Phone USB detaching shows half a dozen pop-ups

This only started happening several months ago, and I can't tell if it has to do with Windows or the phone. I keep things automatically up to date. I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S10.

When I plug in using USB and enable transfer (from a pull-down) on the phone, I hear the typical connect sound, no static pop-ups, and then I can open its "drive" in File Explorer and transfer files or whatever.

When I disconnect from the phone (using the same pull-down menu, by selecting Charging Only), the phone disconnects just fine, the "drive" disappears in Explorer, but then three static pop-up warnings appear in the Windows task bar and on the screen:



The phone screen looks fine, like a normal Charging Only screen; so I then close the pop-ups, then disconnect the USB cable from the phone, and the 3 pop-ups appear again!

This is so annoying. Several months ago, it would happen during the first disconnect, but with only one pop-up. Now it's 3 for soft phone disconnect and 3 for hard phone disconnect. I've found no solution to this, doing a Google search is like knocking on people's doors and asking for turquoise jello; nobody seems to know what I'm talking about.

witefoda said:

This only started happening several months ago, and I can't tell if it has to do with Windows or the phone. I keep things automatically up to date. I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S10.

And you are not alone, others are seeing this too recently.

The most common reason this message appears is when some background process is still attempting to connect to the phone after it's been disconnected. Sometimes it's photo apps or cloud syncing services or even Windows Media Player. I personally don't have the problem perhaps because I don't allow apps to automatically connect to my phone. Try turning off "Settings > Devices > AutoPlay".

However I can easily make the message appear by simply clicking on a shortcut to my phone after it's been disconnected.


Others on Reddit with the same problem in the last 4 months.
"The device has either stopped responding or has been disconnected" 10 times

One user found this worked:

... the issue stopped for me after reinstalling "HID-compliant consumer device" in Device Manger. Right click on those devices (I had two), Properties, Update Driver, Browse Computer, Let me pick from a list, the select HID-compliant consumer control device. I am not sure if this a fix but you might try it. At least I couldn't reproduce the issue since then.

Microsoft Forum also showing some complaints starting in September:
"Device has stopped responding or has been disconnected" error pops up randomly.

For one user this looked promising:

This FIXED it for me. Had the same issue in Windows 10. Plugged in my phone. Went to Settings - Bluetooth & other devices. Right clicked my Samsung phone and selected "Remove device". Unplugged the phone. I also removed HID Unifying Keyboard (I know it said HID keyboard). Plugged my phone back in, let Windows set it back up and that fixed it. I plugged and unplugged my phone 20 times and restarted to test. The HID Keyboard did not show back up, so I am going to assume that was the issue. I know Samsung DEX installs a keyboard, but I don't use it anymore so perhaps that was it.

Also here's somethings to try:
Fix: The device has either stopped responding or has been disconnected

> Try turning off "Settings > Devices > AutoPlay".

That's enabled but the setting for any devices where I got the prompt was set to "Take no action". I disabled the whole thing anyway since I don't care to have prompts upon connecting devices.

It's happening now on a new device, which is why I'm here again. The problem doesn't happen every time, in fact not often now, but once it starts, it pops up the same error multiple times, even after a day of the device being disconnected or the laptop having been put to sleep... so bizarre. I just am seeing no way to trace what exactly is triggering it.

I'll try your suggested solutions. I very much appreciate you finding that info, as I was unclear on what to do.

- - - Updated - - -

After some research, I'm pretty sure the Microsoft Photos app is trying to access the disconnected phone... and I think the phantom pop-ups are happening only after I've used the Photos app to view a photo file on the phone.

When I look at it's settings, with app permissions for Camera, Microphone, and Background Apps, I'm a bit miffed at what exactly it's doing... this just seems like Microsoft over-reaching again.

I think I need the permissions to use the Camera app, which I sometimes do just to check alignment of my face at my desk chair... can someone comfirm? Disabling those permissions could conceivably break that, considering Microsoft's record of over-integration, and who knows what disabling "Microphone" permission will do... probably break my Zoom meetings 😆 Why is the Photos app trying to access the microphone?! What? This is like some sort of bizarre synesthesia.