Canon Eos R not appearing as drive in Windows 11 via USB

[Droo]

I'm trying to establish a connection to my recently updated to Windows 11 PC, using a usb C to usb A connector from my Canon Eos R. It is failing to get a connection. I've used two separate usb leads with the same result. The camera has no problem appearing as a drive on a Windows 10 computer with the same leads, and its firmware version is up to date.  This is really annoying, as it also makes it impossible to use the Canon utility software.  Does anyone know a ready made solution, or whether there ever will be one?

I also have a Canon XF 300, which I haven't tested yet. It will be a real nightmare if that connection also doesn't work anymore. Well done, Microsoft.. not really.

[Nick2020]

Hi Droo,

Thanks for checking in with us. If your Windows 10 computer can see the camera then in theory Windows 11 should also be able to see it.

Let's check a few things to see if we can isolate the issue.

First make sure that Wi-Fi is disabled by checking the wireless settings in the camera's menu. If Wi-Fi is enabled then a USB connection won't work.

Beyond that, here are some setup suggestions that might help:
* If it is not there already, make sure the camera is plugged into a USB on the back of your computer. (The front USB ports can be a little weaker sometimes.)
* Since you're having problems downloading, disconnect all other devices except the keyboard, mouse, and camera from the computer.
* Close any other programs you have open, and exit out of any image-related or printer-related programs in the system tray, found in the bottom right corner of your computer screen. If you don't see the program icons, look for a small triangle by the time display. Click that and you should see the icons. You should be able to close them by right clicking the icons and selecting the exit option.

If you still don't get a response from the computer, let's bring up the Device Manager.

Look for the camera or an Unknown Device under IMAGING DEVICES, OTHER DEVICES or UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS CONTROLLERS.

Does the camera or an Unknown Device appear, and if so, does it have a "?" or "!" displayed with its description?

If so, right click on the camera icon and select uninstall. When it finishes uninstalling, turn your camera off. Wait a few seconds then turn it on. A window should come up that says FOUND NEW HARDWARE DEVICE, keep clicking the NEXT button, until it finishes. Then see if you can connect to your camera once again.

If you see another camera, like a webcam, listed in the Device Manager, right click on it and select DISABLE. It is possible that you are getting interference from that device. When you are done with your tests, you can reactivate it by right clicking on it and selecting ENABLE.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Nick2000 has covered many of the likely scenarios for an unrecognized USB device.  If the Camera appears correctly in Device Manager, also look at Disk Management to see if windows has assigned a drive letter.  If not, it will not display in Windows Explorer.

[Tronhard]

Honestly, we see this kind of thing quite often and the answer that seems to work best is actually the simplest.

Plugging the whole camera into your computer, means the card has an extra step to communicate with the camera, and the camera with the computer.  Instead, simply turn off your camera, remove the card and plug it into a suitable card slot in the computer or get a USB card reader (lots available).  The computer will recognize the card as a drive and you can then download your images.

Apart from the lack of complication, there are two other benefits.  It's faster, as the connection will be using faster technology, and it doesn't drain your camera battery.

It's amazing how the simplest solution is usually the most elegant.

[Waddizzle]

First and foremost, make sure you have an internet connection because the PC may need to download a driver.  Allow for a couple minutes for a driver to download.  Try different USB ports.

Is this a new PC?  Many users with home brewed PC platforms using AMD chipsets have experienced issues trying to connect Canon gear on the USB ports.  If you have DIY PC, then, make sure you have the latest firmware in the camera and motherboard.

The Canon apps recommend an Intel chipset.

[Droo]

No luck with any of these suggested tweaks. The only place where the camera shows up is in portable devices.. as an MTP USB device.. and as an eos digital device icon in printers and devices. It's barely there. And the troubleshooter can't help. 

I think it's pretty obvious there is no Windows 11 driver for the Eos R yet. By comparison, I can see my old 6D as a separate drive, and open it like the others.  I can get around all of this by putting the SD card in my computer's card reader. But I'm worried my canon xf300 will have the same issues, and I don't have a flash drive reader. But I do have an old Mac Pro running Catalina. So I'll see if Canon's XF utility software still reads the camcorder on that system. It should..

[Frsam]

Not being able to use EOS utility means assigning file names manually and inability to control camera from pc. Using a card reader is a stop gap solution at best. 

[Frsam]

Yes, new PC worked fine for a couple months. Then for no apparent reason, it stopped recognizing the EOS R. My old EOS 7D still works as always!  Now, after following a suggestion to uninstall the camera...Windows 11 only sees it as an generic MTP device!  It used to work with Windows 10 but now it's only an MTP device.  What the heck is going on here? I'm regretting the purchase.

[Droo]

Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions. I gave up trying to get my new Windows 11 desktop to read the Eos R. But the latest Canon XF utility software reads my XF300 just fine, so I can download all my files without having to purchase a compatible flash drive adaptor. That's something of a relief, as the XF300 is now quite old, though still very useful.

[Waddizzle]

Is this an AMD machine?  

You might try deleting and re-installing the EOS Utility software.  If Windows prompts to tell it what to do when it detects a Canon camera plugged into the USB port, then tell Windows to “Take No Action.”

If I may, why are you trying to read the memory card in the cameras as if it were a thumb drive?  You should copy the files off of the memory card with either a card reader or the EOS Utility.  

Trying to access them directly in the camera as if it were a thumb drive is highly inadvisable.  You might corrupt the storage formatting and lose images.