# USB and free drive is not working **URL:** \ **Category:** Technical Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2023, 8:29am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/usb-and-free-drive-is-not-working/26903 "2023-02-20T08:29:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ac1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@ac1](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/ac1)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 8:29am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/usb-and-free-drive-is-not-working/26903/1 "2023-02-20T08:29:21Z")
Hi there, I am having trouble connecting a USB to Poly Scope UR E series. The USB is not being detected and the files are not showing up. Additionally, the free drive is not working when I press the free drive switch on Poly Scope. Does anyone have any solutions to this issue? Thank you in advance for your help! ---
**Author:** ![dbarton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dbarton](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/dbarton)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 9:06pm UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/usb-and-free-drive-is-not-working/26903/2 "2023-02-21T21:06:16Z")
I would create a case in MyUR portal and get your local distributor involved. [https://myur.universal-robots.com](https://myur.universal-robots.com) ---
**Author:** ![efn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@efn](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/efn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 7:04am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/usb-and-free-drive-is-not-working/26903/3 "2023-02-22T07:04:53Z")
Hello ac1, Make sure your robot is in manual mode (upper right corner) for freedrive. Check the Initialization window when pressing the freedrive button. Does it go into freedrive mode? Have you tried another USB drive? Or another USB port in the controller? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![roguebuck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.universal-robots.com/roguebuck/32/4848_2.png) [@roguebuck](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/roguebuck)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 7:17am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/usb-and-free-drive-is-not-working/26903/4 "2023-02-22T07:17:16Z")
This happened to one of our robots after an operator had dropped the teach pendant… ---
**Author:** ![ac1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@ac1](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/ac1)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 9:20am UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/usb-and-free-drive-is-not-working/26903/5 "2023-03-13T09:20:05Z")
Hi @efn , I tried the free drive mode from ployscope software and it’s working , Also the USB is able to read if I connect from the USB port of the control box. ---
**Author:** ![efn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@efn](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/efn)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 12:41pm UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/usb-and-free-drive-is-not-working/26903/6 "2023-03-13T12:41:24Z")
Sounds very much like a faulty Teach Pendant, as roguebuck also mentioned. You should contact your lcoal distributor to get a replacement, if you can’t live with it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mateusz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@mateusz](https://forum.universal-robots.com/u/mateusz)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://forum.universal-robots.com/t/usb-and-free-drive-is-not-working/26903/7 "2025-07-07T16:04:02Z")
Hey, just wanted to add to this forum because I had the same issue on a UR10 with a standard pendant (one button). No one had dropped the pendant, and this is a new robot (less than 1 year old). the USB and Freedrive button did not work, however i could Freedrive from the Move Tab. I didn’t have the added benefit of time on my side so i took the initiative to search up the pendant cable replacement manual and see if there was any clear signs as to why my USB and Freedrive randomly stopped working. After opening the pendant, it was clear that the cable going to the USB and freedrive button was loose, and barely connected. Here is a picture from the manual of the cable i am referring to. ![Screenshot 2025-07-07 115601](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/universal_robots/original/2X/d/dba3707b9d0dfadc452e26faefae66512f10cb4f.png) This was very easy to open and correct and everything is back to working perfectly. Also, here is the manual that I followed to open the teach pendant safely. > **[Replacement of Teach Pendant Cable](https://www.universal-robots.com/manuals/EN/HTML/SW5_21/Content/prod-serv-man/UR20/serv-man-replace-tp-cable.htm)** Hope this helps someone!!