How to Fix USB Ports Not Working on Windows 11

USB ports, or Universal Serial Bus ports, are commonly used to connect portable devices like USB drives, keyboards, mice, and other peripherals to your PC. However, it can be frustrating when USB ports suddenly stop working, and the issue could be caused by the device, the USB ports, or your computer’s internal components. Therefore, it’s essential to identify the root cause of the problem to effectively fix it.

Common reasons for USB ports not working on Windows 11 include outdated or corrupted device drivers, insufficient power supply, faulty device cables, broken ports, misconfigured settings, and more. Fortunately, there are troubleshooting methods available to address these issues. In this article, we’ll discuss these methods in detail, so let’s get started!

1. Check USB Ports.

If you suspect that one of your USB ports has stopped working, the first step is to examine the ports. In many cases, dust and debris can be the primary cause of this issue.

Begin by removing the USB device from the port and examining both the USB port and cable of the device. If there is any dust in the port, you can gently clean it using compressed air or a cotton swab. If the device’s wire is bent or broken, it may be necessary to replace it. After cleaning and/or replacing the cable, reconnect the device to the USB port and check if the problem is resolved.

If you are confident that there is nothing wrong with the device you are using, try inserting it into a different USB port to see if that resolves the issue.

2. Replace the USB Device.

In case your USB port is working with one device and not with another, the problem may be in the device that you’re connecting to instead of the port. The only way to fix this is by replacing the USB device. 

However, this method should only be followed after confirming that the issue lies in the USB device. To do so, try connecting the USB device to another PC or a different port and check if it works. 

3. Restart Your Computer.

When the issue lies within your computer’s software, the easiest and most effective fix is to restart your PC. This common remedy for most Windows issues gives your operating system a fresh start, eliminating any temporary bugs and glitches which may cause the USB ports not to work.

Follow the steps below to restart your PC:

1. Go to the Start menu from your PC. 
2. Then, click on the Power icon. 
3. Select Restart. 

Afterward, insert the device into the USB port to check if restarting solved the issue. 

4. Check for Windows Updates.

Windows occasionally release patch updates that can fix various problems that you may be facing, such as faulty USB ports. So, if the USB ports not working on Windows 11 is a widespread issue, Windows may have taken notice and released a new update for it. 

Therefore, check for any pending Windows updates by following the steps below: 

1. Press the Win + i keys from your keyboard to access Settings. 
2. From the left pane, click on Windows Update. 
3. Now, select the Check for updates button.

4.  Wait for a while as Windows fetches for any pending updates. If there’s an available update, click on Download now to install it to your system.

5. Reinstall USB Drivers.

Corrupted or damaged USB drivers can also be the reason behind USB ports not working on Windows 11. In such cases, reinstalling the faulty USB drivers can resolve the issue. 

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to the Start menu and click on the search bar at the top. 
2. Type in ‘device manager’ in the search bar and click on the same from the search results. 

3. Scroll down and click on Universal Serial Bus controllers to expand it.
4. Now, right-click on each driver and choose Uninstall device. 

5. Finally, reboot your computer to automatically reinstall these drivers.  

Although Windows Updates includes all the necessary updates, it may not cover all your hardware components. For this reason, it’s best to check the manufacturer’s website for USB driver or chipset driver updates and install them on your PC. 

You may also update using the OEM tools. Here’s what you must do:

1. Go to the Start menu and enter the first letter of your PC’s manufacturer in the search bar. For instance, ‘D’ for Dell.
2.  From the search results, click on Dell Update or your manufacturer’s update app. 
3. Finally, check for any hardware updates and install them to your computer by following the on-screen instructions. 

7. Change Power Management Settings.

Sometimes, the Power setting in your PC may be set to not allow a USB device to connect to save its battery. Since USB devices take up much of your battery, it’s important to ensure that your PC has enough power to detect the connected device and allow it to work. 

You may change the power management settings to fix this issue:

1. Launch the Run dialog by pressing Win + R keys. 
2. In the text field, type in ‘devmgmt.msc’ and click on OK to open Device Manager. 

3. Now, scroll and find Universal Serial Bus controllers, then click on it to expand. 
4. Right-click on USB Control Hub and choose Properties. 

5. Navigate to the Power Management tab.
6. Uncheck the box for Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power option. 

7. Finally, select OK to save these changes. 

8. Disable USB Selective Suspend Power Setting.

USB selective suspend setting option is also another cause behind USB ports not working on Windows 11. If your laptop doesn’t have enough battery, enabling this option will interfere with the functionality of the USB device. This happens when Windows suspects that a device is not in use. 

To troubleshoot this problem, disable the USB selective suspend power through USB settings. Here’s how:

1. Click on the Start menu and type in ‘edit power plan’ in the search bar. 
2. Choose Edit power plan from the search result.
3. Next, click on Change advanced power settings. 

4. A Power Options window will appear. From there, locate and click on USB settings to expand it. 
5. Finally, from the USB selective suspend setting, select Disabled and click on OK.

9. Perform SFC and DISM Scans.

If the methods mentioned above weren’t successful in troubleshooting your problem, consider running SFC and DISM scans. These built-in scans will detect and fix any corrupted files within your system. 

Follow the steps below to run these scans:

1. Right-click on the Start menu and click on Windows Terminal (Admin). 
2. Copy and paste this DISM command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

3. Now, enter the following command to run the SFC scan:

sfc /scannow

We’ve come to the end of our guide on fixing USB ports that are not working on Windows 11. If you have any questions or uncertainties about this topic, please feel free to leave a comment in the section below, and we’ll do our best to assist you.

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