Managing a chaotic web of USB peripherals can be frustrating when devices fail to respond or conflict with one another. USBDeview is a powerful, lightweight utility by NirSoft that lists all currently connected and previously used USB devices. It allows you to track history, uninstall corrupted drivers, and troubleshoot hardware conflicts from a single window. Here is how to use it to gain full control over your computer’s USB ports. Understand the Interface
When you launch USBDeview, you are greeted with a detailed table of every USB device your system has ever encountered.
Green Indicator: The device is currently connected and active.
Disconnect Status: Devices without a green indicator are disconnected but their drivers remain cached.
Data Columns: You can view the device name, description, type, serial number, and the exact date it was last plugged in. Disconnect and Uninstall Ghost Devices
Old, unused drivers (ghost devices) can cause registry bloat and hardware conflicts. USBDeview makes purging them simple.
Scroll through the list to find a device you no longer use or one that is malfunctioning. Right-click the specific device row.
Select Uninstall Selected Devices to completely remove the driver from your system.
Unplug the device and plug it back in to force Windows to install a clean, fresh driver copy. Safely Disconnect Active Hardware
If the native Windows “Safely Remove Hardware” tool fails or hangs, USBDeview acts as a reliable backup. Locate the active green-lit device you want to remove. Right-click the item. Choose Disconnect Selected Devices.
Wait for the green light to turn off before physically pulling the device out. Run Speed Tests on Flash Drives
USBDeview includes a hidden benchmark feature to test the read and write speeds of your storage drives. Insert your USB flash drive or external hard drive.
Find it inside the USBDeview list, right-click it, and select Speed Test.
Click Start Test to let the software read and write a temporary file.
Review the final score or click Publish Test Results to compare your speeds with an online database of other users. Execute Commands on Connection
Advanced users can automate tasks by triggering specific scripts or programs the moment a USB device is attached.
Double-click any device in the list to open its Properties window. Locate the Execute on Plug field.
Enter the file path of the .exe or .bat script you want to run. Click OK to save the automation.
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