PL2303 Driver for Windows 11: How to Download & Install

Quickly install the driver and get the device working

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Key notes

  • Got a Prolific PL2303 USB-to-Serial cable but are unable to use it? Read this article to learn how to download and install a 64-bit PL2303 driver for Windows 11.
  • Understand how Windows installs the relevant drivers when you connect a device and why that's not always the case.
  • Also, find out how to fix issues with the PL2303 driver if it's not working in Windows 11.
Get prolific pl2303 driver in Windows 11

The Prolific PL2303 cable allows you to connect serial devices to the USB ports on your computer. But, several users have reported encountering issues without the PL2303 driver in Windows 11.

So, what is PL2303 USB to Serial driver? Like any other driver, its job is to establish a connection between the OS and the device, which in this case is the PL2303 adapter. Without the driver, the device won’t get recognized and thus remain non-functional.

In most cases, Windows 11 should automatically install the driver for the cable, but sometimes you will have to manually go ahead with the PL2303 driver Windows 11 64-bit download.

What is PL2303 USB to Serial driver?

Connecting RS-232 serial devices to a Windows host computer with USB connectivity is made easy with the help of the PL-2303 USB to Serial converter.

It provides a bridge connection by having a standard DB 9-pin male serial port connector on one end and a standard Type-A USB plug connector on the other end of the cable.

Here are some of the possible errors related to the Prolific PL2303 USB to the serial adapter:

  • Prolific PL2303 This Device cannot start (Code 10)
  • Prolific PL2303 No driver installed for this device
  • Prolific PL2303 Device driver was not successfully installed
  • PL2303TA do not support Windows 11 or later please contact your supplier
  • Please install corresponding PL2303 driver to support Windows 11
  • This is not Prolific PC2303 error (Windows 11)
  • PL2303 driver not working (Windows 11)
  • PL2303 phased out

This is the case when the driver is either corrupt or outdated. And in this case, there might be no relevant drivers installed unless you check the device manager. Also, read this article to find out how to fix the outdated drivers error in Windows 11.

Now that you understand how the whole concept of Windows automatically detecting and installing the relevant driver works, let’s walk you through the steps to install the PL2303 driver in Windows 11.

Does Windows 11 support RS232?

Yes, Windows 11 supports and recommends RS232. Follow this download, install & troubleshoot guide to find out how to install PL2303 USB to serial driver in Windows 11 and fix issues.

How do I download PL2303 drivers for Windows 11?

1. Via Windows Update

Note icon NOTE
Before you proceed, connect the Prolific PL2303 adapter to the PC.
  1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, go to Windows Update from the navigation pane, and click on Advanced options.advanced options
  2. Click on Optional updates.optional updates
  3. Expand Driver updates, tick the checkbox for Prolific PL2303 driver, and click on Download & install at the bottom.download
  4. Wait for the process to complete, and restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.

Windows identifies the connected devices and, in most cases, automatically downloads the relevant driver. But if that doesn’t happen, you should be able to find and download the USB to serial driver for Windows 11 under optional updates.

If you’re looking for PL2303TA driver for Windows 11, then this solution might help.

2. Manually from the website

  1. Open any web browser, go to the official Prolific website, and click on the download link for PL23XX_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v408.zip.
  2. Once the download is complete, right-click on the file, and select Extract All from the context menu. This is because the downloaded file is in ZIP format.Extract files
  3. Click on Browse, choose the path for the extracted files, and click on Extract at the bottom.Choose destination for pl2303 driver windows 11
  4. Once the extraction process is complete, click on the setup file.Double-click on setup for pl2303 driver windows 11
  5. Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that pops up.Click Yes
  6. Now, click on Next in the installer window.Click Next to get pl2303 driver windows 11
  7. Once the installation is complete, click on Finish to close the installer.

After installing the Prolific PL2303 driver in Windows 11, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect. Once done, you can use the PL2303 USB to serial cable.

3. Use a dedicated tool

If the manual method sounds too tricky, you can always use a reliable third-party app that can do the job for you.

Most common Windows errors and bugs can result from faulty or incompatible drivers. An outdated system can lead to lags, system issues, or even BSoDs.

You can prevent these problems by using an automatic tool that will search and install the correct drivers on your computer with just a few clicks. That's why we recommend you use Outbyte Driver Updater. Here's how to do it:
  1. Download and install the Outbyte Driver Updater app.
  2. Launch the software.
  3. Wait for the app to detect all incompatible drivers.
    OutByte Driver Updater Scan
  4. Afterward, it will show you a list of the drivers found to select the ones to Update or Ignore.
  5. Click on Update & Apply Selected to download and install the newest versions.
  6. Restart your PC to ensure the applied changes.
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Disclaimer: You may need to upgrade the app from the free version to perform specific actions.

How do I fix issues with Prolific PL2303 drivers?

Issues with the driver generally arise due to three reasons, either the driver is outdated, corrupt, or there is a bug in the current version. While there could be other reasons, they don’t have to do specifically with the driver.

Amongst the three issues listed earlier, you can manually update the driver using the steps listed in the previous section. For the other two, i.e., a corrupt driver or a bug in the current version, the methods listed below should work.

1. Reinstall the driver

  1. Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Device Manager in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.Launch Device Manager
  2. Locate and double-click on the Ports entry to expand and view the devices under it.Ports to get pl2303 driver windows 11
  3. Now, right-click on the Prolific USB-to-Serial option and select Uninstall device from the context menu.Uninstall device
  4. Click Uninstall in the box that appears.Confirm Uninstall

Once done, restart the computer, and Windows will automatically install a fresh driver for the device. In case that doesn’t happen, you already know how to install Prolific PL2303 driver Windows 11 manually.

Reinstalling the driver is a simple fix employed when the installed one is corrupt. But the focus here is on identifying the corrupt driver, which too is simple. Look for the driver with a warning mark near the bottom-left corner of its icon.

2. Roll back the driver update

  1. Press Windows + X or right-click on the Start icon to launch the Quick Access menu, and select Device Manager from the list of options.Open device manager
  2. Now, double-click on the Ports entry.Ports
  3. Next, locate and right-click on Prolific USB-to-Serial and select Properties from the context menu.Properties to fix pl2303 driver windows 11
  4. Navigate to the Driver tab.Driver tab
  5. Click on the Roll Back Driver buttton.Roll back driver to get pl2303 driver windows 11
  6. Now, choose a reason for rolling back the update, and then click on Yes at the bottom to start the process.Choose reason

When you update a driver, Windows will keep the files for the previously installed version in case things go wrong and you have to revert to the previous version.

And this is what we do when we talk about rolling back a driver update, basically going back to using the previous version.

But if you see the Roll Back Driver option greyed out, it means that either the driver has not been updated or Windows didn’t store the files for it.

Why doesn’t Windows automatically install the drivers?

Whenever you connect a new device or peripheral to your computer, Windows should ideally automatically detect it and download the relevant driver. But that’s not the case for every piece of hardware.

The driver will only be installed if it has been submitted to Microsoft and is approved by them. Device manufacturers are supposed to submit their drivers and get them approved by Microsoft to get them released along with other Windows updates.

But several of them don’t do it. Some are due to a lack of resources, while others may find uploading these drivers on their official website a more convenient option.

There are manufacturers who, though, get the driver approved initially by Microsoft but upload the subsequent updates on their website.

Apart from that, several users unknowingly configure the settings such that Windows doesn’t automatically search for updates.

Besides, there are times when the driver is already installed on the computer, but you may still be unable to access or use the relevant device.

What if the Prolific PL2303 USB-to-Serial driver is not working on Windows 11?

Several readers complained that the Prolific PL2303 USB-to-Serial driver doesn’t work on Windows 11.

If this is also your case, try following the following solution:

  1. First, download and install the Prolific driver, as shown in the first solution from this guide.
  2. Click the Search icon on the taskbar, type device manager, and open the app from the results.
  3. Expand the Ports (COM & LPT) section by clicking on it.
  4. Right-click on the Prolific driver and select Update driver.
  5. Click Browse my computer for drivers.
  6. Now click Let me pick from the list of available drivers.
  7. Select the latest version and click Next. If that doesn’t work, you can try the procedure again and select a different one.
  8. Carry on with the installation, then restart your PC.

So, if you wondering why does Windows 11 not recognize my USB device, it’s likely that the relevant driver has not been installed, and, as a result, the OS can’t identify or connect to the device.

That’s all there’s to know about installing the Prolific PL2303 driver in Windows 11, along with the two most effective troubleshooting techniques. Also, you can similarly download the Prolific USB to the serial driver in Windows 10.

To find out all about updating the installed drivers in Windows 11, check our dedicated guide that explores all the aspects and methods.

Tell us about your experience with the PL2303 USB-to-Serial cable in the comments section below.

More about the topics: Windows 11