8 Effective Methods to List USB Devices Linux

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Akshat

Last updated: July 12, 2024

Expert verified

We’ve all been there—connecting a USB device to our Linux system and wondering if it’s recognized and working properly. Whether you are troubleshooting an issue, managing multiple devices, or ensuring security, knowing how to list USB devices is essential. In this post, I will explore why listing USB devices is important and provide you with practical, step-by-step methods to do it. You’ll learn how to use different commands and tools to get detailed information about your USB devices, making your Linux experience smoother and more efficient.

Why List USB Devices in Linux?

Sometimes, you need to know which USB devices are connected to your Linux system. This might be for several reasons::

• Troubleshooting: Sometimes a USB device doesn’t work properly. Listing USB devices helps you check if the system recognizes the device. If the device shows up in the list, it might be a software or driver issue. If it doesn’t, the problem might be with the hardware or connection.
• Device Management: When you have many USB devices connected, it helps to know which ones are active. This makes it easier to manage them. For example, you can identify which port a particular device uses or ensure all your devices are functioning as expected.
• Security: Listing USB devices also helps with security. You can see if any unauthorized devices are connected to your system. This is important in environments where you need to control and monitor access to the computer.

How to List USB Devices Linux?

That was the quick answer. Here is the detailed step-by-step guide to Linux check USB devices:

1. lsusb Command

The lsusb command is a powerful utility that allows you to list USB devices connected to your Linux system. With a simple command, you can quickly retrieve essential information such as vendor and product IDs, device names, and more. Follow these simple steps to Ubuntu list USB devices:

1. Open a Terminal window.

2. Execute the following command: 

lsusb

A list of connected USB devices will be displayed, including information such as vendor and product IDs, device names, and more.

2. udev System

The udev system plays a crucial role in device management on Linux. By utilizing the udevadm command, you can monitor USB device events in real time and receive detailed information about connected or disconnected USB devices. Here’s how you can use this method to Linux show USB devices:

1. Access the terminal on your Linux system and run the command: 

udevadm monitor --udev --subsystem-match=usb

You will receive output that includes detailed information about the connected or disconnected USB devices.

3. /sys Filesystem

The /sys filesystem provides a wealth of information about various system resources, including USB devices. This method provides a quick and convenient way to retrieve specific details such as vendor and product IDs, device classes, and more. Follow these steps to access USB device information:

1. Launch your command window and enter the following command:

ls /sys/bus/usb/devices

A detailed output containing information about connected USB devices, such as vendor and product IDs, device classes, and more, will be displayed.

4. System Monitoring Tools (htop) 

System monitoring tools offer a convenient way to identify USB devices on your Linux system. This section lists the connected USB devices along with additional information such as power usage and device status, allowing you to keep track of USB device performance effortlessly. Here’s how you can use this method to show USB devices Linux:

1. Install a system monitoring tool such as htop by running the command: 

sudo apt-get install htop

The command will install htop on your system.

2. Launch the system monitoring tool from the application menu.

The connected USB devices will be listed, along with additional information such as power usage and device status.

5. dmesg Command

The dmesg command displays the system’s kernel messages, which include detailed logs about hardware events such as USB device activity. This command helps you understand how the kernel interacts with USB devices, providing insights into any issues that may arise.

1. In your Terminal window use the following command to filter and display only USB-related messages:

sudo dmesg | grep -i usb

A filtered dmesg output might look like this:

• Timestamp: The time (in seconds) since the system started.
• usb 1-1: The USB bus and port number.
• new high-speed USB device: Indicates a new device connection.
• idVendor and idProduct: Vendor and product identifiers.
• Product, Manufacturer, SerialNumber: Descriptive strings for the device.

These messages provide detailed information about the USB device, including when it was connected and its attributes.

6. lsblk Command

The lsblk command is used to list information about all available or specified block devices in a tree-like format. This command is useful for identifying USB storage devices and viewing their partitions and other attributes.

1. Launch your terminal application to enter commands.
2. Use the following command to list block devices and their attributes:

lsblk -o NAME,FSTYPE,LABEL,SIZE

The output might look like this:

• NAME: Device name.
• FSTYPE: Filesystem type.
• LABEL: Volume label.
• SIZE: Size of the device or partition.

In this example, sdb is the USB device, identifiable by its size and label.

7. fdisk Command

The fdisk command is a powerful tool for managing disk partitions. It provides detailed information about each partition on a device, making it useful for identifying and managing USB storage devices.

1. Launch your terminal application and run the following command to list all disk partitions, including those on USB devices:

sudo fdisk -l

The output will be:

• Disk: Device name and size.
• Device: Partition name.
• Start/End: Start and end sectors.
• Blocks: Size of the partition.
• Id: Partition type identifier.
• System: Filesystem type.

In this example, /dev/sdb is the USB device, and /dev/sdb1 is its partition.

8. blkid Command

The blkid command is used to locate and print block device attributes. It provides quick access to information about filesystems, labels, and UUIDs, which can help identify USB devices.

1. Access your command window and use the following command to list block devices and their attributes:

sudo blkid

You will see following output:

• /dev/sda1: Device name.
• UUID: Unique identifier for the filesystem.
• TYPE: Filesystem type.
• LABEL: Volume label.

In this example, /dev/sdb1 is the USB device, identifiable by its label “USB” and filesystem type “vfat”.

Best Practices for Managing USB Devices in Linux

Proper management of USB devices in Linux ensures they function well and data remains secure. Here are five best practices to help you manage your USB devices effectively, ensuring reliability and longevity for both your system and peripherals.

• 💻 Regularly Monitor Devices: Use commands like lsusb, lsblk, and dmesg to regularly check the status of your USB devices. This helps identify issues early and ensures all devices are functioning correctly. Regular monitoring can also help you detect unauthorized devices or hardware failures promptly.
• 🔄 Safely Remove Devices: Always unmount USB devices before physically removing them. Use commands like umount /dev/sdX or GUI options to prevent data corruption and ensure safe removal. Proper unmounting ensures that all data is written to the device and helps maintain the integrity of your files.
• 📅 Keep System Updated: Regularly update your Linux system and kernel to ensure compatibility with new USB devices and improved performance. Use package managers like apt, yum, or dnf to keep your system current. Updates often include important bug fixes and security patches that protect against vulnerabilities.
• 🛡️ Set Proper Permissions: Ensure USB devices have the correct permissions to avoid unauthorized access. Use chmod and chown commands to manage file and device permissions, enhancing security. Proper permissions help prevent data breaches and ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive information on your USB devices.
• ⚙️ Monitor Power Usage: Monitor the power consumption of USB devices to avoid overloading your system. Use tools like powertop to check and optimize power usage, ensuring stable and efficient operation. Efficient power management can extend the lifespan of your hardware and improve overall system performance.

Linux List USB Devices: Wrapping Up

In this article, I’ve covered how to Linux check connected USB devices and shared best practices for managing them. These include regular monitoring, safe removal, keeping the system updated, setting proper permissions, and monitoring power usage.

For further learning, consider exploring these related topics:

• Explore using the find command in Linux to effectively locate specific files on your USB drives.
• Find out how to install and use Htop in Linux for monitoring system performance.
• Follow simple steps to create disk partitions in Linux for better storage management.

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