Olga Weis
Redirecting USB storage and other USB devices to Hyper-V VMs is challenging since it does not offer a simple ready-made solution, unlike other hypervisors. There are a few possible routes a user can take to enable Hyper-V USB passthrough.
This article will describe methods that will help you with redirecting USB devices to Hyper-V, each having its peculiarities and strong sides. So, let’s jump right into the tutorial and explore these methods. Don’t want to read more? Then press the button below and get the simplest software method without additional Hyper-V configuration.
The server-side Hyper-V USB passthrough, in a few words, means that you’ll be connecting a USB device physically to the host via the SCSI controller. As a result, the Hyper-V VM should have direct access to that USB device.
The server-side redirection will work under the following conditions:
Once you click OK, the Virtual Machine will immediately recognize the USB device. If not, you may need to use the VM’s Disk Management Console to add a drive letter. As you can see, it's very similar to redirecting storage devices or other local resources to a VMware workstation. In the same way, you can use this built-in USB redirector to set up a passthrough for a USB dongle.
The USB device should be offline to the host computer so the host OS cannot access the drive. Enabling Hyper-V USB passthrough can be accomplished by configuring a USB drive as a new disk within the virtual machine. Use the following steps to add the device to the VM.
1. Switch to the VMConnect Window.
2. Click File —> Settings to open the VM settings.
3. In the VM settings window click SCSI Controller > Hard Drive > Add.
Note: Adding the drive to the SCSI controller enables you to remove the drive from the virtual machine without shutting it down. When using the IDE controller, you will need to turn off the VM to remove the drive.
4. Navigate to the Media section of the Hard Drive page and select Physical hard disk.
5. Click the drop-down menu and choose the USB drive. The device must be the same disk number taken offline through the Disk Management console.
6. Open File Explorer in the Hyper-V VM after adding the drive. The USB device will be visible inside the VM.
Removing the USB Drive from the Virtual Machine
Removing the drive when it is no longer needed by the VM is a simple task that requires the following steps.
Hyper-V USB passthrough with the help of Remote Desktop Connection is ideal for those who don’t want or cannot use VMConnect as their Hyper-V client (as in all the previous methods).
All the difference is that the USB device will be redirected via RDP and connected to an RDP client, instead of VMConnect which attaches a USB device directly to the Hyper-V host.
USB Network Gate is a USB redirector software that provides an easy way for accessing USB devices in a virtual machine, including Hyper-V USB passthrough and Hyper-V USB drive redirection. This specialized redirection app enables you to attach USB devices in Hyper-V by sharing a USB over the network.
USB Network Gate is a client-server solution, meaning that its server-side gives access to USB devices to other computers on the network or to Virtual Machines, and the client side allows using them as local resources. You can use any computer connected to the network as a server.
That’s how easy it is to mount a USB peripheral to Hyper-V. You will see the peripheral in your VM’s Device Manager and be able to access it as if it was directly connected to your virtual machine.
Though Hyper-V USB passthrough is not available for users right out of the box, now you know several methods that will help you enable it: attaching USB devices to Hyper-V over TCP/IP with USB Network Gate, redirecting over RDP, or via the Hyper-V virtual machine settings.
