MP3 player not showing up on computer (Windows 10/11)

MP3 players are equipped with a USB port that allows you to connect them to a PC. Usually, when you connect an MP3 player to your computer, Windows will automatically recognize it. But there may be times when your Windows computer may not recognize your player and you see an "Unknown device" message. This FAQ will help you solve this problem.

Reasons MP3 player not showing

Our advice before moving on to other solutions. Sometimes a simple restart of your computer can fix the problem with a failure to read an external USB device.

There may be several reasons why your PC does not see the player. This can happen due to an incorrect (not tight enough) connection of the player to the computer, due to a breakdown of the USB port or the player itself, as well as due to reasons such as low battery power on the computer, hardware incompatibility of devices, and even due to the presence of virus in the player. If you have checked your gadgets and are sure that the cause is not a virus, a broken port or insufficient battery charge, then follow these steps:

How to make your PC recognize your MP3 player?

• To begin, open Windows Explorer and go to Tools > Folder Options > Display. Locate the Hidden files and folders section, and check Show hidden files and folders.
• Right-click on the My Computer icon from the desktop, then click Properties > Hardware > Device Manager. Right-click on the line marked Unknown Device, and click Update Driver. In the wizard that prompts you to update the hardware, choose No, not this time.
• Click Next > Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) > Next > Do not search. I will choose the driver to install. Choose from the list of hardware USB hub, then click Next > Disk.
• In the window that opens, click Browse. Then, go to C: /windows/inf, and select usbstor.inf > Open.
• The path of the selected driver will appear in the previous window. Click OK. The driver will be installed, and you will have an option called Device USB Mass Storage.
• Select Storage Volume > Next > Disk > Browse. Go to C: /windows/ inf, and select volsnap.inf > Open. The path of the selected driver will now appear in the previous window. Click OK. The driver will be installed, and you will receive a Generic Volume option.
• If the problem persists, click Start. In the search box, type cmd, and press Enter.
• The Command Prompt will be opened. Enter the following commands:

set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1 

cd\ 

cd windows\system32 

start devmgmt.msc 

• Device Manager window will be opened. There, click View > Show hidden devices > +. If you get any greyed entries, right-click on them and select Uninstall.
• After you restart your PC, your MP3 player should be recognized by your computer.