How To Fix USB Device Descriptor Failure In Windows 10 [2023]

by
USB is one of the most important things that we use in our everyday life, whether it is transferring files or connecting devices, you are going to need the USB cable. So in a way, it is very important that you can easily use USB any time you want. But sometimes Windows 10 can fail to recognize or connect the USB. This can cause the infamous Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) error which shows up in the Device Manager.
There can be a lot of reasons why this issue is occurring in the first place and the major causes include either hardware or system-specific problems.
Although it is one of the common issues faced by Windows 10 users, it’s important that they find a solution and resolve the issue on their own. In this article, we are going to list out some of the most common solutions for the USB Device Descriptor Failure in Windows 10. So go ahead and check it out, also look which one is the best solution for you and which works for you best.
Here are some of the methods that you can try to fix the USB Device Descriptor Failure in Windows 10.

How To Fix USB Device Descriptor Failure In Windows 10

Solution 1: Check for Hardware Issues

One of the first things that you need to check is the hardware issues. This would indicate that only the hardware has a problem, whether it’s the USB or the device descriptor is not working so you may need to fix them.
Here are some of the things that you would need to check.
  • Use different USB Slots: There are high chances that the USB port that you are using might be broken especially if the problem is occurring suddenly. So make sure you try all the USB ports and see if the problem still occurs. If one of them is broken you may need to replace them.
  • Plug the USB into a Different Computer: One of the other things that you need to try out is plugging the USB into another computer so you can finally know if the device is broken or not. If the device is broken you would need to replace it.
After checking the hardware and making sure that everything is okay, you may proceed forward to other solutions caused by computer software or outdated drivers for the USB Device Descriptor Failure in Windows 10.

Solution 2: Plug out Your Power Supply

(This method is only for portable devices such as laptops).
Some people have noticed that temporarily unplugging the power supply and then reconnecting it may fix the USB Device Descriptor Failure in Windows 10. Simply unplug all the charging cables and then plug in the USB to see whether it’s working or not. This would certainly help you to rule out the power supply problem if that’s not it and if it’s the cause then you would be able to use your USB just like before.

Solution 3: Uninstall the USB Driver in Device Manager

The next thing that you need to check out would be the USB drivers that are if outdated, can cause this trouble in Windows 10. Here, you will need to first uninstall the USB Driver from Device Manager and then reinstall it in Windows 10. Here is how you can do that:
  • Press Windows + R key simultaneously on your keyboard to open the Run Dialog
  • When the dialog is opened, type “devmgmt.msc” and then hit the OK button.
  • This would open the Device Manager in a separate window
  • Now look for the Universal Serial Bus controllers section and expand it, then select the Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) from the list.
  • Right-click on the selected USB Device and then select Uninstall from the context menu. Follow the on-screen instructions now.
When the uninstallation is complete, reboot the system, the drive would be reinstalled automatically and this time correctly too. This may help you to solve the USB Device Descriptor Failure in Windows 10. You can check and if it’s not solved then move to the next solution.

Solution 4: Disable the Fast Startup Option

Sometimes the problem may occur due to the fast startup feature in Windows 10. If it is the cause for the USB Device Descriptor Failure in Windows 10 then you can solve it by disabling the fast startup option. Here is how you can do that:
  • Open the Run dialog by pressing the Windows + R key on your keyboard at the same time.
  • Now, type Control and then click on the OK button. This is going to launch the Control Panel in a separate window.
  • Change your view mode to large icons and then select the Power Options from the list of items.
  • Click on the What the power buttons do link on the left side of the window
  • Click on the Change settings that are currently unavailable link. You may need to enter your admin password as it would require administration permission.
  • Look at the shutdown settings section then turn on the Fast Startup option. Click on the box to remove the checkmark.
  • Now click on the Save Settings button and restart your device.
See if it solved the issue or not, if not then you may try other solutions.

Solution 5: Remove USB and Scan for Hardware Changes

Another one of the things that you can do to fix the USB Device Descriptor Failure in Windows 10 is to scan for hardware changes After removing the USB from the system. This may also help you to find the cause and fix the Unknown USB Device issue. Here is how you do that:
  • Uninstall the USB Device using the aforementioned method. Now stay in the Device Manager
  • Use the header menu and click on Action and then select Scan for hardware changes from the menu
  • Wait for the system to complete the scan. When it’s done you may want to plug in the USB and see if it’s working.

Solution 6: Run the Device and Hardware Troubleshooter

At last, if you can’t find any other solution to work for you, you may want to run the hardware and Device Troubleshooter. This is a useful feature that might help you to resolve the issue. Here is how you can do that:
  • Press Windows + I to open the Settings application or you can open it from the Start Menu.
  • Click on the Update and Security tab.
  • Now scroll and choose Troubleshoot from the menu.
  • Look for the Hardware and Device Troubleshooter and then select the Run the Troubleshooter
  • Now follow the onscreen instructions and make sure that you are doing everything according to them. Now identify any issues relating to the USB port or other related hardware. If you find anything then you should take appropriate action according to the issue.

Conclusion

So these are some of the ways that you can use to fix the USB Device Descriptor Failure in Windows 10. Many people have used these solutions and found them helpful, so go ahead and give them a try. There are multiple causes of this issue so we gave you multiple solutions. Go ahead and try these out, we hope you liked our article and found it helpful. Thank you.

Leave a Comment