Blue Yeti USB Device Not Recognized? (Do This Now to Solve It!)

You are all set to record, but whenever you plug in the microphone, you see “Blue Yeti USB device not recognized” and your computer refuses to detect it.

The culprit can be anything from USB connections to driver conflicts, but the good news is that there are several good ways to fix this in under 5 minutes.

Without further ado, let’s jump right in!

Blue Yeti USB Device Not Recognized Error – 11 Expert Solutions!

Note: Have you tried reconnecting the Blue Yeti multiple times and inspecting the mini-B USB?

1. Search for Blue Yeti in the Device Manager

Even if you do not see a recognized USB device prompt appear, the Blue Yeti might still show up in the Device Manager on your Windows PC.

Well, the device manager is split into several sections for each interface input or output, and should include your microphone. 

Here’s how to find the Blue Yeti in the device manager:

• Type “Device Manager” in the Windows start menu.
• Double-click “Audio inputs and outputs” to extend.
• Next, search for your Blue Yeti in the devices shown.
• Right-click “Blue Yeti”, then click “Troubleshooting”.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to identify device issues.

If the Blue Yeti microphone does not appear under the “Audio inputs and outputs”, check for it under the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” or “Other devices”.

If there is a recognition failure by Windows, but the hardware detects it, it will appear as an unlabeled USB device. 

2. Plug the USB Before the Microphone

The order in which you connect the Blue Yeti microphone and the mini-B USB matters in terms of system recognition.

Users suggest that connecting the USB cable before the microphone could resolve potential recognition issues due to the Blue Yeti’s factorial design.

So, find an empty USB input on the rear or top panel of your PC case, connect the supplied microphone USB, and then plug in the Blue Yeti microphone.

Note: Check whether there is a system prompt that states successful device recognition and double-check in the device manager.

3. Try a Different USB Port and Cable

The Blue Yeti might not appear as a usable USB device on your computer due to a faulty USB adapter or port.

We recommend switching to an alternative 3.0 port on your PC or using a replacement USB mini-B.

Step #:1 Switch to Another USB Port

A broken or depleted USB port could be the reason why the microphone is not showing up in the device manager.

Unplug the Blue Yeti, connect it with an alternative USB port (we recommend using a priority USB), and check for the microphone in the device manager.

Step #2: Test with a Different USB Cable

A potential problem with the mini-B USB cable supplied with the Blue Yeti could prevent the system from recognizing the microphone.

If possible, test with a replacement USB cable that matches the connectors on your PC and Blue Yeti microphone.

Note: If you spot any hardware defects with the wiring or ports, get a replacement!

4. Check if the Blue Yeti Audio is Allowed

Sometimes, the audio of your new microphone may be initially disallowed by the Windows OS audio properties, including the output of your Blue Yeti.

This could lead to issues with the recognition and eventually label the microphone as an unidentified USB input device.

Here’s how to manage the Windows audio properties:

• Open the Windows start menu and type “System”.
• Press Enter and navigate to the “Sound” section.
• Go to “All Sound devices” and then “Properties”.
• Click on the Blue Yeti if it appears in the list below.
• Finally, press the “Allow” button to allow the input.

Note: Reconnect the Blue Yeti to your PC after enabling the audio input.

5. Deactivate USB Selective Suspend

Another reason why the Blue Yeti microphone USB device not recognized could be because the USB selective suspend is disrupting the power to the USB port.

This feature is designed to automatically deactivate the power supply of USB ports that are not in use to save more power, often cause issues.

Here’s how to disable USB selective suspend:

• Open the Control Panel on your Windows PC.
• Click on “Hardware and Sound” in the menu.
• Click “Power Options” to view all power plans.
• Click “Change plan” to change the current plan.
• Press on “Change advanced power settings”.
• Expand the “USB selective suspend” section.
• Click “Disabled” from the drop-down, then save.

Alert: Keep in mind that the power consumption of your system may partially increase after disabling the USB selective suspension.

6. Inspect the Blue Yeti USB Port

An obstruction of the Blue Yeti microphone port could interfere with the USB connection and prevent the PC system from recognizing the device.

Hence, the next step is to conduct a thorough cleaning of the microphone port and ensure there is no dust or debris inside. 

If you spot anything in the port that shouldn’t be there, use a toothbrush or compressed air for a thorough cleaning, then reconnect the Blue Yeti microphone and test.

If any of the port connectors seem damaged, this is a matter for YETI customer support.

Note: Be gentle to avoid damaging the port while cleaning!

7. Conduct a USB Devices Cycle

Interference caused by other USB devices connected to your computer could be the reason why the Blue Yeti isn’t detected as an input USB device.

Hence, to test, disconnect the microphone and plug other USB devices into the same USB input. 

• Wait for roughly ~10–15 seconds, unplug the extra devices, and reconnect the Blue Yeti to test.

Tip: Check for Conflicting USB Devices!

Other USB devices, especially third-party interfaces like audio mixers or hubs, might be interfering with the resources of your Blue Yeti and prevent it from being recognized.

So, unplug all third-party interface devices from your computer, leaving just the Blue Yeti connected, and then restart your computer to test. 

8. Reinstall the System Audio Drivers

Potentially outdated or corrupted system audio drivers could also prevent your computer system from recognizing a new USB device.

So, we recommend cleanly reinstalling the audio drivers of your Windows PC and reconnecting the Blue Yeti to address underlying problems.

Here’s how to reinstall audio drivers on Windows 10 and 11:

• Open the “Device Manager” and click on “Action” above.
• Press the “Scan for hardware changes” button in the tab.
• Expand “Sound, video and game controllers” in the list.
• Right-click your audio driver, then press “Update Driver”.
• Now, follow the on-screen steps to reinstall the audio driver.

Note: Reboot the Windows system after the driver update window closes and the procedure is complete!

9. Set Blue Yeti as the Default Microphone

So, even if the Blue Yeti is detected by the system, it must also be specified as the “default recording device” in the audio settings of your system.

This way, it will work instead of the internal microphone and prevent recognition-related issues.

Here’s how to set Blue Yeti as the default microphone:

• Access “Sound Settings” → “Recording tab”.
• Locate the Blue Yeti within the list of devices.
• Right-click, then press “Set as Default Device”.

Configuring the Blue Yeti as the default device can resolve functionality issues.

If the audio input remains undetected, consider reinstalling the system audio drivers next.

10. Adjust the Microphone Privacy Settings

The privacy settings are important for the functionality of your computer’s microphone because they define features such as audio registration and active input. 

Here are the steps to adjust the privacy settings for the PC microphone:

• Navigate to “Settings,” then select “Privacy”.
• Click “Microphone” from the options below.
• Ensure “Microphone Access” is set to “On”.
• Enable “Let desktop apps access your microphone”.
• Save the changes and exit the configuration.

Note: Reconnect the Blue Yeti microphone after saving the new privacy settings!

11. Factory Reset the Blue Yeti Microphone

There is another simple and effective solution for the “Blue Yeti USB device not recognized” error, which is to delete all settings–a complete factory reset.

However, this is extremely helpful when the fault is not with the computer, but with the system of the Blue Yeti microphone.

• To factory reset the Blue Yeti, hold the “Mute” and “Gain” knob buttons until the LED indicator changes to your chosen color.

In the meantime, unplug the microphone from your PC and wait until the factory reset is finalized, and the indicator returns to normal.

Then you can try whether the Blue Yeti microphone will finally be recognized.

Note: If you still experience the same problem, test whether the Blue Yeti microphone will be recognized on another PC or laptop to narrow down the circle of possibilities.