How to Fix a “This device is disabled. (Code 22)” Error on Windows
Don’t scratch your head, try these options
Does Windows 11 or Windows 10 display a “This device is disabled. (Code 22)” error in the Device Manager utility? If so, the device in question may be disabled on your PC. There are various reasons this happens, including both automatic and manual device deactivation. We’ll show you a few easy ways to re-enable your device and fix your issue.
The most common reason you get the above error is that someone has manuallydisabled your devicein Device Manager. Another reason is that your Windows system was forced to disable your device for some reason. Some minor reasons include a faulty port on your machine, an incorrect system change, faulty device drivers, and more.
Re-Enable the Disabled Device in Device Manager
One easy way to fix a “This device is disabled. (Code 22)” error is to manuallyre-enable your disabled devicein Device Manager. Doing so re-activates your device on your PC and allows your PC to communicate with the device.
Windows will immediately re-activate your selected device, allowing you to work with your device on your PC.
Restart Your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC
If re-enabling the device from Device Manager didn’t fix your issue,restart your computerand see if that resolves your problem. This is because your machine may be experiencing minor glitches, causing your attached devices not to work. You can resolve those minor issues by rebooting your operating system.
Connect Your Device to Another Port or Slot on Your Computer
If your device remains disabled and unusable on your PC, one fix you can apply is to unplug the device from the currentportor slot and plug it into a different port or slot on your machine. This helps resolve the issue if a faulty port or slot caused it.
Simply unplug your device from the port you’ve currently plugged it into. Then, plug the device into another but the same kind of port on your computer. You should then see the device on your PC.
Roll Back Your Device’s Driver Update
If your device has started malfunctioning after you installed a specific driver update, that update might be faulty. Sometimes, device manufacturers end up pushing faulty drivers, causing various random issues on consumers’ computers.
Luckily, Windows allows you toroll back the driver updatesyou’ve installed on your computer. This lets you get back to the previous state of your drivers.
Bring Your Device Drivers to the Latest Version
One reason you get a “This device is disabled. (Code 22)” error is that your device drivers are outdated. Older drivers sometimes don’t work well with modern Windows systems, causing many problems.
You can resolve that issue byupdating your device’s drivers to the latest version.
If that doesn’t fix your issue, you canmanually download and install your device’s latest driverson your PC. Most device manufacturer websites offer the driver download option, allowing you to grab the required drivers from outside the Windows environment.
Use System Restore to Fix Your Error Code 22
Sometimes, a device stops working and becomes unusable because of a change made to your system. You or someone else may have incorrectly specified an option on your PC, causing your device not to work.
You can fix that byrolling back your changesusing Windows’ System Restore utility.
Remove and Reinstall Your Device’s Drivers
If your device still hasn’t started working with your PC, your device’s installed drivers might be corrupted. Such drivers prevent your device from correctly communicating with your PC, causing many issues.
You can resolve that byuninstallingand reinstalling your device’s drivers.
Reset Your BIOS Settings
Your BIOS settings affect the devices you’ve connected to your computer. If you’ve recently changed your BIOS settings, and you think that has caused your device problem, reset your BIOS to the factory settings.
You can check out our guide onhow to reset your BIOS settingsto learn how to bring your settings to the default values. Once you’ve done that, turn on your PC, and your issue will likely be fixed.
Replace Your Hardware Device
If your device still remains disabled, the issue may be with your device. Your device may be defective or damaged, not being able to properly work with your computer. In this case, your best solution is to visit your device maker’s official store and troubleshoot the problem.
You may have to fix your device’s issue or replace your faulty device with a new one.
Forcing Windows to Enable the Disabled Device on Your PC
Windows’ “This device is disabled. (Code 22)” error occurs for various reasons. The message tells you thatyour device is disabled, but it doesn’t tell you why. Luckily, you don’t have to scratch your head for too long as our guide above shows you a few easy ways to fix your problem.
Once you’ve resolved your issue, your device will show up on your PC, and you can use that device for your tasks. Enjoy!
Mahesh has been obsessed with technology since he got his first gadget a decade or so ago. Over the last few years, he’s written a number of tech articles on various online publications including but not limited to MakeTechEasier and Android AppStorm.Read Mahesh’s Full Bio
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