Key takeaways
- Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices: Best for viewing and removing USB drives, Bluetooth headphones, mice, keyboards, webcams, printers, and scanners. Shows connection status, battery level for supported Bluetooth devices, and pairing options.
- Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners + Control Panel > Devices and Printers: Best for printers, scanners, network-attached storage, and shared PCs. Shows queues, default printer status, and network discovery state.
- Device Manager (Windows + X > Device Manager): Best for Windows 11 how to get to hardware devices monitor queries. Shows every controller, disk, display adapter, network adapter, USB hub, and hidden/grayed-out devices, even if Windows is not currently communicating with them.
To show devices connected to PC on Windows 11, press Windows + I to open Settings, then go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices to see USB, Bluetooth, printers, cameras, and other external devices connected to this computer. For deeper hardware details, use Device Manager and Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices > Device settings and printer settings > View hardware and connection properties.
If you just want to answer “show my connected devices” quickly, you do not need third-party software. Windows 11 splits connected devices on this computer into three views: the consumer view in Bluetooth & devices, the classic Control Panel view for printers and network devices, and the technical view in Device Manager. Use the first for daily management, the second for printers and network discovery, and the third for drivers and hidden USB devices.
Quick Ways to Show Connected Devices to This Computer
Use one of these three methods depending on what you need to check:
- Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices: Best for viewing and removing USB drives, Bluetooth headphones, mice, keyboards, webcams, printers, and scanners. Shows connection status, battery level for supported Bluetooth devices, and pairing options.
- Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners + Control Panel > Devices and Printers: Best for printers, scanners, network-attached storage, and shared PCs. Shows queues, default printer status, and network discovery state.
- Device Manager (Windows + X > Device Manager): Best for Windows 11 how to get to hardware devices monitor queries. Shows every controller, disk, display adapter, network adapter, USB hub, and hidden/grayed-out devices, even if Windows is not currently communicating with them.
Keyboard shortcuts that save time:
- Windows + I: Open Settings, then type “Bluetooth and devices” in the search box at the top.
- Windows + X, then M: Open Device Manager directly.
- Windows + R, type control printers, press Enter: Open the classic Devices and Printers page.
- Windows + R, type ms-settings:bluetooth, press Enter: Jump straight to Bluetooth & devices.
- Windows + R, type ms-settings:printers, press Enter: Jump straight to Printers & scanners.
How to View External Devices Connected in Settings
This is the main method for most people searching for connected devices and show devices connected to PC.
Step 1: Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices. Make sure Bluetooth is turned On at the top if you want to see Bluetooth peripherals. Leave it Off if you only want to audit wired USB devices, to reduce clutter from nearby unpaired devices.
Step 2: Click Devices. You will see sections for Bluetooth, printers, scanners, cameras, storage, and Other devices. USB flash drives and external SSDs/HDDs usually appear under Other devices or as storage volumes. Click the three-dot menu next to a device to Disconnect, Remove device, or open More Bluetooth and device settings.
Step 3: For USB drives that do not appear, open File Explorer (Windows + E) and check This PC. If the drive appears in File Explorer but not in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices, it is connected normally. Windows often hides USB Mass Storage devices from the main Devices list after driver installation and shows them only in Disk Drives and USB controllers in Device Manager.
Step 4: To safely eject, click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the system tray near the clock, or right-click the drive in File Explorer > Eject. Do not just use Remove device in Settings for external hard drives unless Eject fails, because Remove device uninstalls the driver entry.
How to view Bluetooth devices and connection status
Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices. Paired devices show as Connected, Paired, or Not connected. Click View more devices under the main Bluetooth toggle to expand the full list.
Click a connected Bluetooth device to see battery percentage, audio profiles, and Remove option. For audio issues, go to Settings > System > Sound and check Output and Input. Many Bluetooth headsets create two profiles: Stereo (A2DP for music) and Handsfree (HFP for calls). If sound is muffled, Windows may have switched to Handsfree AG Audio because a meeting app took the microphone. Set Output back to Stereo for music.
To add a new device, click Add device > Bluetooth, put the accessory in pairing mode, and select it within 30-60 seconds. If it fails, turn Bluetooth Off and On again in Quick Settings (Windows + A) and remove stale entries for the same device name.
How to View Hardware and Connection Properties
If you search for “view hardware and connection properties,” Windows 11 still supports this classic view, but it is buried.
Path: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices > scroll down to Related settings > More Bluetooth and device settings / Device settings and printer settings > in the new window, right-click your PC icon or any device > View hardware and connection properties or Properties.
This opens the old Control Panel > Devices and Printers view. Here you can:
- See your PC name, model, and all grouped devices: printers, media devices, network computers, and storage.
- Right-click a printer > Printer properties to see port (USB001, WSD, TCP/IP), driver version, and sharing status.
- Right-click your computer > Bluetooth settings or Network properties to see discovery and file sharing options.
- Double-click a network device to open its web page or shared folder, useful for routers, NAS boxes, and network printers.
If “Device settings and printer settings” does not open, run control printers from Windows + R instead. This bypasses the Settings link and opens it directly.
How to Show Devices Connected to PC in Device Manager
When Settings says nothing is connected but you know a USB device is plugged in, Device Manager is the source of truth for hardware devices monitor tasks.
Step 1: Press Windows + X > Device Manager. Expand Disk drives for external SSDs/HDDs, Universal Serial Bus controllers for hubs and USB composite devices, Bluetooth for radios, Network adapters for Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and Print queues for printers.
Step 2: Click View > Show hidden devices. Grayed-out icons are disconnected but driver-cached devices. This is how you find old USB sticks, docks, and phones that still reserve drive letters or COM ports.
Step 3: Right-click any device > Properties. Check General > Device status for error codes, Driver > Driver Date and Version for outdated drivers, Details > Hardware Ids to identify unknown devices, and for USB hubs, Power > Hub power and attached devices.
Step 4: For USB power issues, go to Universal Serial Bus controllers > right-click USB Root Hub (USB 3.0) > Properties > Power. Windows shows power required per attached device in milliamps. If the total exceeds the hub budget, devices will randomly disconnect.
USB power budget example with specific numbers
Many “external devices connected but keeps disconnecting” cases are power problems, not driver problems. Unpowered USB hubs share a single port’s budget across all ports.
| USB Standard | Max Power Per Port | Voltage | Typical Devices That Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB 2.0 | 500 mA / 2.5 W | 5 V | Mouse, keyboard, single flash drive |
| USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen 1 | 900 mA / 4.5 W | 5 V | One portable HDD or two flash drives on unpowered hub |
| USB 3.1 Gen 2 / USB-C 3.x | 1500-3000 mA / 7.5-15 W | 5 V | Portable SSD, capture card, powered dock uplink |
| USB-C with Power Delivery | Up to 5000 mA / 60-100 W | 5-20 V | Monitor dock, laptop charging + multiple peripherals |
Worked example: A bus-powered 4-port USB 3.0 hub connected to a laptop USB 3.0 port has about 900 mA total to share. If you plug in a 2.5-inch external HDD drawing 700 mA plus a USB webcam drawing 400 mA, the demand is 1100 mA, which is 200 mA over budget. Result: the drive clicks or ejects when the camera turns on. Fix: move the HDD to a direct PC port or use a powered hub with its own 12 V / 2-3 A adapter, which provides roughly 2000-3000 mA of extra headroom.
How to See Network and Shared Connected Devices on This Computer
Network printers, NAS, and other PCs do not always appear in Bluetooth & devices > Devices unless network discovery is on.
Step 1: Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings. Under your current profile (Private networks), turn On Network discovery and File and printer sharing. This is the number one reason users cannot see connected network devices.
Step 2: Open File Explorer > Network in the left pane. Wait 30-60 seconds for discovery. If computers appear but you get an access error, check that both PCs use Private, not Public, under Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi or Ethernet > Network profile type.
Step 3: For printers, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device. If the printer is on Wi-Fi but missing, click Manually add and choose Add via TCP/IP with the printer’s IP address from its network report page.
Which View Should You Use? Decision Matrix
| Your Situation | Best Place to Look | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Remove a Bluetooth mouse or headset | Settings > Bluetooth & devices | Only place with Disconnect and Remove plus battery status |
| Check if USB drive is detected at all | Device Manager > Disk drives + Disk Management | Shows hardware even without a drive letter |
| Printer offline or stuck jobs | Settings > Printers & scanners + Devices and Printers | Shows queue, port, and WSD vs TCP/IP status |
| Find IP or MAC of PC and adapters | Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi/Ethernet > Hardware properties | Shows IPv4, DNS, manufacturer, and driver |
| Clean up old ghost USB devices | Device Manager with Show hidden devices | Lets you uninstall grayed-out entries |
Connected Device Not Showing? Causes and Fixes
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| USB drive not in Settings or File Explorer | No drive letter, uninitialized disk, or dead port | Right-click Start > Disk Management. If disk shows Offline or No Media, try another port and cable. If it shows Unallocated, initialize and assign a letter. Listen for spinning or LED to rule out power failure. |
| Device shows with yellow warning in Device Manager, Code 43 | Driver crash or USB descriptor failure | Unplug, restart PC, plug directly into rear motherboard port. In Device Manager, Uninstall device, check Delete driver if offered, then Scan for hardware changes. |
| Bluetooth device paired but Not connected | Already connected to phone, or Handsfree profile stuck | Turn off Bluetooth on nearby phone, then Settings > Bluetooth & devices > click device > Connect. If still failing, Remove device and re-pair. |
| Network PC or NAS missing | Public network profile or SMB/discovery off | Set network to Private, enable Network discovery, enable File and printer sharing. For older NAS, enable SMB 1.0/CIFS Client in Windows Features only if you trust the local network. |
| Printer shows Offline though powered on | WSD port changed IP after router reboot | Use printer panel to print network config, note IPv4 like 192.168.1.45, then reinstall using TCP/IP port instead of WSD. Disable SNMP Status Enabled if driver falsely reports Offline. |
Two settings commonly block detection: USB selective suspend and fast startup. Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings > USB settings > USB selective suspend setting and set it to Disabled if external drives vanish after sleep. If Bluetooth disappears after shutdown, disable Fast Startup under Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do, then restart.
How to View Hardware Properties and Network Details
For “windows 11 how to get to hardware devices monitor” style checks, combine these:
- Settings > System > About: Shows device name, processor, RAM, Windows edition, and Rename this PC. Click Device specifications to copy specs for support.
- Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi or Ethernet > Hardware properties: Shows SSID, protocol (Wi-Fi 5/6/6E), security type, IPv4/IPv6, DNS, MAC address, and manufacturer description.
- Task Manager > Performance (Ctrl + Shift + Esc): Shows live GPU, disk, Wi-Fi, and CPU usage. Right-click a disk or GPU to see driver version and logical device mapping.
- System Information (Windows + R, type msinfo32): Full inventory of Components > USB, Display, Storage, and Problem Devices. Export via File > Export for troubleshooting records.
To keep the list clean, remove old entries monthly: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices > three dots > Remove device for anything you no longer own, and Device Manager > View > Show hidden devices > Uninstall for grayed-out USB and Bluetooth entries. Restart after cleanup so Windows rebuilds the device cache and rescans connected devices to this computer correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I see USB devices under Bluetooth & devices > Devices?
Windows 11 filters that page to user-removable peripherals. Flash drives, card readers, and docks often appear only briefly during install, then live under Disk drives and Universal Serial Bus controllers in Device Manager and under This PC in File Explorer. If they appear in Disk Management with correct capacity, they are connected.
How do I show hidden or disconnected devices?
Open Device Manager, click View > Show hidden devices. Expand each category and look for translucent icons. Right-click > Uninstall device to remove ghosts that conflict with new hardware using the same name or COM port.
How do I find the IP and MAC address of connected devices?
For your own PC, use Settings > Network & internet > Hardware properties or run ipconfig /all in Terminal. For printers or cameras, print a network configuration page or check your router’s DHCP client list, usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, under Attached Devices.
