The ASMedia USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller 0096 (Microsoft) driver allows Windows to communicate with the ASMedia USB controller and manage devices connected through its ports. Although it may appear in a printer-related listing, this is a USB host controller driver—not a printer driver—and it can affect connections to USB printers, storage drives, and other peripherals.

Key Features

• USB controller communication: Enables Windows to recognize and operate the ASMedia host controller so connected USB devices can be detected.
• USB 3.0 connectivity: Supports SuperSpeed transfers when the controller, connected device, cable, and port all support USB 3.0.
• Peripheral connection management: Provides the controller-level support used by USB peripherals, including printers that also require their own device-specific drivers.
• Windows driver integration: Works with Windows USB management features. The “(Microsoft)” label generally indicates a Microsoft-provided driver; the appropriate package depends on your Windows version and hardware.

How to Install

1. Identify your controller and operating system. Open Device Manager and expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. Check the ASMedia controller’s properties and hardware IDs, then confirm whether your computer runs Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7 and whether it needs a 32-bit or 64-bit package.

1. Choose a matching driver. Check Windows Update or your computer or motherboard manufacturer’s support resources. Confirm that the package explicitly supports your controller and OS. Windows 11, 10, and 8 commonly use built-in Microsoft USB 3.0 support, while Windows 7 typically requires a compatible manufacturer-supplied driver.

1. Prepare for the update. Save your work and safely disconnect external USB storage. Updating the controller may temporarily interrupt connected peripherals, including a USB keyboard or mouse.

1. Install the driver. Run the package’s installer if one is provided. For an extracted driver package, right-click the controller in Device Manager, select Update driver, and choose Browse my computer for drivers to locate the extracted files.

1. Restart and verify operation. Restart if prompted, then check Device Manager for warning symbols and test the affected USB ports. If a printer still does not work, check its cable, printer driver, and print queue separately—the host controller driver does not replace printer software.

Common Issues and Fixes

• Install fails or rolls back: Disconnect USB 3.0 devices, remove old ASMedia host-controller entries in Device Manager (enable “Show hidden devices”), then run the installer as administrator and reboot. If Windows blocks the package, use the Microsoft inbox xHCI driver instead.
• Device not detected / ports dead: Look for a yellow warning under “Universal Serial Bus controllers.” Uninstall the controller, scan for hardware changes, and reboot. Confirm xHCI is enabled in BIOS/UEFI; for add-in cards, reseat or try another PCIe slot.
• Version conflicts or instability: Don’t mix old ASMedia and Microsoft xHCI drivers. Roll back to the Microsoft driver if stable, or install only the ASMedia package matching controller ID 0096 and your Windows version. Test with USB selective suspend disabled.