We rely on our USB ports for connecting to various external devices such as phones, printers, hard drives etc. When the USB ports on your Dell computer stop working this can stop us from using or accessing these devices. There are several steps you can try to resolve the USB issue on your Dell laptop or desktop.
Restart Your Computer
Quite often simply restart your Dell device can reset the USB controller and resolve temporary issues. It is always worth trying this solution before anything else.
Check for Power Issues
Rule out problems with power in your Dell USB ports by checking devices (and USB cables) that you know are working on another port. If devices and cables are working on another USB port and not the one in question, then you know the problem is with the USB port itself.
Update USB Drivers
https://www.drivers.com/update_dell_drivers_main/
- Open the Device Manager
- Press `Windows + X` and select ‘Device Manager’
- Expand the ‘Universal Serial Bus controllers’ section
- Right-click on each USB Root Hub or Host Controller and select ‘Update Driver’
- Select the option to search automatically for updated drivers
- You can also visit Dell’s official website to download and install the latest drivers for your system
Disable USB Selective Suspend Setting
Open the Control Panel
Go to ‘Hardware and Sound’ > ‘Power Options’
Click ‘Change plan settings’ next to your current power plan
Click ‘Change advanced power settings’
Expand ‘USB settings’ and set ‘USB selective suspend setting’ to ‘Disabled’
Uninstall and Reinstall USB Drivers
This can fix Dell USB Drivers that have become corrupt or are simply out-of-date.
- In ‘Device Manager’ right-click on each USB device under ‘Universal Serial Bus controllers’ and choose ‘Uninstall device’
- After uninstalling all USB controllers, restart your computer. Windows will automatically reinstall the drivers.
Check for Windows Updates
Running Windows Updates will often resolve issues with devices and is worth doing as good security practice whether you are having issues or not.
- Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Update & Security’ and check if there are any pending updates
- Install any available updates, as they may contain fixes for USB issues.
Do a Power Reset (for laptops)
- Shut down your laptop, unplug the charger, and remove the battery (if possible). This allows the system to fully reset
- Hold down the power button for 30 seconds to drain residual power
- Reinsert the battery, plug the charger in, and turn on the laptop to check if the USB ports now work
Check for Physical Damage
Check the USB ports for any visible damage or build-up of anything within the port itself. If the USB port is physically damaged then you will need to look at a professional repair or replacement.
If none of the above steps fix the issue with your USB port, the USB controller hardware may have failed, and you might need professional repair or replacement of the motherboard.
https://www.drivers.com/fix_usb_drivers_problems/
