Fixed usb drives not working since windows 11 finally.

Question

I don't use edge. I had to rename msedgewebview2 on Windows 10 is located in "Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeWebView\Application\13*******", but renaming works until Edge Browser upgrade which will reinstall the file and then it will start to run again.

Now I can use usb drives again!!

Answer 1

Hi Anon,

Even if Microsoft Edge is not used as a browser, Microsoft Edge WebView2 is a required system component in Windows 11 and is used by Windows features and many applications in the background. For this reason, Windows 11 protects WebView2 from being renamed or disabled, and any changes to it are automatically restored during updates. Disabling or renaming WebView2 is not a supported method and may lead to unexpected system behavior.

Regarding USB drives, Microsoft documentation confirms that USB detection issues in Windows 11 are typically related to drivers or power‑management settings, rather than Edge or WebView2 components.

Since you have checked the steps from Q&A Assist and the issue persists, please try this supported solution:

Clean In‑Place Windows Repair

A clean in‑place repair refreshes Windows system components without removing personal files or installed applications. However, I recommend backing up your important data (such as Videos, Photos, Files...).

• Download the Windows 11 installation media from Microsoft
• Run Setup.exe from within Windows
• Choose Keep personal files and apps
• Complete the installation and restart when prompted

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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Answer 2

Renaming or disabling msedgewebview2 is not a supported or recommended way to fix USB drive issues in Windows 11. USB problems are typically related to drivers, power management (Selective Suspend), or Windows updates, not to WebView2 or Edge components.

For USB drives that stop working or become unresponsive, supported workarounds include:

1. Run Windows Update again after a major upgrade so missing or non‑migrated device drivers are reinstalled.
   • This addresses cases where, after a feature update, devices (including USB) are “not working, or not working optimally.”
2. Disable USB Selective Suspend via the registry if USB devices intermittently stop responding or USB ports stop working after unplug/plug:
   • Open regedit.
   • Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\USB.
   • Create or edit the DisableSelectiveSuspend DWORD value.
   • Set Value data to 1 to disable Selective Suspend.
   • This affects all USB host controllers and prevents Windows from suspending USB devices for power saving.
   • This is intended for advanced users and should be done only after backing up the registry, as incorrect edits can cause serious problems.

If USB storage devices themselves must be blocked or allowed in a controlled way, use the supported UsbStor service registry setting instead of renaming system binaries:

• To prevent USB storage devices from working (for example, in a managed environment where they are already installed):
  • Open regedit.
  • Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsbStor.
  • Set the Start value to 4 (Hexadecimal).

Any workaround that relies on renaming or breaking Edge or WebView2 binaries can be undone by future updates, may cause application instability, and is not supported. Using the documented USB power‑management and driver approaches is the correct and supportable path.

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References:

• USB port may stop working after you remove or insert a USB device
• USB devices may stop functioning correctly when multiple devices connected to the same USB hub go into selective suspend
• How can I prevent users from connecting to a USB storage device?
• Devices not working after a major Windows update