In this explainer, we’ll walk you through the intricacies behind “USB selective suspend,” what it does on your Windows computer, and how to disable the feature if it ever poses a problem.
What is USB Selective Suspend?
What is USB Selective Suspend?
Many external devices, accessories, and peripherals draw power from your PC when you plug them into a USB port. If your computer runs on battery power, these external devices will deplete your battery faster than usual. That’s why Windows temporarily suspends idle USB devices to conserve battery power. Say, for example, there’s a USB fingerprint reader connected to your computer, and you haven’t used it for over an hour. Windows may suspend the device and put it in a “low power state” where it consumes very little battery power. Think of it as Windows hibernating or putting your USB device to sleep. If you have several devices connected to your PC, Windows will only suspend the idle USB devices and ports. USB selectively hibernates passive USB devices to save battery power. That’s all there is to the feature. Refer to this official Microsoft documentation to learn more about the feature.
Problems Associated With USB Selective Suspend
Problems Associated With USB Selective Suspend
As described above, it’s clear that USB selective suspend has immense benefits on your PC’s battery life. However, there are instances when the setting causes some USB devices to freeze or become unresponsive—mainly when your PC stays idle for too long. USB selective suspend is enabled by default on all Windows devices. While we recommend leaving USB selective suspend enabled on your battery-powered computer, you should disable the feature if you’re having USB-related troubles. Say, for instance, your USB drive stopped showing up in the File Explorer. Or, your Windows PC won’t detect a USB keyboard/mouse.
How to Disable USB Selective Suspend on Windows 10
How to Disable USB Selective Suspend on Windows 10
Disabling USB selective suspend is an effective troubleshooting solution that can resolve the mentioned USB-related issues. There are always several ways to get this done. In the sections below, we’ll show you how to disable USB selective suspend from the Control Panel, Device Manager, or by using the Command Prompt.
Disable USB Selective Suspend From the Control Panel
One way to prevent your PC from temporarily suspending USB devices is to edit the Windows power settings. Follow the steps below for direction.
From the Device Manager
You can also disable USB selective suspend by modifying the power management setting of the drivers powering your PC’s USB ports. Here’s what you need to do:
Disable USB Selective Suspend Using Command Prompt
The Command Prompt is a tool that you can use to perform a wide range of operations. By entering specific command lines in the tool, you can modify system configurations, repair corrupt files, adjust power management settings, and lots more. We’ll show you how to disable USB selective suspend.
More Troubleshooting Techniques
More Troubleshooting Techniques
Are you still having problems using USB devices? Or, does your PC not disable USB selective suspend despite trying the methods mentioned above? Restart your computer and check if that changes anything. Windows may also fail to recognize a USB device that’s loosely plugged into your computer. Hence, ensure you fit the device tightly into the US port—or use another USB port. If the issue persists, there could be a problem with your USB drivers. Open the Windows Device Manager and update your PC’s USB drivers. Conversely, rolling back the USB drivers to a previous version may also fix the problem.
