Attach USB device to Hyper-V guest machine

Omid Shojaee 121

Hello,

We have a software installed on one of our Hyper-V guest machines running Windows 2022 Datacenter edition. This software requires a hardware lock which is a USB device. The device is inserted into the USB port of the server, and the host machine sees it as an Input Device.

I need to somehow "attach" that USB device to the guest machine permanently and make it visible to the guest OS otherwise that software won't work. What is the solution?

The host machine is Windows 2022 Datacenter edition.

It axiom 0 Reputation points

2024-04-24T19:39:43.45+00:00

I am just trying to install os's on the virtual machines and make them bootable
Dan Tomshon 25 Reputation points

2024-09-27T20:38:01.77+00:00
For tunneling USB devices from host to the VM, use this:
On host machine:

Press Win+R type gpedit.msc and hit enter

Go to Computer configuration > Administrative templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Connection Client > RemoteFX USB Device Redirection

Select the only GPO there and Enable it and change the access rights to "Administrators and Users"

On VM:

Press Win+R type gpedit.msc and hit enter

Go to Computer configuration > Administrative templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Device and Resource Redirection

Select GPO "Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection" and disable it

Reboot both machines and voila you can redirect anything to VM. When you connect via RDP a third icon next to Connection info icon will show up click on that and you can select anything local to be redirected to RDP.
tocguy 160 Reputation points

2025-08-21T17:02:55.5333333+00:00

When you connect via RDP a third icon next to Connection info icon will show up click on that and you can select anything local to be redirected to RDP.

I'm not reaching "voila". In what window is this this elusive new icon supposed to appear?

8 answers

Fábio Vieira 0 Reputation points

2024-12-24T20:42:04.74+00:00

Hi folks!

I believe I have a much simpler solution!

Just attach a pendrive and share it to EVERYONE. Open the guest VM and map the previos share using "net use X: \\HOSTNAME\SOMESHARE /persistent:yes" or using Explorer. Depending on your scenario, you may need to use the Host's user credentials.
After that I've noticed even the pendrive is not present, the share will persists in the guest machine! When the pendrive is attached, it will be available to the guest VM.

Regards!

Fábio Vieira
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Jonathan 0 Reputation points

2025-01-15T18:13:06.8+00:00

In my case it's not a USB Drive, it's a USB Device like a scanner. (in my case a specific card reader).
I believe your solution only works for file drives...?
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Dion McGovern-Allen 6 Reputation points

2023-10-12T20:45:02.4766667+00:00

Technically if you ignore the USB portion of the drive @Tom-9560
Then its storage passthrough and nothing at all to do with USB.

That being said, I don't believe the process is anywhere near "nightmare process" and 20 steps.

Plug drive in, offline to host, edit VM settings and done it now has a extra hard drive ready to go (formatting not included)

Course it would be nice to be able to do USB device passthrough.
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Tom-9560 35 Reputation points

2023-11-01T11:09:27.53+00:00

Thank you, @Dion McGovern-Allen ,

but for more than 1 decade, "Attach USB device" does not mean just using a USB Data stick.
Of course, we expect to be able to attach any USB Device - and there are a lot on the market. E.g. our 2D Plotter.

Indeed, it is a shame that while M$ makes $1.24 billion in profit every month, it has ignored trivial customer requests for decades.

But with the outrageous and greedy price increases and the simultaneous reduction of support and service, it helps our motivation a lot to replace M$ products :-). Excitingly, competitors are actually offering new useful features, such as USB device support in virtual machines. It is just real plug & play!

Kind regards,
Thomas
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Leon Laude 86,201 Reputation points

2022-01-24T12:33:51.57+00:00

Hi @Omid Shojaee ,

It's not as straight forward, but you could follow along the guide over here:
https://adamtheautomator.com/hyper-v-usb-passthrough

Edit: If you want to add USB devices, you'll likely need a third-party solution.

----------

If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you!

Best regards,
Leon
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Omid Shojaee 121 Reputation points

2022-01-24T12:45:07.92+00:00

@Leon Laude

Hello,

The lock is not a USB drive. It's a USB device.

Leon Laude 86,201 Reputation points

2022-01-24T12:52:35.163+00:00

In this case you'll likely need to find third party solutions that provide Hyper-V USB passthrough, for example:
https://www.incentivespro.com/hyper-v-usb.html

Ahmad Oweis 16 Reputation points

2022-02-19T10:12:12.56+00:00

Hi,

This solution seems to work only for windows guest VM. I have a Linux VM and I need it to access a USB device (not a flash memory), is this possible?

lvillalta 1 Reputation point

2022-06-05T00:59:50.72+00:00

Super solution It worked. Best Regards.

William Thompson 1 Reputation point

2022-08-14T04:20:21.647+00:00

If you got it working, share the love. Pay it forward.

Automatikmanden 1 Reputation point

2022-10-14T12:20:34.523+00:00

You could try VirtualHere usb host..

Oddbjørn Brox 0 Reputation points

2023-03-26T15:59:00.6433333+00:00

empty.
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Attach USB device to Hyper-V guest machine

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