Generally, Windows 11/10 automatically scans for hardware changes whenever you connect a new device to your computer or remove a connected device from your computer. However, occasionally, when you add a new hardware component (such as a printer or USB device) to your computer, Windows may not recognize it immediately. In this case, you may consider manually scanning for hardware changes to help the operating system identify and configure the new device.
Additionally, scanning for hardware changes can also help fix driver issues, resolve hardware conflicts, and more. Therefore, we outline for you the specific steps to scan for software changes below.
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How to Scan for Hardware Changes Windows 10/11
Way 1. Via Device Manager
Device Manager is a component of the Windows operating system that is mainly used to monitor and manage any connected hardware. You can choose to scan for hardware changes from Device Manager directly and easily. You can accomplish this task by referring to the following steps.
Step 1. Right-click the Windows logo button and choose Device Manager.
Step 2. Select a device type from the device list.
Step 3. On the top menu bar, click Action > Scan for hardware changes.
Alternatively, you can right-click on any device type and select Scan for hardware changes from the context menu.
Problem: Scan for Hardware Changes Missing
Some users reported that they could not see the “Scan for hardware changes” option after clicking the Action button. Facing this issue, the first troubleshooting step is to make sure you have selected a device type before clicking Action.
If the option still does not appear, there may be some corrupted system files. In such a situation, you can use the System File Checker (SFC) to scan and repair corrupted system files.
Step 1. In the Windows search box, type cmd. Next, right-click Command Prompt from the best match result and select Run as administrator.
Step 2. In the new window, type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
Step 3. Wait until the repair process is completed. Then go to Device Manager and check if the option is back.
If you still cannot check for hardware changes through Device Manager because the scan option is missing, Device Manager is unresponsive or unavailable for some other reason, you can choose to use the Command Prompt tool.
Way 2. Via Command Prompt
To scan for hardware changes with the command line, you can follow the steps below.
Step 1. Run Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 2. In the pop-up UAC window, select the Yes option.
Step 3. In the command line window, type pnputil.exe /scan-devices and press Enter.
See Also: [Full Fixes] Can’t Type in Command Prompt Windows 10/11
Wrapping Things Up
Reading here, you should know how to scan for hardware changes to make sure your computer’s hardware components are functioning properly. Also, you should know how to get the missing “Scan for hardware changes” option back.
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About The Author
Position: Columnist
Shirley graduated from English major and is currently an editor of MiniTool Team. She likes browsing and writing IT-related articles, and is committed to becoming a professional IT problem solver. The topic of her articles are generally about data recovery, data backup, and computer disk management, as well as other IT issues. In spare time, she likes watching movies, hiking and fishing.