5 Ways to Fix Unknown USB Device Error on Windows 11

Quick Tips

• If you encounter this error with all your devices, there might be an issue with a specific USB port. Try plugging your device into a different port.
• Reinstalling the problematic USB device driver on your PC can also help resolve this error.
• If the issue persists, consider running the Windows troubleshooter and disabling USB selective suspend.

Fix 1: Scan for Hardware Changes Using Device Manager

You can use Device Manager on Windows to force your PC to scan for hardware changes and detect the new USB hardware you’ve plugged in. If it’s a minor glitch, Windows should successfully recognize your device, and you’ll no longer see the “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)” error.

Step 1: Press the Windows + X keys and select Device Manager from the list.

Step 2: Click the Scan for hardware changes icon at the top.

Wait for Windows to identify connected devices. If all goes well, the error will be resolved.

Fix 2: Run Windows Troubleshooter

By running the hardware troubleshooter, you can allow Windows to detect and resolve any hardware-related issues that might have been leading to such errors.

Step 1: Open the search menu, type cmd, and select Run as administrator.

Step 2: In the console, type the following command and press Enter.

msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

Step 3: In the Hardware and Devices window, hit Next to allow Windows to scan for issues.

If the automatic repair pops up, follow the on-screen prompts to finish the troubleshooting process. After that, restart your PC and check if the error is resolved.

Fix 3: Reinstall the USB Device Driver

Malfunctioning or corrupt USB drivers can also lead to the “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)” error on Windows. To fix this, try reinstalling drivers for that specific USB device by following the steps below.

Step 1: Click on the search icon on the taskbar, type device manager, and press Enter.

Step 2: Double-click on Universal Serial Bus controllers to expand it.

Step 3: Right-click on Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) and select Uninstall device.

Once removed, restart your PC to allow Windows to install those drivers again.

Fix 4: Update USB Root Hub Driver

If the above method doesn’t work, you can try updating the drivers powering your PC’s USB ports. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Open Device Manager again and double-click on Universal Serial Bus controllers to expand it.

Step 2: Right-click on USB Root Hub and select Update driver from the list.

Follow the on-screen instructions to update the drivers. If your PC has multiple USB ports, you’ll see several entries for USB Root Hub. In that case, you must update drivers for each of those ports.

Fix 5: Disable USB Selective Suspend

USB selective suspend is a nifty feature on Windows that suspends inactive USB devices to reduce power consumption. To avoid this, disable the feature by following the steps below.

Step 1: Press the Windows + S keys to open the Search menu > type edit power plan in the search box > select the first result.

Step 2: Click on Change advanced power settings.

Step 3: In the Power Options window, double-click on USB settings to expand it.

Step 4: Expand the USB selective suspend setting menu and click Enabled.

Step 5: Use the drop-down menu next to On battery and Plugged in to disable USB selective suspend.

Step 6: Click on Apply > OK. Then, try reconnecting your USB device to see if Windows can detect it.