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USB Device Not Recognized in Windows 8: How to Fix it
Check expert solutions to get things running!
2 min. read
Updated onMay 13, 2024
updated onMay 13, 2024
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Key notes
Recently, many had this issue with where every time they plugged in aUSBdevice, all the others stopped working. It kept displaying the prompt that theUSBdevice was not recognized in Windows 8.
The problem affects all iterations of the OS, including Windows 7, Windows 10, and Windows 11. And the solutions, too, remain similar. Keep reading to find out!
What can I do if the USB device is not recognized in Windows 8?
1. Update the driver
Oftenupdating the driveris the quickest solution when a USB device is not working. Each of these has a dedicated driver, and even though Windows should automatically install them when the device is connected, you may sometimes need tomanually install the driver.
While updating the drivers, it’s best you let Windows take care of it or use adedicated driver update toolsince the manual method often leads to more problems, if an unstable or incorrect driver is installed.
2. Scan for hardware changes
Often you find that a USB device is not recognized in Windows 8 when there have been changes to the hardware configuration. In this case, you can quickly check and register them to fix things.
3. Reset the BIOS
In computers, resetting the BIOS can be done either by removing the battery from the motherboard or via a dedicatedClear CMOSswitch.
Since the process is different for all manufacturers, we recommend you head to the official website for the exact steps. The process is intricate and needs to be performed properly.
If none of these methods work when the USB device is not recognized in Windows 8, then you could be dealing with a faulty device or USB controller. Try a differentUSB cable/device or visit your computer technician and ask for a diagnosis.
Before you leave, find out how toupdate the graphics driverand get better performance from apps.
Tell us which fix worked for you in the comments section below.
More about the topics:USB issues,windows 8
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
