Fixed: USB Device Malfunctioned and Not Recognized in Windows

6 Fixes| USB Device Malfunctioned and Not Recognized

Here are the solutions to the USB device malfunctioned and is not recognized issue. If you have this USB device error, don't worry. Use the methods below to make your USB recognizable and usable again. These solutions include checking for loose connections, updating drivers, running a virus scan, checking for corrupted files, and using a USB troubleshooter.

The "USB device not recognized" error on Windows computers occurs when a USB device is plugged in, causing it to not show up on the computer and preventing access to data. This error is often followed by different messages in various situations, but the result is the same - the USB device remains inaccessible.

"Windows does not recognize the last USB device connected to this computer."

"A USB device attached to your computer has stopped working, and Windows can't recognize it. Click the message for help to troubleshoot the issue."

How to Fix USB Device Not Recognized in Windows

If your device isn't recognized on your computer, try the following solutions to make it show up again. We recommend trying the methods in sequence as there are many reasons that can cause a Windows failed to recognize the USB device error, and each method is for a specific scenario.

Fix 1. Unplug Your Computer from the Power Source

A simple computer restart can often resolve issues with unrecognized USB devices, as it reboots the motherboard and its connected hardware, including USB ports, which can help resolve temporary power supply issues for external devices.

Step 1. Unplug your computer from the power source to cut its power.

Step 2. To reset your computer, unplug it from the power source, wait for a few minutes, and then plug it back in. This simple process can often resolve issues and get your computer up and running smoothly again.

Step 3. Check if the computer detects the USB device and assigns it a drive letter.

If the fix didn't work, don't panic! Try updating your browser or operating system to the latest version, or clear your browser's cache and cookies. You can also disable any browser extensions or add-ons that might be interfering with the website.

Fix 2. Change the USB Port

If your computer's USB port isn't working, try plugging the device into a different port to see if the issue is with the port or the device itself. If switching ports solves the problem, the issue is likely with the original port, which may be damaged and require repair or replacement.

Fix 3. Uninstall USB Device Driver to Make USB Recognizable

If the USB drivers are unstable or damaged, this method removes those drivers, which may cause all USB ports to become dysfunctional.

Step 1. Right-click on the Windows logo and choose Device Manager.

Step 2. To uninstall USB drivers, find and expand Universal Serial Bus controllers, right-click on any of the USB drivers, and click Uninstall, repeating this process for all USB drivers individually.

Step 3. Restart your PC. The USB drivers will automatically reinstall and solve the corrupted USB devices problem.

Fix 4. Update/Rollback a Device Driver

Try using Device Manager to troubleshoot non-recognizable USB devices, as suggested by many YouTube videos and IT forums. This method might resolve the issue for you.

Step 1. Right-click on the Windows logo and choose Device Manager.

Step 2. The "Universal Serial Bus Controllers" section can be expanded, revealing an item called "Generic USB Hub". Right-clicking on the first "Generic USB Hub" and selecting "Properties" is the next step.

Step 3. Navigate to the "Driver" tab and choose "Update Driver".

Step 4. The two options for searching for driver software are to search online or search your computer.

1. Search automatically for updated driver software

To update the USB device driver, Windows will automatically install the latest driver. Once this process is complete, simply disconnect the USB device, restart the computer, and then reconnect the USB device again, at which point Windows will install the updated driver.

2. Browse my computer for driver software

When you choose this option, you'll need to continue with the pop-up "let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer."

From the list, select Generic USB hub, which is normally the only choice. Click "Next" and then Windows will install the driver for you.

To fix an issue where the error didn't occur when rolling back the driver, instead of selecting "Update Driver" in the "Driver" tab, choose "Roll Back Driver" this time. This will revert to the previous driver, potentially resolving the problem.

If the changes made on the computer power and the device driver do not take effect, try resetting the USB device, updating the device driver, or reinstalling the device driver to resolve the issue. If these methods also do not work, you can try other troubleshooting methods.

Fix 5. Change the USB Selective Suspend Settings

If your USB is malfunctioning, it's possible that the hub driver is suspending the USB automatically, and changing the USB selective suspend settings could help resolve the issue.

Step 1. Right-click on the Windows icon and click Power Options.

Step 2. In the Choose or customize a power plan window, click Change plan setting.

Step 3. In the Edit Plan Settings window, click Change advanced power settings.

Step 4. In the Power Options window, expand the USB settings and disable both the "On battery" and "Plugged in" settings for USB selective suspend.

Step 5. Click Apply and then OK to save the settings.

Fix 6. Fix USB Root Hub

The USB root hub is a software driver that enables multiple USB peripherals to connect to a computer, allowing data to be shared across devices through multiple root hubs. If your computer can't recognize your USB drive, try troubleshooting the USB root hub as it may be the cause of the issue.

Step 1. To access the Universal Serial Bus controllers in the Device Manager, follow these steps: Open Device Manager, find the Universal Serial Bus controllers option, and single-click it to expand it. This will list all USB devices connected to your computer, allowing you to view and manage them.

Step 2. To access the USB Root Hub properties, navigate to the Device Manager, find the USB Root Hub option in the list of categories, right-click it, and select Properties from the context menu.

Step 3. To disable the power management for a device, go to the Power Management tab, uncheck the box that says "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power", and click OK to save the changes.

Fix 7. Turn to Remote USB Repair Service

If you're unable to fix your USB drive, you can seek the help of experts. Our team of USB repair specialists can quickly and easily resolve your issues.

Further Troubleshooting: Data Recovery from USB Flash Drive 

The "USB device malfunctioned and not recognized" error can be resolved through six possible solutions. Firstly, restarting the computer can resolve the issue.

If one of the fixes worked, you should be able to access your USB and use the saved data on it again.

If you've resolved the issue but find missing data on your USB flash drive, you can use third-party software like Qiling disk data recovery to retrieve your data, even if the device doesn't show up on your computer but appears in Disk Management, which works well in Windows 10/8/7/XP and previous versions.

Step 1. Choose the USB drive to scan

Launch Deep Data Recovery and choose file types, then click "Next" to begin the process.

Step 2. Choose the USB drive to scan

To recover lost files from a USB drive, select the drive where the files were lost, then click the "Scan" button to initiate the scanning process. This will allow the software to search for and identify the lost files.

Step 3. Check and preview USB drive data

After the scanning process is complete, you can easily find a particular type of file by utilizing the Filter feature in conjunction with the Search option.

Step 4. Restore flash drive data

After recovering lost files from your USB drive, click "Recover" to restore them. Save the recovered files to a safe location on your PC, rather than back to the USB drive itself.

When retrieving data from USB devices, save the retrieved files to a secure location to prevent further issues.

Bonus Tip: Format USB to NTFS/FAT32 and Recreate Partition on USB

Some users reported that their USB device started malfunctioning again after a short period of repair. If you're experiencing this issue, formatting and creating a new partition may help resolve the problem.

• To connect and manage a USB device, insert the USB into the computer, right-click on "This PC" or "My Computer," and select "Manage" from the drop-down menu. This will open the Computer Management window, where you can view and manage the USB device.
• To resolve a malfunctioning USB drive, go to Device Manager, select Disk Management, locate the problematic USB drive, right-click on it, and choose Format volume. This will erase all data on the drive and restore it to its original factory settings.
• Finish the format process and set the file system to NTFS or FAT32.

Check if the USB drive shows up on your computer. If not, ensure it's properly inserted and restart your computer. If the issue persists, try using a different USB port or reinstalling the USB driver.

• Open Disk Management, right-click on USB, select Delete Volume, and complete the process.
• If a USB drive shows up as unallocated, you can resolve the issue by right-clicking on it, selecting "New Simple Volume", and following the prompts to set the drive letter and file system (NTFS or FAT32) for it, and then completing the process.

After this, you should be able to access the USB drive on your PC and save data on it again.

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