USBDeview is a free, portable USB diagnostics utility from NirSoft that lets you view and manage every USB device that has ever connected to your Windows system - currently connected or not. It displays detailed information including device names, serial numbers, Vendor and Product IDs, device type, drive letter, connection status, and exact timestamps for first and last connection. Whether you are troubleshooting a USB problem, auditing device usage, or cleaning up leftover registry entries, it is one of the most capable free tools available for the job.
Quick answer: Download USBDeview, extract the ZIP, and run USBDeview.exe - no installation required. The tool immediately displays every USB device connected to the system, past and present. Right-click any entry to disable, uninstall, run a speed test, or export device details. The current version is 3.10.
View USB Device History and Device Details
USBDeview acts as a comprehensive USB device history viewer, displaying every USB storage device, hub, printer, camera, and peripheral that has ever interacted with your computer - including devices that are no longer connected. Disconnected devices remain listed, making it straightforward to identify previously used flash drives, trace connection history, or troubleshoot lingering driver issues left over from devices that are no longer attached.
This level of visibility is especially useful when diagnosing USB conflicts, identifying unknown devices by their Vendor ID and Product ID, or investigating system slowdowns caused by faulty or duplicate USB hardware entries in the registry.
What Information Does USBDeview Display?
Each entry in the USBDeview table includes the following columns:
- Device Name and Description - the name and short description reported by the device
- Device Type - Storage, Bluetooth, Video, HID, Hub, and others
- Serial Number - unique identifier for mass storage devices
- Drive Letter - assigned drive letter for USB flash drives and CD/DVD drives
- Vendor ID and Product ID - hardware identifiers useful for driver lookup and identification
- Connected - whether the device is currently plugged in
- Safe to Unplug - whether the device can be safely removed at this moment
- Disabled - whether the device has been disabled
- USB Hub - whether the device was connected through a hub
- Created Date / Last Plug-In - exact timestamps of first installation and most recent connection
- Power Usage - reported power consumption of the device
Technical Specifications
- Developer: NirSoft
- Initial Release: 2006
- Current Version: 3.10
- License: Freeware
- Platform: Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, XP (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Price: Free
- Category: USB Monitoring Tool
- Editor's Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
- Official Site: Project Page
Core Features of This USB Monitoring Software
USBDeview acts as a USB device manager and USB history viewer, providing detailed insight into all connected and previously used USB devices on a Windows PC. It is well suited for hardware diagnostics, digital forensics, IT support, and removable media monitoring.
- USB Device Information Viewer: Displays device name, description, serial number, Vendor ID, Product ID, drive letter, power usage, connection status, and first and last connected timestamps.
- USB History Tracker: View a complete log of all currently connected and previously connected USB drives, storage devices, and USB hubs - including those no longer plugged in.
- USB Device Manager Tools: Enable, disable, uninstall, or safely disconnect USB devices, including permanent removal of old USB entries from the Windows registry.
- USB Speed Benchmark: Test read and write performance of USB flash drives, external hard drives, and SSDs directly from within the tool.
- Color-Coded Device Status: Instantly identify active, disconnected, disabled, or problematic USB devices at a glance.
- Remote USB Device Viewer: View USB device history and status on remote computers when administrative access is available.
- Command Line Interface Support: Perform advanced USB management tasks via CLI, useful for scripting, automation, and enterprise deployments.
- Export USB Reports: Export USB device data to HTML, XML, CSV, or tab-delimited format for audits, documentation, or forensic reports.
- Customizable Columns: Show or hide specific columns to focus on the data most relevant to your task.
Why Use USBDeview?
USBDeview is a favorite among IT administrators and field technicians for its combination of depth and portability. Common use cases include:
- Inspect USB Properties: Review unique identifiers, product IDs, drive letters, and full connection history for any device that has ever been plugged in.
- Remove Problematic Drivers: Resolve USB issues by uninstalling stuck, duplicate, or conflicting device entries from the Windows registry.
- Audit USB Usage: Detect unauthorized USB device connections by reviewing timestamps, serial numbers, and device names - useful for compliance and security investigations.
- Speed Test USB Drives: Benchmark flash drives to identify slow or failing storage without needing a separate tool.
- Run It Anywhere: Launch directly from a USB stick without installation - no registry entries or traces left on the host system.
- Enable or Disable Devices: Control USB device access with a simple right-click from within the tool.
- Create USB Inventories: Export logs for documentation, compliance audits, or IT asset records.
- Support Incident Response: Identify suspicious removable media connections during security investigations - serial numbers and timestamps provide reliable evidence.
How to Use This Portable USB Analyzer
USBDeview has a simple interface displaying all USB devices in a sortable table. No configuration is required to get started.
- Download USBDeview from NirSoft.
- Extract the ZIP file to any folder or USB flash drive.
- Launch
USBDeview.exe(use the 64-bit version on 64-bit systems for best results). - Review device details including status, serial number, drive letter, and timestamps.
- Right-click any device to uninstall, disable, export, run a speed test, or safely disconnect it.
Tip: To clean up old USB entries, right-click any disconnected device and select Uninstall Selected Devices. This removes the registry entry for that device without affecting any currently connected hardware. Windows will reinstall the driver automatically the next time the device is plugged in.
How to Run a USB Speed Test
USBDeview includes a built-in benchmarking feature to measure flash drive read and write performance - useful for comparing USB sticks, testing new hardware, or diagnosing slow file transfers.
- Right-click any listed USB storage device in the main window.
- Select Speed Test.
- Click Start Test to begin.
- View real-time read and write speed results displayed in MB/s.
Security and Privacy Considerations
USBDeview is frequently used in security-conscious environments because it provides visibility into removable media usage without installing background services or monitoring agents. This makes it valuable for identifying unauthorized USB devices, reviewing connection history during incident response, and maintaining a clean system registry.
While the tool can disable and uninstall devices, it does not actively block future connections. For prevention-based USB control, it pairs well with endpoint security tools or Windows Group Policy settings that restrict USB device types by class or Vendor ID.
As with most NirSoft utilities, some antivirus programs may flag USBDeview due to its system-level access and ability to modify USB device settings. This is a well-documented false positive - the utility is safe, widely trusted in IT environments, and available directly from the official NirSoft website.
USBDeview vs. USB Oblivion
Looking for something more privacy-focused? Here is a comparison between USBDeview and a popular alternative:
| Feature | USBDeview | USB Oblivion |
|---|---|---|
| Main Purpose | Monitor and manage USB devices | Erase USB traces from the registry |
| Device Info | Full USB device details | No device details displayed |
| Connection History | Yes - with timestamps and serial numbers | No |
| Device Management | Enable, disable, uninstall | No |
| Portability | Yes | Yes |
| Best For | Diagnostics, auditing, and troubleshooting | Privacy cleanup of USB history |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does USBDeview show that Windows Device Manager does not?
Windows Device Manager only shows currently connected or recognized devices. USBDeview shows the complete history of every USB device that has ever connected to the system, including devices that are no longer plugged in, along with serial numbers, exact timestamps, Vendor IDs, Product IDs, drive letters, and power usage - data not accessible through standard Windows interfaces.
Can USBDeview show what USB devices were connected in the past?
Yes. USBDeview reads USB history stored in the Windows registry and displays all previously connected devices, even if they are no longer plugged in. Each entry includes the date the device was first installed and the most recent time it was connected.
Is USBDeview safe to use? Why does my antivirus flag it?
Yes, it is safe. USBDeview is a trusted tool from NirSoft, which has been developing free Windows utilities since 1999. Antivirus programs sometimes flag it as a false positive because of its ability to read and modify USB device registry entries. The file is available directly from the official NirSoft website and has no malicious functionality.
Does USBDeview require installation or admin rights?
No installation is required - it runs directly from the extracted executable. For full functionality, including uninstalling devices and accessing all registry entries, running as Administrator is recommended. Standard user rights are sufficient for viewing device information.
Can I use USBDeview to remove old USB device entries from the registry?
Yes. Right-click any disconnected device and select Uninstall Selected Devices. This removes the registry entry for that device. Windows will reinstall the driver automatically the next time the same device is plugged in. This is a common fix for USB devices that fail to be recognized correctly.
Can USBDeview monitor USB devices on a remote computer?
Yes. USBDeview supports remote computer access as long as you have administrative credentials for the target machine. This makes it useful for IT administrators who need to audit USB device history across a network without visiting each system.
Does USBDeview work on Windows 11?
Yes. USBDeview is compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and XP. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are available. Use the 64-bit version on modern systems for best results.
Can USBDeview block USB devices?
USBDeview can disable a USB device so it cannot be used while disabled, but it does not actively prevent future connections at the hardware level. For USB port control and policy-based blocking, combine USBDeview with Windows Group Policy settings or endpoint security software.
Final Thoughts on USBDeview
USBDeview remains one of the most capable and reliable free USB monitoring tools available for Windows. Its portable design, minimal footprint, and deep access to USB device history - including serial numbers, timestamps, and Vendor IDs - make it a strong choice for flash drive diagnostics, security auditing, driver troubleshooting, and system maintenance.
While privacy-focused tools like USB Oblivion are better for erasing USB history, USBDeview excels at providing actionable, detailed insight. If you need to track USB usage, clean up lingering driver entries, benchmark removable storage, or investigate suspicious device connections, USBDeview is a reliable addition to any portable Windows toolkit.