How to Fix a Dysfunctional USB Port

USB ports are where we connect various devices to our computers, so when they stop working it can be quite frustrating. However, before assuming your USB port is broken, there are a few troubleshooting tips you might want to try first.

Quick First Steps

• Restart your computer. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve USB connectivity issues.
• Try connecting different devices to different USB ports to isolate the problem.

If the problem persists, continue with the steps below.

Update or Reinstall USB Drivers

1. Open Device Manager (press Windows + X and select “Device Manager”)
2. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers
3. Right-click on each USB controller and select Update driver
4. If updating doesn’t work, try uninstalling the drivers and restarting your computer so Windows can reinstall them automatically

Check Power Management Settings

1. Open Device Manager
2. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers
3. Right-click on a USB Root Hub device and select Properties
4. Go to the Power Management tab
5. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power
6. Repeat for all USB Root Hub devices

Disable USB Selective Suspend

1. Open Power Options in the Control Panel
2. Click Change plan settings for your current power plan
3. Click Change advanced power settings
4. Expand USB settings → USB selective suspend setting
5. Set it to Disabled for both “On battery” and “Plugged in”

Additional Tips

• Test the same device on another computer to confirm the USB port is the issue
• Check for physical damage or debris in the port
• Update your motherboard chipset drivers from the manufacturer’s website

These steps resolve the majority of USB port problems on Windows without needing hardware replacement.