Troubleshooting Dell Monitor USB Downstream Port Issues

• The USB downstream ports do not work on Dell monitors.
• A USB device is not recognized when it is connected to the USB port on the monitor.

This issue is mostly noticed when the Dell monitor is connected to the computer using HDMI or DisplayPort cable.

Affected products

• Dell monitors with USB downstream ports (Figure 1 and 2).

Figure 1: Example of P2421D monitor with USB downstream ports on the bottom.

Figure 2: Example of P2421D monitor with USB downstream ports on the left side.

This issue is caused if the USB upstream cable is not connected between the Dell monitor and the computer.

The HDMI and DisplayPort cables support audio and video only. For data transmission, the USB upstream cable must be connected between the Dell monitor and the computer.

To ensure that the USB downstream ports on the Dell monitor work, connect the USB upstream cable between the Dell monitor and the computer.

Dell monitors have a USB Type-B or USB-C upstream port. A compatible USB upstream cable is shipped with the Dell monitor.

1. Dell monitors with USB Type-B upstream port - Connect the provided USB Type-B to USB Type-A upstream cable between the Dell monitor and the computer.

   
   Figure 3: Example of P2421D monitor with USB Type-B upstream port.

2. Dell monitors with USB-C upstream port - Connect the provided USB-C to USB-C cable between the upstream port on the Dell monitor and the computer. If the computer does not have a USB-C port, use a USB-C to USB-A cable (optional purchase).

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