Find the USB 3.0 driver

Windows 10 and 11 ship a USB 3.0 driver of their own, the Microsoft xHCI driver Usbxhci.sys, so most PCs need no separate download. If a USB 3.0 port misbehaves, install the chipset driver from your PC or motherboard maker, then check Windows Update for optional driver updates.

Download from learn.microsoft.com

Checked October 30, 2026 against the manufacturer's own pages.

The short version

What to install and where it comes from. Every link goes to the manufacturer or Microsoft, never to a copy.

Controller standardxHCI (eXtensible Host Controller Interface)
Windows driverUsbxhci.sys with Ucx01000.sys and Usbhub3.sys
Device Manager entryUSB eXtensible Host Controller, USB 3.0
Vendor driversFrom the PC or motherboard maker
Microsoft: USB host controller driver developmentlearn.microsoft.comMicrosoft: Architecture of the USB host controller extensionlearn.microsoft.comIntel Driver & Support Assistantintel.com

Official files only, nothing bundled

Step by step

  1. Look in Device Manager

    Right-click Start, open Device Manager and expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. A USB 3.0 port is run by an entry with xHCI in its name.

  2. Check the entry has no warning

    A yellow mark means the controller driver failed. No mark means the Windows driver is working, and the fault may be a cable or the device.

  3. Swap the cable and the port

    Use a cable marked for USB 3.0 speeds. Try another port, and plug in directly rather than through a hub.

  4. Install the maker's chipset driver

    On your PC or motherboard maker's support page, enter the exact model and download the chipset or USB driver. Install it and restart.

  5. Use Windows Update

    Open Settings, Windows Update, Advanced options, Optional updates and install any USB or chipset entry offered.

  6. Reinstall the controller

    Uninstall the xHCI entry in Device Manager and restart. Windows detects the controller and loads its own driver again.

What xHCI means

USB 3.0 ports are driven by a host controller that follows the xHCI specification. Microsoft’s developer pages describe Usbxhci.sys as the driver for xHCI compliant controllers. It works with two other Microsoft drivers, Ucx01000.sys and Usbhub3.sys, and the three together add native USB 3.0 support to Windows. That is why a fresh Windows install usually has working USB 3.0 ports before you add anything.

When a vendor driver appears

Some controllers do not fully follow the xHCI specification, and Microsoft notes that such hardware cannot use the inbox driver. The maker then supplies its own. You see this on PCs with add-in USB cards or on some motherboards. If your PC is in that group, the chipset package from the PC maker is the correct source. Third-party driver packs are not.

Signs of a driver problem

Ports that work after a restart but die after sleep, or a controller listed with a warning, point to the controller driver. A device that fails on every port but works on another PC points to the device or cable. Sort the two before you reinstall anything.

Power Options has a USB selective suspend setting. Turning it off can stop ports sleeping on laptops. Our USB not recognized guide covers it step by step.

Questions

Why does a USB 3.0 stick run at USB 2.0 speed?

The usual causes are a USB 2.0 port, a worn cable or a hub that only passes USB 2.0. Check your PC's specifications to see which ports are USB 3.0.

Do I need a driver for a USB 3.0 flash drive?

No. The drive uses the Windows storage driver once the controller works.

My old PC says Unknown USB device after Windows 10.

An older third-party USB 3.0 card may lack a Windows driver. Look for the card maker's driver on its own support page, or move the device to a USB 2.0 port.

Is Intel's tool needed?

Only if your PC has Intel hardware and your maker has no newer chipset driver. Intel Driver & Support Assistant lists driver updates for Intel parts only.