How Do I Enable a Device in Device Manager in Windows?

Enable a Disabled Device in Windows 7, Vista, & XP

Updated April 07, 2016

Each hardware device listed in Device Manager must be enabled before Windows can use it. Once enabled, a Windows can assign system resources to the device.

Windows enables all hardware that it recognizes by default. A device is that is not enabled will be marked by a black arrow in Device Manager.

"How Do I Enable a Device in Device Manager in Windows?"

You can enable a device from the device's Properties in Device Manager.

The detailed steps involved in enabling a device in Device Manager vary depending on which Windows operating system you're using:

See What Version of Windows Do I Have? if you're not sure which of those several versions of Windows is installed on your computer.

Note: A device that is not enabled will also generate a Code 22 error in Device Manager.

Important: If a yellow exclamation point appears after enabling a device, you should troubleshoot that issue separately. A yellow exclamation point is a different kind of warning about a possible issue with your hardware or its configuration.