdated/corrupted USB or chipset drivers.
• Power management turning the port off.
• A missing drive letter (external drives), or the device itself failing.

First checks

1. Try a different port (ideally directly on the PC, not a hub) and a known-good cable.
2. Test the device on another computer.
3. Restart; power-cycle laptops.
4. Gently clean the port.

Fixes in Windows

1. Reinstall drivers: Device Manager > uninstall the device with a warning > Scan for hardware changes.
2. Disable USB power saving: each USB Root Hub > Properties > Power Management > untick the power-off option.
3. USB selective suspend: Control Panel > Power Options > Advanced > USB settings > Disabled.
4. Troubleshooter: Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
5. Update drivers: chipset/USB from the PC or motherboard maker, plus Windows Update.
6. External drive not showing: Disk Management > right-click the disk > Change Drive Letter and Paths > Add.

Still not detected?

If no device works on any port, the USB controller or motherboard may be faulty. If only specific peripherals fail, they may need their own driver or power (powered hub). For a port that detects nothing, see our dedicated guide on fixing a USB port that is not working.