Posted by The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is the gold standard for connecting most portable devices to a computer. Whether it’s a keyboard, a camera, a portable hard drive, or even a small desk fan, you’ll likely need a USB cable to connect it and supply power. Diagnosing a device or USB 3.0 port not working on Windows 11 or 10 PC can be challenging. If you don’t know how to solve the problem, follow this guide.
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is the gold standard for connecting most portable devices to a computer. Whether it’s a keyboard, a camera, a portable hard drive, or even a small desk fan, you’ll likely need a USB cable to connect it and supply power.
USB plug-and-play technology makes it easy to connect various devices to your Windows 11 PC, but what if something goes wrong? If your USB drive stops working in Windows 11, there could be several reasons, from a damaged cable to missing drivers (and many others). To help you out, here are 11 troubleshooting tips you can try to fix if your USB drive isn’t working on Windows 11.
USB 3.0 Doesn’t Work; Why?
It can be difficult to determine why your USB isn’t working. This is because there are several reasons why your USB 3.0 might not be working. These reasons include, but are not limited to, Windows updates and incorrect BIOS settings. Here are a few of the most common reasons for this error:
Faulty USB 3.0 port The USB 3.0 port on your computer may be damaged. If your computer has recently been dropped or liquid has been spilled on it, this could be the root cause.
- Incompatible USB ports: When you connect a USB 3.0 drive to a USB 2.0 or 1.0 port, your computer is unlikely to load the drive information for you.
- Windows Update: Many users have reported that their USB 3.0 is not working after the recent Windows 11 update. So, if you recently updated your system, you may have changed some permission settings. Bugs or technical glitches after the update can also cause this problem.
- BIOS Settings: A recent update or other program may have changed your computer’s BIOS settings. Your USB 3.0 may also stop working if your computer’s BIOS drivers are out of date.
- USB Drivers: Corrupt or outdated Windows USB drivers will prevent your USB 3.0 devices from working. Drivers can become corrupted for various reasons, such as system crashes or malware attacks.
- Damaged file system: If your USB 3.0 is not working, your file system may be corrupt. Without a valid file system, Windows will not be able to recognize and handle USB 3.0 drives.
Technique 1: Update the USB 3.0 driver using Windows Update
If your USB 3.0 port is not working, the driver associated with it may be damaged or missing. Luckily, updating your Windows system with the latest drivers can help reinstall them.
- Click the Start button, and then select Settings under Pinned.
- Click “Windows Update” in the left menu. In Windows 10, you need to go to Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update.
- Select More Options > More Updates.
- Click the Driver Updates section to expand it and select any USB 3.0 driver updates for your computer.
- Click “Download and Install” and wait a few minutes for the driver to complete the process.
- Restart your computer.
Technique 2: Use Device Manager to Install USB 3.0 Driver
- Press Win + R and type devmgmt.msc in the Run window to open Device Manager.
- Search the Universal Serial Bus Controllers and expand it.
- If you view the USB Root Hub (USB 3.0)” listed, then right-click the driver and Choose Uninstall Device.
- If you see multiple options for “USB Root Hub (USB 3.0)”, remove each one.
- From the top menu, select Actions > Check for Hardware Changes.
- Your Windows PC should start searching for an updated USB Root Hub driver (USB 3.0) to install it.
- If “USB Root Hub (USB 3.0)” doesn’t show up in Device Manager at all, you should still go to “Action -> Check for Hardware Changes.” If the driver is corrupted or somehow removed, this will allow you to find the correct driver.
- Restart your computer.
Alternative Way to Fix the USB 3.0 Port Not Working Windows 11, 10 Issue
If the quick solutions above do not solve the USB 3.0 not working problem, the problem may be serious. You don’t have to worry, as any software problem can be easily fixed like FreeViewer USB Blocker Tool to easily to restrict access to USB ports. We have selected the following four methods from many available on the Internet to quickly and safely resolve the USB 3.0 not working problem:
- First, download and run the USB Block or Unblock tool. Now enter a valid email ID to get an OTP (one-time password).
- Immediately check your email for an OTP; copy or write an OTP.
- Type or paste the OTP that you will receive into your email address. Then click the “Validate” button.
- Once the OTP is verified, you will see a pop-up window informing you that your email address has been successfully verified.
- After this, you need to create a master password. Therefore, enter your master password and repeat it to confirm.
- After creating the master password, you will receive a pop-up notification that the user registration was successful.
- Now click the “Block” button to block the USB port of your system.
- In the next window, enter the administrator password (user system password) and the master password you created during registration.
- Now, to unlock the USB port, click the Unblock button.
- Enter the administrator password (user system password) and master password again to unlock the USB port.
Tips for Ensuring USB 3.0 Devices Work Properly
Once the USB 3.0 not working issue is resolved, take extra precautions to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Drives are often fragile pieces of equipment that can be permanently damaged if not properly cared for. Follow these tips to ensure USB 3.0 devices work properly:
- Latest USB drivers: Check for updates periodically to make sure your Windows USB drivers are up-to-date. If this is too difficult, you can use tools like the USB Locker Tool.
- USB 3.0 Ports: It is also important to use only USB 3.0 ports to connect USB 3.0 devices. You should also make sure that the port you are using is not damaged.
- Safely Remove: Do not plug or unplug USB 3.0 drives at will. After connecting the device to the system, be sure to click “Eject” to safely remove the device.
If you want to learn how to recover delete files from portable device, then click on this URL
Conclusion
It’s important to know how to fix USB 3.0 not working, especially if you don’t have a better drive for storing your data. Since USB 3.0 drivers often cause device crashes, USB Blocker can solve this problem for you. After downloading and installing this tool, you will not face any problems with your system drivers. This will keep them up-to-date and will not damage them.