Fixing a Yellow Exclamation Point in Device Manager GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows
Fixing a Yellow Exclamation Point in Device Manager
Why does Device Manager show a yellow exclamation point?
By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 9, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide See a yellow exclamation point next to a device in Device Manager? Don't worry, it's not that uncommon, and it doesn't necessarily mean you have to replace anything. In fact, there are dozens of reasons that a yellow exclamation point might show up in Device Manager, some more serious than others, but usually well within anyone's capabilities to fix, or at least troubleshoot. What' s That Yellow Exclamation Point in Device Manager
A yellow triangle next to a device means Windows has identified a problem of some kind with that device. The yellow exclamation mark provides an indication of a device's current status and could mean there's a system resource conflict, a driver issue, or, frankly, almost any number of other things. Martin Diebel / Getty Images Unfortunately, the yellow mark itself doesn't give you any valuable information, but what it does do is confirm that something called a Device Manager error code has been logged and associated with that particular device. Fortunately, there aren't that many error codes used by this program, and the ones that do exist are pretty clear and straightforward. What this means, then, is whatever problem is occurring with the hardware, or with Windows' ability to work with the hardware, you at least will have a clear direction as to what to do. Before you can fix whatever issue is going on, you'll need to view this special code, determine what it's referring to, and then troubleshoot accordingly. Viewing the code is easy: just head to the device's Properties and then read the code in the 'Device status' area. Once you know what the specific error code is, you can then reference our Device Manager Error Codes list for what to do next. Usually, this means finding the code on that list and then following any specific troubleshooting information we have available that's specific to that error. More Information on Error Icons in Device Manager
If you're really paying attention to Device Manager, you may have noticed that this indicator isn't a yellow exclamation point at all; it's actually a black exclamation point on a yellow background, similar to the caution sign in the illustration on this page. The yellow background is triangle-shaped in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista operating systems, and a circle in Windows XP. We also often get asked about the "yellow question mark" in Device Manager. This appears not as a warning indicator, but as a full-sized device icon. The question mark appears when a device is detected but not installed. You can almost always solve this problem by updating the drivers. There's also a green question mark that can appear in some very specific situations, but only in Windows Millennium Edition (ME), a version of Windows, released in 2000, which almost no one has installed anymore. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to View a Device's Status in Device Manager How to Access Device Manager From the Command Prompt Why Is There a Black Arrow in Device Manager? How to Fix Code 41 Errors in Device Manager List of Device Manager Error Codes How Do I Enable a Device in Device Manager in Windows? Device Manager (What It Is and How to Use It) How to Fix Error Code 29 How Do I Disable a Device in Device Manager in Windows? How to Open Device Manager (Windows 11, 10, 8, 7...) How to Fix Code 31 Errors in Windows How to Delete the UpperFilters and LowerFilters Values How to Fix Code 28 Errors in Windows How to Fix STOP 0x00000007 (INVALID_SOFTWARE_INTERRUPT) What Is a POST Code? (Power on Self Test Code) What Is a STOP Code? (Bug Check Code, BSOD Code) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies