How to Tell If a USB Device Is Damaged or It's the Port
Two swaps settle almost every case — another port, another computer — before Device Manager and USB selective suspend cover the rest, plus the one error code that answers the question on its own.
A mouse, keyboard, flash drive or any other USB device stops working, and the question is always the same: has the device broken, or is it the computer's port? Finding out requires no technical knowledge, just the right order of checks.
Try another port on the same computer
If it works there, the original port is the problem.
Try the device on another computer
If it does not work there either, the device is the one failing.
Check Device Manager
A warning icon points to a driver problem, not a physical one.
Rule out USB selective suspend
A power-saving feature that can disable ports without warning.
Steps 1 and 2 already give you the answer in most cases. Steps 3 and 4 are for when the result is not so clear — for example, if the device works intermittently instead of failing consistently.
A message that gives you the answer directly
If, when you plug in the device, Windows shows a warning mentioning "code 43", it is a specific Windows signal indicating a problem with the device itself (not the port or Windows in general) — there is no need to keep investigating the port in that case.
Checking Device Manager
Right-click the Start button → "Device Manager" → look for "Universal Serial Bus controllers". If you see a yellow triangle next to any entry, right-click → "Update driver". This fixes a significant share of cases that look like a physical fault but are actually software-related.
USB selective suspend is a Windows feature that turns off unused USB ports to save battery — mainly on laptops. Sometimes it "turns off" a port you are actually using, by mistake. To disable it: search for "Edit power plan" → "Change advanced power settings" → "USB settings" → "USB selective suspend setting" → Disabled.
If the problem is genuinely physical
A port with bent or broken internal pins has no software fix — the realistic option is to stop using that particular port (computers usually have several) or, on a desktop, add a USB hub or an expansion card. On a laptop, replacing a damaged port requires soldering and it is usually more worth it to take it to a professional than to attempt it at home.
Warning: never use water or cleaning liquids near a USB port. If you need to clean out dust, use short bursts of compressed air, with the device unplugged.
Worth keeping in mind: most cases of "USB that does not work" are resolved with software (driver or selective suspend), not a physically damaged port — do not assume the worst before checking.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check this without buying anything new to test with?
With steps 1 and 2 of this article (trying another port, trying another computer) you get the answer in most cases, with no need for any extra device or tool.
Could it be a Windows problem and not the hardware?
Yes, and it is more common than it seems — an outdated driver or the USB selective suspend feature can make a perfectly healthy port seem not to work.
Are all the USB ports on my PC the same?
No. They vary in speed (USB 2.0 versus 3.0, sometimes distinguishable by the connector's colour) and in whether they deliver charge when the computer is switched off. One not working does not mean the others have the same problem.