How do I get my computer to recognize a USB device?

Issue: The computer fails to recognize the USB device.

"I have an 8GB Transcend flash drive. When I insert it into my laptop for data transfer, it doesn't get detected, and I can't see it in My Computer. Why is this happening, and are there any fix methods I can try to get the USB device recognized?"

Have you ever encountered issues where a USB device is not recognized? The symptoms can vary in different scenarios. You might

• You receive an USB device not recognized error in the bottom right corner with the message "The last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it."
• You see an Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) error in Device Manager.
• No error messages, but your USB drive simply doesn't show up in File Explorer (My Computer in Windows 10).

First Aid: Seek Help from a Professional USB Repair Service

Before attempting any DIY fixes for an unrecognized USB device, consider professional data recovery and disk repair services. Expert data recovery services can salvage damaged, mechanically failed, physically broken, or worse, hard drives/USBs/Desktops/Laptops. Contact us now to initiate the data recovery process.

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5 Ways to Get Your Computer to Recognize a USB Device

Here are some useful ways to get your computer to recognize a USB device.

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1. Check if the USB device is recognized on another laptop

If it still doesn't show up, that might mean the USB device is damaged. You'd need to perform a check and repair disk errors then. If the device is detected, proceed to the next step to diagnose and solve the problem.

2. Run the device troubleshooting program

Step 1: Click the “Start” button, select “Control Panel,” type “troubleshooter” in the search box, and then click “Troubleshooting” > “Hardware and Sound” > “Set up a device.”

Step 2: Follow the on-screen instructions. If any issues are found, click Apply this fix.

This could help if you're missing other important hardware updates in Windows due to a software issue or malware interference. If not, proceed to the next step.

3. Uninstall and reinstall the USB controller

Step 1: Open Device Manager.

Step 2: Expand the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” folder. Right-click on one of the devices and select “Uninstall.” Repeat this for each device.

Step 3. Restart your computer, and the USB controller should automatically reinstall.

If the issue is caused by the current USB driver becoming unstable or damaged, your computer should now recognize the USB device. If the issue persists, continue to Step 4.

4. Disable USB Selective Suspend Setting

Step 1: Click the “Start” button, type “power plan” in the search box, and then click “Choose a power plan.”

Step 2: Next to the plan you're currently subscribed to, click on Change plan settings.

Step 3: Click “Change advanced power settings.”

Step 4. Select to expand USB Settings > USB Selective Suspend Setting.

Step 5: Click the dropdown menu next to Connected and select Disable.

Step 6: If you're on a laptop, select “Battery,” then choose “Disabled” from the drop-down menu.

Step 7: Choose Apply > OK.

This will help your computer recognize the USB device and prevent external hard drives from sleeping.

5. Recover Data and Reformat the USB Drive to Make It Recognizable

The above are the troubleshooting steps you can try to get your computer to recognize your USB device. If none of these work, we recommend that you recover your data first with the Data Recovery Wizard, then format the USB drive to fix it.

Tool to recover data can restore files from unaccessible hard drive and retrieves data from corrupted, formatted and RAW drives.

Step 1: Select the USB drive to scan

Run the Data Recovery Wizard, select your USB drive where you lost files, and click “Scan” to start.

Step 2: Preview and Check the Data on USB Drive

After the scan is complete, you can use the filters and search options to locate specific types of files quickly.

Step 3: Recover Files from Flash Drive

Once the scan is complete and lost USB drive files are found, click “Recover” to restore them. Save the recovered files to a secure location on your computer instead of the USB drive.

Video Tutorial: How to Fix the "USB Not Recognized" Error

We also have a video guide on how to fix and get your USB recognized by your computer.

Frequently Asked Questions on Troubleshooting USB Device Recognition Issues in Computers

Here are three additional questions that might help you identify how to get your computer to recognize the USB drive:

How do I fix the issue of USB devices not being recognized on Windows 10?

There are six ways to fix the USB device not recognized issue on Windows 11/10/8:

1. Unplug your computer from the power outlet.
2. Try a different USB port.
3. Uninstall the USB device driver.
4. Update the USB device driver.
5. Change the USB selective suspend settings.
6. Repair the USB root hub.

How do I fix the issue of a USB device not showing files?

It's possible that the files on your USB drive are hidden. You can unhide them using several methods:

1. Unhide files on the USB drive using Windows Explorer. 2. Recover hidden files with a USB recovery software tool. 3. Unhide files through the Command Prompt (CMD). 4. Check and fix errors on the USB flash drive.

Why isn't my USB device showing up on my computer?

There could be several reasons why your USB device is not showing up on your computer:

• 1. Your computer's USB port is damaged.
• 2. You forgot to turn on the USB device.
• 3. The cable connecting your USB device is faulty.
• 4. Your USB device requires repair.