Have you seen the blue USB port on your laptop and wondered what it is used for and how it differs from conventional USB ports? Well, this is not that complicated.
The blue USB port, also known as the SuperSpeed (SS) USB 3.0 port, is the connector with a speed of 5 Gbps that can send and receive data simultaneously. It is 10 times faster than USB 2.0 and has two versions, 3.0 and 3.1.
We took the time to write a comprehensive guide on what is the blue USB port on your laptop.
What Is the Blue USB Port on Your Laptop?
Launched in 2008, the blue USB port is often referred to as the USB 3.0 port, which indicates the SuperSpeed connector, that can transfer data at a rate of 5 Gbps. This port is 10 times faster than USB 2.0 and allows you to send and receive data at the same time.
USB 3.0 port has two versions, 3.0 and 3.1, and is backward compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0 gadgets. This USB port connects external hard drives, USB sticks, high-resolution docking stations, and SSDs to transfer high-quality video footage or back up an entire hard disk to an external device.
Fixing the Blue USB Port on Your Laptop
If the blue USB port on your laptop is not working, our following step-by-step methods will help you do this task quickly.
Method #1: Updating the Operating System
The quickest way to fix the malfunctioning blue USB port is to update your laptop operating system in the following way.
- Locate the power button on your laptop and press it to turn it on.
- Go to the Start menu.
- Type “Check for updates” in the search bar.
- Wait while Windows is checking for updates.
- If there are any pending updates, choose “Download and Install now”.
Installing pending updates on your laptop will also update the USB drivers and, hopefully, fix the malfunctioning blue USB port.
Method #2: Running the Windows Troubleshooter
If updating your laptop does not fix the blue USB port on your laptop, you can run the Windows Troubleshooter by following these steps.
- Locate and press the power button on your laptop.
- Click the Start menu.
- Type “Troubleshoot” in the search bar.
- Choose “Hardware & Devices”.
- Click “Run the troubleshooter”.
A pop-up window opens to detect problems. Follow the on-screen instructions, wait for the troubleshooting process to complete, and verify that the blue USB port is working now.
Method #3: Updating USB Drivers
Another way to fix the malfunctioning blue USB port is to manually update the USB drivers on your laptop by doing these steps.
- Locate the power button on your laptop and press it to turn it on.
- Click “Control Panel” > “Hardware & Sound” > “Devices & Printers” > “Device Manager”.
- Click the drop-down arrow next to “Universal Serial Bus Controllers”.
- Right-click “USB 3.0” and select “Update driver”.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and check if the blue USB port is working now.
It might be possible that the blue USB port is clogged with dirt and debris. To fix this issue, blow compressed air into the port or use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to clean it.
Connecting the Blue USB Port
If you don’t know how to connect a blue USB port to an external hard drive, follow these steps to do this task quickly.
- Locate and press the power button on your laptop.
- Connect one end of a USB cable to your external hard drive.
- Connect the other end of the USB cable to the USB 3.0 blue port on your laptop.
- Your laptop will automatically detect the external hard drive and install drivers.
- Launch File Explorer on your laptop to access the external drive contents.
Later, if you want to remove the external hard drive from your laptop, click the arrow in the taskbar in the lower-right corner of the screen. Click “Eject Hard Drive” and wait for a pop-up message for safe removal. Now, you can plug out the USB cable from your laptop.
Summary
In this guide, we’ve discussed the blue USB port on your laptop. We’ve also discussed a few methods to troubleshoot USB 3.0 if it malfunctions on your PC.
Moreover, we’ve looked into a method of connecting an external hard drive to the blue USB port on your laptop to view and extract its content.
Hopefully, you got what you were looking for and are no longer confused about your laptop’s blue 3.0 USB port.
Frequently Asked Questions
To identify the USB port of your laptop, click “Control Panel” > “Hardware & Sound” > “Device Manager”. Click the drop-down arrow next to “Universal Serial Bus Controllers”. Here, you can see all the available USB ports on your laptop.
