Computer does not recognize USB? How to fix the error?

When using a computer - laptop, USB is a device used daily to back up and transfer data for study and work. But surely many users encounter the situation where the computer does not recognize the USB . And of course, many people think that the USB is broken and go buy a new USB. Don't waste it like that, if you encounter a situation where the computer does not recognize the USB, try the following solutions immediately! This is a summary of the reasons why the computer does not recognize the USB and the fastest and simplest ways to fix the USB not recognized that TipsMake has compiled!

1. The USB port is covered with dust, causing poor contact.

In a hot, humid, dusty climate like in Vietnam - taking your laptop outside to use regularly is a reason why your laptop can easily get dust and dirt on it, causing the USB to not be recognized . And of course, with an exposed USB port without any cover or protection, this is even more likely to happen. If you are unlucky enough to find yourself in a situation where your computer does not recognize the USB, the first thing to do is to clean the USB port of your computer or laptop. It's very simple, just take a dry cotton swab and clean the outside of the USB slot. For the deep corners, use a small toothpick to remove all the dirt and then use a cleaning brush to brush away all the dirt.

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Note: Do not use non-specialized solutions or liquids to avoid causing the USB port to short-circuit. This will make things worse, right?

2. Software conflicts with the system

After cleaning but not solving the problem, we may have to think about the software conflict. This case can also happen if you have used USB normally before. The computer only does not recognize the USB after you have installed a new software or application. To check and eliminate, you turn off the applications running on Windows and plug in the USB to check. The most common way to fix this problem is to use the Windows Taskmanager feature.

To open Taskmanager, on Windows 10, press the shortcut key combination Ctrl + Alt + Dell. Click on Task Manager. On the Task manager window that appears, select the software you want to turn off and then click End Task to turn it off.

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3. Due to virus infection

It is not too much to say that USB is an intermediary for transmitting viruses from one computer to another. Downloading unsafe files from the Internet or copying files from other computers accidentally causes your computer or laptop to be infected with viruses without you knowing. If your computer has virus scanning software installed, run a scan to kill these uninvited guests. This is also an effective way to fix the problem of USB not being recognized .

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You can refer to: How to freeze USB to avoid virus infection!

4. Computer is missing USB driver

Driver is the language that makes the computer communicate with external peripheral devices. And if your computer lacks a driver - of course it will not be able to recognize and work with USB. To install and update USB Driver for your computer - please perform the following operations:

Step 1: Right-click on the Window icon in the left corner of the screen, select Device Manager. 

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Step 2: Find the Universal Serial Bus controllers line, right-click and select Scan for hardware changes.

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The usb update process will take place completely automatically.

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After the driver is updated, you just need to reset the computer to fix the USB not being recognized problem .

5. USB port is locked

Whether it is intentional or not, it is very likely that your computer does not recognize the USB because the USB port is locked. The operation to unlock the USB port will be somewhat more complicated than the above methods. Please follow the instructions below:

Access Registry Edit: Open the Run window (press Window + R) and enter regedit

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Find and access the path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesUSBSTOR

Click Start and edit Value data:

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In there :

1. If the value is 4, it means the computer is locking the USB port.
2. If the value is 3, it means the computer has unlocked the USB port.

6. Error or duplicate USB name symbol on computer

If the USB drive letter is not displayed correctly or is the same as the name of other drives on the computer or laptop, it means that the USB will not be able to function normally. To fix this problem, we can rename the USB symbol so that it can be displayed on the computer.

Step 1: Right click on the Window icon in the left corner > select Disk Management

Step 2: In Storage, select Disk Management > Right-click on the USB drive > Select Change Drive Letters and Paths.

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Step 3: Select Add

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Step 4: Select the box Assign the following drive letter > select the character as you like > Click OK to complete

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Above are all the ways to fix the error of the computer not recognizing USB . To be more sure, after performing the above operations, you should restart the computer to update the changes. Good luck! 

Isabella Humphrey

Update 16 January 2025