The simple solution is to install the driver correctly from the right source and keep it up-to-date. If your driver does not function properly, then the USB-to-Serial connection won’t be established. In some cases, you would have to roll back the driver to fix the errors. Some updates do not work for every computer, and they’ll have to settle for an older version. Nevertheless, there are four simple fixes for all the issues surrounding the PL2303 driver. I’ll explain and list the steps for each one of them below.
1. Properly Install the PL2303 Driver
If the driver is not installed altogether, then it is obvious that you will always come across PL2303 error messages. Secondly, if you do have it installed but the file is corrupted, then it will not work either. Therefore, downloading and installing the PL2303 driver from the right source is the solution. Here’s how you can do that:
The PL2303 driver will now start working on your Windows 11 computer.
2. Update the PL2303 Driver
It is recommended to keep all device drivers updated for the computer to function smoothly. The same applies to the PL2303 driver. If it doesn’t work after installation, it’s time to update it from the Device Manager. There will be 2 or 3 different versions of the driver readily available, and you can try and install each one to see which works. Here’s how to update drivers on Windows:
If the Prolific driver still doesn’t work, install a different version following the same steps.
3. Reinstall the Driver
If the installation and updating don’t work, you can always try to reinstall the PL2303 driver. Windows can automatically reinstall the driver once you uninstall it and restart your system. Here’s how to do that:
Note: If Windows fails to install the driver, then install it manually from the Prolific website.
4. Roll Back the Driver
Rolling back drivers means installing their older versions. Some driver updates are incompatible with some computers and will fail to run. This can be the reason why you’re facing PL2303 driver issues on your Windows 11 system. So, if the above solutions don’t help, try to downgrade your driver from the Device Manager. Here are the steps for that:
