Remove Hidden (Ghosted) Devices in Windows 10 and 11

To remove a hidden (ghosted) device, open Device Manager, choose View > Show hidden devices, identify a device you recognize and no longer use, then select Uninstall device. In the confirmation dialog, leave the option to delete the driver software unchecked for routine cleanup. A stale entry is usually harmless, so remove it to clear an obsolete device record or troubleshoot a specific issue—not to speed up Windows.

What a hidden or ghosted device means

Device Manager normally emphasizes hardware currently detected by Windows. Turning on Show hidden devices can reveal devices Windows does not display by default, including devices that were physically removed but still have a device record. A disconnected mouse, USB accessory, or old printer may appear faded. However, not every hidden entry is a ghost: Windows also hides some device categories by design. Check that an entry is both disconnected and recognizable before removing it.

Uninstalling a device entry does not automatically erase its driver package. Windows keeps driver packages in its Driver Store so it can reuse a compatible driver if the hardware is connected again. Removing a leftover entry rarely makes startup noticeably faster; the original claim that ghosted devices slow startup is not a reason to perform a broad cleanup.

Before you remove anything

Only remove an entry you can identify with confidence, such as an old USB mouse you no longer own. Do not use this as a general cleanup pass on unfamiliar devices. Be especially careful with current hardware and entries for storage, display, network, chipset/system, sound/video/game controllers, firmware, or USB controllers. Removing an active or system-critical device can interrupt a feature or make hardware stop working until Windows reinstalls its driver.

If you are changing driver packages or cleaning up several devices, create a restore point first. If a device is physically connected and you intend to uninstall it, unplug it before removal; otherwise Windows may immediately rediscover the device and reinstall its driver.

Remove a ghosted device in Device Manager

1. Open Device Manager. Search for “Device Manager” from Start and open it. Choose View > Show hidden devices to display entries Windows normally hides.

   

2. Find the old device. Expand the likely category, such as Mice and other pointing devices or Universal Serial Bus devices. Look for a faded entry that matches hardware you disconnected. If the name is generic, right-click it, open Properties, and review the manufacturer and device instance path on the Details tab. Stop if you cannot tell what it is.

   

3. Uninstall only that entry. Right-click the confirmed stale device and choose Uninstall device. Check the name in the confirmation dialog. For normal cleanup, do not select Attempt to delete the driver software for this device; that option removes the driver package and can affect other devices that rely on it. Select Uninstall, then restart if Windows asks.

   

4. Confirm the result. Reopen Device Manager and check that the old entry is gone. If the item returns, check whether the hardware is still attached through a dock, hub, or wireless receiver. Windows can recreate a device entry when hardware is detected again.

Optional: use PnPUtil to inspect disconnected devices

On Windows 10 version 1903 or later, an administrator can use PnPUtil to list disconnected devices. Open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin) and run:

pnputil /enum-devices /disconnected

Review the output and copy the exact Instance ID of a device you have positively identified. On Windows 10 version 2004 or later, you can ask PnPUtil to remove that one device instance:

pnputil /remove-device "<device instance ID>"

Replace the placeholder, including its angle brackets, with the actual instance ID and keep the quotation marks. Do not guess an ID or use a broad class or device-ID command to remove a group. PnPUtil’s remove command targets a device instance; it does not mean you should delete the corresponding driver package. Microsoft documents the supported versions and syntax in its PnPUtil command reference.

If the device is still listed or comes back

Make sure Show hidden devices is on and refresh the Device Manager view. A device that returns after a restart may still be present through a dock, monitor, receiver, or another connected device; disconnect it before uninstalling again. If the hardware is currently needed and stops working, reconnect it and let Windows detect it, or use the manufacturer’s current driver. Do not remove a driver package just to make a ghosted entry disappear.

For the current Device Manager steps and driver-removal behavior, see Microsoft’s guide to uninstalling devices and driver packages. Microsoft also explains which types of devices can appear as hidden in its hidden devices reference.