My computer does not recognise a USB device
You plug something in, such as a printer, mouse or memory stick, and the computer ignores it or says it is not recognised. There are a few steps that fix most cases.
Try the quick things first
- Unplug the device, wait 10 seconds and plug it in again.
- Try a different USB port. On a desktop computer, ports on the back are often more reliable than ones on the front.
- Try a different cable if the device uses one. Some cables only carry power and not data.
- Plug it straight into the computer, not into a hub or a long extension.
- Restart the computer with the device unplugged, then plug it in once it has started.
Check for power problems
Some devices, such as external hard drives and certain hubs, need a lot of power. If your device has its own power lead, make sure it is plugged in and switched on. Unplug other USB items to see if that helps.
Look at the computer's device list
On Windows, right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager. Look for devices with a yellow warning symbol. If you see one, right-click it and look at its options. A choice to update or reinstall the driver may appear. Names differ slightly between versions.
On a Mac, click the Apple menu, hold the Option key and choose System Information, then look for USB in the list on the left. If your device appears there, the Mac can see it.
Test it elsewhere
Try the device on another computer. If it fails there too, the device or cable may be faulty.
Be careful
- Do not use "driver fixer" programs from adverts
- Do not download software from random websites
- If the device is a memory stick or drive with your files, do not accept any message to format it
When to get more help
If a device with important files is not recognised, stop trying new things and contact us. Repeated attempts can sometimes make data harder to recover. Tell us the type of device and what message you see.