Windows says "This device can perform faster"? What it means and how to fix it (or switch it off)
You plug in a stick or a drive and Windows pops up: "This device can perform faster if you connect it to a Super-Speed USB 3.0 port." The device works. It's just running in the slow lane.
Find the slow link
| Try this | If the message goes away |
|---|---|
| Plug into a different port, ideally on the back of a desktop or the other side of a laptop | The first port was USB 2. Many desktops wire their front ports as USB 2 even when the back ones are USB 3. |
| Unplug any hub, dock, extension lead or monitor port and go straight into the computer | The hub or extension was USB 2. Keyboard-and-mouse hubs and cheap USB-C adapters often are. |
| Swap to the cable that came with the drive, or a cable sold for data at 5 Gbps or more | The cable only carried USB 2 data. Many USB-C cables sold for charging phones do. |
| Try a different device in the same port | If only one device gets the message, it may have a worn plug: the extra USB 3 contacts are the first to stop making contact. |
Is the port actually USB 3?
- Colour: blue (and sometimes teal or red) plastic inside a USB-A port usually means USB 3. Black or white usually means USB 2, though some makers use black for everything.
- Markings: "SS", "SS 5", "SS 10" or a lightning-style symbol next to the port means SuperSpeed. A USB-C port with no symbol might be USB 2 only, which is common on budget laptops.
- Device Manager: under Universal Serial Bus controllers, a USB 3 computer lists an eXtensible Host Controller (xHCI). If it's missing or has a yellow warning, Windows isn't using the USB 3 hardware: install the chipset or USB driver from the computer or motherboard maker's support page.
- USBView: Microsoft's free USBView tool lists every device and the speed it's connected at, so you can see "High-Speed" (USB 2) versus "SuperSpeed" (USB 3) directly.
Still slow on a USB 3 port?
- Desktop front ports: the front panel needs its own USB 3 cable plugged into a USB 3 header on the motherboard. If it's only plugged into a USB 2 header, or not at all, the front ports run at USB 2.
- Old firmware settings: on older desktops, the BIOS or UEFI setup sometimes has an XHCI or USB 3 option that is switched off or set to a legacy mode.
- Power saving: very occasionally a port drops to USB 2 after sleep. A restart, or unplugging and plugging back in, sorts it.
- USB4 version: on newer Windows 11 PCs a similar message says a USB4 or Thunderbolt device could perform faster. Same idea: use a USB4 or Thunderbolt port and a cable rated for 40 Gbps.
What you're losing
USB 2 copies at about 25-40 MB/s in practice. A USB 3 port and a decent drive can do 100-400 MB/s or more. So a 20 GB folder takes about 10 minutes at USB 2 speed and 1-3 minutes on USB 3. For a keyboard, mouse or a phone that's only charging, the slower speed makes no difference at all. The unit converter turns Gbit/s labels into MB/s.
Turn the notification off
If the device is fine at USB 2 speed, open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices (Windows 11) or Devices (Windows 10), then USB, and switch off the USB connection notifications. The device keeps working exactly as before, just without the pop-up.
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Questions
What does "This device can perform faster" mean?
Windows can tell the device supports USB 3 or USB4 but it's connected at a slower USB speed, usually because of a USB 2 port, hub or cable. It still works, just more slowly.
How do I fix "This device can perform faster if you connect it to a Super-Speed USB 3.0 port"?
Plug it directly into a USB 3 port (often blue or marked SS) with the cable it came with, without a hub. If that doesn't help, update the chipset or USB drivers and check Device Manager for an eXtensible Host Controller.
Why do my front USB ports only run at USB 2?
On many desktops the front ports are USB 2, or the front panel's USB 3 cable isn't plugged into a USB 3 header on the motherboard. Use a rear port or connect the header.
Can a USB-C cable be USB 2 only?
Yes. Many USB-C cables sold for charging only carry USB 2 data, so a fast drive on one of them runs at about 40 MB/s at best.
How do I stop the "can perform faster" notification?
In Settings, open Bluetooth & devices (Windows 11) or Devices (Windows 10), then USB, and turn off the USB connection notifications.
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