# Device Manager Does Not Recognize ESP32-C3-Mini **URL:** \ **Category:** 3rd Party Boards\ **Created:** [June 11, 2026, 11:22pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/device-manager-does-not-recognize-esp32-c3-mini/1448069 "2026-06-11T23:22:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sonofcy](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sonofcy/32/1283617_2.png) [@sonofcy](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sonofcy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 12:50pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/device-manager-does-not-recognize-esp32-c3-mini/1448069/22 "2026-06-12T12:50:37Z")
> [@esp32-c3user](#): > > > [@sterretje](#): > > > > But why do you post a link to a board that clearly uses a CP2102? [ESP32-C3-DevKitM-1 - ESP32-C3 - — esp-dev-kits latest documentation](https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-dev-kits/en/latest/esp32c3/esp32-c3-devkitm-1/user_guide.html) does not seem to be the board that you have. > > I just realized that I mistook the C3 Mini for the DevkitM-1, that is completely my bad. They looked similar. Thank you for pointing that out! You can ignore all my posts about the DevkitM-1 in that case. ---
**Author:** ![conny1102](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/conny1102/32/1271968_2.png) [@conny1102](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/conny1102)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 1:10pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/device-manager-does-not-recognize-esp32-c3-mini/1448069/23 "2026-06-12T13:10:59Z")
I don't know if this is related to you specific problem, but I ALWAYS have trouble setting up the ESP32-C3s for the first time. Using a win10 laptop and arduino IDE v2.x, what happens for me is: I connect the esp32c3 via usb Hear the plug-in sound Shows briefly up on device manager Hear the plug-out sound Disappears and so on forever. I never had to install specific drivers for the device. If you have trouble, try this: > **[Nanjing Qinheng Microelectronics Co., Ltd.](https://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH341SER.EXE.html?type=en)** > > WCH is an IC design company that designs chips based on self-developed professional interface IP and microprocessor IP. Its main products include USB/Bluetooth/Ethernet interface chips and connected/interconnected/wireless MCUs, which focus on... My working procedure to get these tiny troublemakers setup is: Connect them with usb. Press both buttons (boot and reset) at the same time. Release reset Release boot. So the chip is stuck in boot/download mode. Then, select the COM port on the IDE list. Then select the board in tools\>board\>esp32\>ESP32 C3 Dev Module Turn ON "USB CDC on boot" to get a working serial monitor Flash your sketch Press once the "reset" button just the first time. All of this always works for me and its pretty straightforward. ---
**Author:** ![Deva\_Rishi](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/deva_rishi/32/227254_2.png) [@Deva\_Rishi](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Deva_Rishi)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 3:06pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/device-manager-does-not-recognize-esp32-c3-mini/1448069/24 "2026-06-12T15:06:53Z")
> [@conny1102](#): > > So the chip is stuck in boot/download mode. > Then, select the COM port on the IDE list. I think this is the key. The default sketch does not have USB CDC on boot enabled i suspect, so that means that during normal operation there is no USB Serial at all. In flash download Boot mode it should show up similar to the way an S2 does. ---
**Author:** ![esp32-c3user](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/esp32-c3user/32/1274517_2.png) [@esp32-c3user](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/esp32-c3user)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2026, 4:48am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/device-manager-does-not-recognize-esp32-c3-mini/1448069/25 "2026-06-15T04:48:57Z")
It's not because my computer doesn't recognize the driver at all in the first place, so I can't even select it in the COM port options in the IDE. And my board doesn't have a reset button, it has an EN button, and I've never been able to get the device into boot mode no matter how I press both the EN and BOOT buttons. I also did read the reviews before buying it and none of them mentioned having driver issues, so didn't suspect I'd deal with a problem like this. In fact, several of the reviews go on about how they got theirs to work, so I genuinely can't tell if it really is the boards being faulty or it's my device being the problem. ---
**Author:** ![esp32-c3user](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/esp32-c3user/32/1274517_2.png) [@esp32-c3user](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/esp32-c3user)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/device-manager-does-not-recognize-esp32-c3-mini/1448069/26 "2026-06-17T18:26:46Z")
I've had two different people test the same boards on different devices and both of them were able to get their PCs to recognize the serial driver, so I doubt it is solely a hardware issue. It is likely something specifically wrong with my PC, but I have no idea what or how to fix it. ---
**Author:** ![esp32-c3user](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/esp32-c3user/32/1274517_2.png) [@esp32-c3user](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/esp32-c3user)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/device-manager-does-not-recognize-esp32-c3-mini/1448069/27 "2026-06-18T16:51:15Z")
I FOUND THE SOLUTION! It turns out something called **"DeviceInstallDisable"** was enabled in the Registry Editor, and that prevented the driver from installing. This was the guide I used: [Windows 10 – One of the installers for this device cannot perform the installation at this time](https://wickedpc.org/2022/11/07/windows-10-one-of-the-installers-for-this-device-cannot-perform-the-installation-at-this-time/) It also works for Windows 11. You don't even need to reinstall the driver afterwards, the Device Manager will just start recognizing it after **you restart your PC** (crucial step): ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/3/9/4/394679357a5e9708a735c99cbd5b19e234b53fc1.png) ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/d/0/9/d09a0d3786e8ee16d8e10aa20797f7673c18d435.png) I really hope this helps anyone else who has this issue because I know this kind of solution isn't present on this forum for CH340 drivers. [Previous page](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/device-manager-does-not-recognize-esp32-c3-mini/1448069.md?page=1)