How to Pass Through USB Devices in Hyper-V

When using a virtual machine on Hyper-V, you might encounter limitations if you want to connect a USB device like a flash drive, external hard drive, or USB adapter. Unlike other hypervisors such as VMware or VirtualBox, Hyper-V does not natively support USB pass-through. However, there are several effective workarounds that can help. In this guide, we will explore various methods for passing through USB devices to Hyper-V virtual machines.

Method 1: Using Pass-Through Disk for USB Drives

This method is suitable for external hard drives or USB flash drives. It involves connecting the USB device to the host and making it accessible to the virtual machine as a Pass-Through Disk.

  1. Connect the USB device to the host machine.
  2. Open Disk Management on the host (press Win + X and select "Disk Management").
  3. Locate your USB device, right-click on it, and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths" to remove its assigned drive letter.
  4. Open the virtual machine settings in Hyper-V and add a new hard drive.
  5. Select Physical Hard Disk and choose your USB device from the list.

Note: The virtual machine must be turned off before you can add a physical disk.

Method 2: Using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)

If you only need temporary access to a USB device, like a flash drive or printer, using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) can be a simple solution.

  1. Connect to the virtual machine using RDP (launch the mstsc command).
  2. Click on "Show Options" before connecting and go to the Local Resources tab.
  3. In the "Local devices and resources" section, click "More" and select the USB devices you want to pass through.
  4. Connect to the virtual machine, and your selected USB devices will be available in the guest system.

Method 3: Using Third-Party USB Redirection Software

If the built-in options don't meet your needs, you can use third-party software like USB Network Gate or VirtualHere. These tools allow you to "share" USB devices over the network and connect them to the virtual machine.

  1. Install the software on the host machine and launch it.
  2. Connect the USB device to the host and share it via the application.
  3. Install the client software on the virtual machine and connect to the shared USB device.

Note: Some of these tools are paid, but usually offer a free trial period to test their capabilities.

Method 4: Using Enhanced Session Mode

If you are using a Windows guest operating system, you can enable Enhanced Session Mode, which supports USB device redirection.

  1. Open Hyper-V Manager and go to Hyper-V settings.
  2. Enable "Enhanced Session Mode" under the Enhanced Session Mode Policy tab.
  3. Connect to the virtual machine via Hyper-V, and you will have access to local resources, including USB devices.