How to Find Com Ports on Windows 10
Finding COM ports on Windows 10 can be a daunting task, especially for those who are not familiar with the operating system or are not comfortable using command-line tools. However, with a few simple steps, you can easily identify and discover the available COM ports on your Windows 10 system.
Step 1: Check the Device Manager
The first place to start is to check the Device Manager, which is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that allows you to manage and configure various hardware components on your system. To access the Device Manager, follow these steps:
- Click on the Start menu and select Devices.
- In the search bar, type Device Manager and press Enter.
- In the Device Manager window, click on the __Connections section.
Step 2: Scan for Removable Devices
By default, the Device Manager will show all devices on your system, including removable devices. To find only removable devices, select the __Removable Devices check box in the __Connections section.
| Device Type | Function |
|---|---|
| Unknown Device | Unknown device |
| External Storage | External storage devices |
| USB Hub | USB hub devices |
| Internal Storage | Internal storage devices |
| Removable Storage | Removable storage devices |
Step 3: Scan for Serial Devices
Serial devices are typically connected to your system using a USB-to-serial adapter or a universal serial bus (USB) cable. To scan for serial devices, follow these steps:
- Open the Device Manager and select the __Ports section.
- Click on the __Port Settings tab.
- Select the __Use the following settings to view connections option.
- In the __Port Settings window, select the __UDPSerPort Connection option.
- Select the __All port type option.
- Click __OK to close the window.
| Device Type | Function |
|---|---|
| Serial Device | Serial device connected using a USB-to-serial adapter or USB cable |
| UDPSerPort | Unused port type that can be used for connecting serial devices |
Step 4: Use the built-in COM Port Utilities
The built-in COM Port Utilities tool is a simple and easy-to-use tool that allows you to scan for and display available COM ports on your system. To access the COM Port Utilities tool, follow these steps:
- Open the Command Prompt on your system.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
com ports - The COM Port Utilities tool will display a list of available COM ports on your system.
| COM Port | Function |
|---|---|
| Port 21 | System Console |
| Port 22 | COM 1 (ASCII input) |
| Port 25 | COM 2 (ASCII output) |
| Port 26 | COM 3 (Hexadecimal input) |
| Port 27 | COM 4 (Hexadecimal output) |
| Port 28 | COM 5 (Raw input) |
| Port 29 | COM 6 (Raw output) |
| Port 30 | COM 7 (Bitstrings) |
| Port 31 | COM 8 (Floating-point input) |
| Port 32 | COM 9 (Floating-point output) |
| Port 33 | COM 10 (Bitstrings with variable-length arguments) |
| Port 34 | COM 11 (Hexadecimal console) |
| Port 35 | COM 12 (Raw console) |
| Port 36 | COM 13 (Bitstrings with variable-length arguments) |
| Port 37 | COM 14 (Unused) |
| Port 38 | COM 15 (Unused) |
| Port 39 | COM 16 (Unused) |
| Port 40 | COM 17 (Unused) |
| Port 41 | COM 18 (Unused) |
| Port 42 | COM 19 (Unused) |
| Port 43 | COM 20 (Unused) |
| Port 44 | COM 21 (System Console) |
| Port 45 | COM 22 (COM 1) |
| Port 46 | COM 23 (COM 2) |
| Port 47 | COM 24 (COM 3) |
| Port 48 | COM 25 (COM 4) |
| Port 49 | COM 26 (COM 5) |
| Port 50 | COM 27 (COM 6) |
| Port 51 | COM 28 (COM 7) |
| Port 52 | COM 29 (COM 8) |
| Port 53 | COM 30 (COM 9) |
| Port 54 | COM 31 (COM 10) |
| Port 55 | COM 32 (COM 11) |
| Port 56 | COM 33 (COM 12) |
| Port 57 | COM 34 (COM 13) |
| Port 58 | COM 35 (COM 14) |
| Port 59 | COM 36 (COM 15) |
| Port 60 | COM 37 (COM 16) |
| Port 61 | COM 38 (COM 17) |
| Port 62 | COM 39 (COM 18) |
| Port 63 | COM 40 (COM 19) |
| Port 64 | COM 41 (COM 20) |
| Port 65 | COM 42 (COM 21) |
| Port 66 | COM 43 (COM 22) |
| Port 67 | COM 44 (COM 23) |
| Port 68 | COM 45 (COM 24) |
| Port 69 | COM 46 (COM 25) |
| Port 70 | COM 47 (COM 26) |
| Port 71 | COM 48 (COM 27) |
| Port 72 | COM 49 (COM 28) |
| Port 73 | COM 50 (COM 29) |
| Port 74 | COM 51 (COM 30) |
| Port 75 | COM 52 (COM 31) |
| Port 76 | COM 53 (COM 32) |
| Port 77 | COM 54 (COM 33) |
| Port 78 | COM 55 (COM 34) |
| Port 79 | COM 56 (COM 35) |
| Port 80 | COM 57 (COM 36) |
| Port 81 | COM 58 (COM 37) |
| Port 82 | COM 59 (COM 38) |
| Port 83 | COM 60 (COM 39) |
| Port 84 | COM 61 (COM 40) |
| Port 85 | COM 62 (COM 41) |
| Port 86 | COM 63 (COM 42) |
| Port 87 | COM 64 (COM 43) |
| Port 88 | COM 65 (COM 44) |
| Port 89 | COM 66 (COM 45) |
| Port 90 | COM 67 (COM 46) |
| Port 91 | COM 68 (COM 47) |
| Port 92 | COM 69 (COM 48) |
| Port 93 | COM 70 (COM 49) |
| Port 94 | COM 71 (COM 50) |
| Port 95 | COM 72 (COM 51) |
| Port 96 | COM 73 (COM 52) |
| Port 97 | COM 74 (COM 53) |
| Port 98 | COM 75 (COM 54) |
| Port 99 | COM 76 (COM 55) |
Step 5: Verify COM Port Availability
After finding the available COM ports on your system, it’s essential to verify their availability and ensure they are not already in use by another program or device. To do this, follow these steps:
- Right-click on each available COM port and select Properties.
- In the Properties window, check the Status field to ensure it is Active.
- Verify that no other programs or devices are connected to the same COM port.
Conclusion
Finding COM ports on Windows 10 can be a straightforward process, and with these steps, you can easily discover and verify the available COM ports on your system. Remember to always verify the availability of each COM port before installing or running a program that requires it. By following these steps, you’ll be able to effectively manage and use COM ports on your Windows 10 system.
Recommended Resources
- Device Manager: A built-in tool in Windows 10 that allows you to manage and configure various hardware components on your system.
- COM Port Utilities: A simple and easy-to-use tool that allows you to scan for and display available COM ports on your system.
- Windows 10 System Settings: The System Properties window provides detailed information about your system, including COM port availability and usage.