In this post, we will talk about different workarounds you can try if Garmin USB Device is not detected or recognized in Windows 11/10. Garmin is a widespread and trusted GPS tracking navigation device available for Windows. It is used to keep an eye on your fitness progress manage maps and trips. However, like anything else in the world, it has its own shares of problems. But among all, the one that has been troubling the users the most is that the Windows PC is struggling to recognize or detect the Garmin USB device. So, if you are also facing the same problem, try the solutions mentioned in this post to eliminate the issue.

Why Garmin USB Device not detected or recognized in Windows PC?

After downloading the latest Windows update, many users have reported that specific Garmin wearable devices aren’t working as they should. The problem occurs when connecting them to a USB port. The Garmin device is shown in Device Manager, as well as it is displayed as a connected drive in the Windows File Explorer, but there is no way to access it. While trying to access the device, users get the following message,

Please insert a disk.

The directory name is invalid.

The main reason behind the problem is that the Windows PC cannot recognize the Garmin devices as mass storage devices as they are formatted with FAT12, FAT32, or FAT16 file systems. Continue with the troubleshooting guide to fix the problem.

Garmin USB Device not detected or recognized in Windows 11/10

Below is the list of all the effective workarounds you can try if the Garmin USB Device is not detected or recognized in Windows 11/10.

1. Restart the Windows PC
2. Try different USB Port
3. Download the latest USB driver update
4. Download the latest Garmin USB driver update
5. Change the Power Management Settings
6. Contact Garmin Support

Now, let’s take a look at all these solutions in detail.

1] Restart the Windows PC

Before getting into anything technical, the first thing you should do is restart your Windows 11/10 PC. As it turns out, the problem can be caused due to a temporary error or glitch, and the best way to eliminate such glitches is to go through the restarting process. So, close all the background running applications, and restart your system. Once done, connect the Garmin USB device and check if the problem persists. If yes, try the next solution.

2] Try different USB Port

The next thing you can try is to plug the USB device into a different USB port. It can be the case that the port you are currently using has been damaged due to some reason. And in this situation, Windows will struggle to recognize the Garmin USB device. Thus, try a different USB port and check if it’s all the problem. Alternatively, you can even clean the port using a soft material, re-plug the device and check if the problem is solved.

3] Download the latest USB driver update

An outdated USB driver can be another significant reason causing the mentioned issue. You need to keep updating all the installed drivers, including the USB driver, regularly to keep your system away from different problems. So, here are the steps you need to follow to download the latest USB driver update on Windows 11/10.

1. You can update the USB driver using different driver updating software.
2. If your system already features an INF driver, follow the below steps.

• • Open the Device Manager.
  • Tap on the Universal Serial Bus to expand the menu.
  • Right-click on the USB Root Hub and choose Update Driver.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update process.
  • Repeat the process for other USB Root Hubs as well.

Once the update and installation process is complete, connect the Garmin USB device and check if the problem continues. If yes, try the next solution.

See: How to fix VirtualBox USB not detected in Windows compiuter

4] Download the latest Garmin USB driver update

Like the installed drivers, if you are using an older version of the Garmin USB driver, you are most likely to face the mentioned issue. You will have to download the latest Garmin USB driver update to solve the problem. Here is how it is done.

1. Open any web browser, we recommend Google Chrome and visit Garmin Updates & Downloads page.
2. Click on the Download option present under the USB driver software version section.
3. Once the downloading process is complete, install the downloaded driver file on your system.

Now, check if the problem is fixed or not. If not, try the next solution.

See: Fix Unknown USB Device, Port Reset Failed error

5] Change the Power Management Settings

The next thing you can try is to change the Power Management settings to fix the problem. Below are the steps you need to follow to get the work done.

1. Press Windows + X hotkeys to open the Quick Control Center.
2. Choose Device Manager.
3. Double-tap on Universal Serial Bus controllers to expand the option.
4. Right-click on USB Root Hub, and from the context menu, choose Properties.
5. Go to the Power Management section.
6. Uncheck the box that says Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
7. Tap on OK, and repeat the process for all the installed USB Root Hub.
8. Exit the window and restart the system.

Check if the problem continues.

Read: External Hard Drive not showing up or detected

6] Contact Garmin Support

If none of the above-mentioned solutions were helpful, the last thing you can try is to contact Garmin customer support. The problem can be severe, and it might need developer attention. Contact them and ask them to solve the problem.

Why is my Garmin device not detected?

There can be multiple reasons why your Garmin device is not being detected. If there’s any fault with the charging cable, you will face the problem. As it turns out, third-party cables may charge the device but will struggle to transfer the data. Thus, make sure you use a Garmin branded cable to share data with a system.

Why is my USB device not recognized?

If the system is not recognizing your USB device, the probability is high that there’s some fault in the USB cable. Thus, make sure you are using a working USB cable. The problem can also occur if you haven’t downloaded the latest USB driver update. So, download the latest update to fix the problem.

Read Next: USB 3.0 External Hard Drive not recognized in Windows.