AN 396 FTDI Drivers Windows 10 11 Installation Guide

AN 396 FTDI Drivers Windows 10 11

Application Note
AN_396

FTDI Drivers Installation Guide for Windows 10/11 Version 1.2
Issue Date: 21-11-2023

The purpose of this application note is to provide users of FTDI chips with a simple procedure for installing FTDI drivers for FTDI devices used under Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Use of FTDI devices in life support and/or safety applications is entirely at the user’s risk, and the user agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold FTDI harmless from any and all damages, claims, suits, or expense resulting from such use.

Future Technology Devices International Limited (FTDI) Unit 1, 2 Seaward Place, Glasgow G41 1HH, United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 (0) 141 429 2777 Fax: + 44 (0) 141 429 2758
Website: http://ftdichip.com
Copyright © Future Technology Devices International Limited

Introduction

The purpose of this application note is to provide users of FTDI chips with a simple procedure for installing FTDI drivers for their devices under Windows 10 and Windows 11 as both OS versions are similar.
This installation guide is only intended for installing FTDI devices on the following versions of Windows 10/11.

• Windows 10/11
• Windows 10/11 Home
• Windows 10/11 Pro
• Windows 10/11 Enterprise
• Windows 10/11 Education

Windows 10 32 bits and 64 bits are supported.
Windows 11 64 bits is only supported as Microsoft does not support 32 bits for this OS.
There are different versions of the FTDI Driver for Windows 10/11 as shown in Figure 1.1.

*Includes the following version of the Windows operating system: Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows server 2012 R2.
**Windows 10 and Windows 11 only. Universal Windows Drivers enable developers to create a single driver package that runs across multiple different device types, from embedded systems to tablets and desktop PCs.
***Windows 10 and Windows 11 only for ARM64 based Windows PCs. Also works on Mac M1 running Parallels VM with Windows.
indows (Universal) and ARM64 drivers are not on Windows Update and do not have ‘setup executables’ so must be installed manually. See 3.3 Manual Installation for details on how to install these drivers.
This document does not cover Windows 10/11 IoT, embedded or mobile. A separate driver is required for these versions of operating systems.

Installing FTDI Device Drivers

The Windows Combined Driver Model (CDM) may be installed on Windows 10/11 allowing applications to access FTDI devices through either the D2XX DLL or a COM port without having to change driver type. However, it should be noted that an application can only communicate through one of these interfaces at a time and cannot send commands to the D2XX DLL and the associated COM port at the same time.
The CDM driver comes in two parts as shown in the block diagram below. The first part is the bus layer (FTDIBUS.sys) that provides D2XX style functionality and is always installed. The second part is the serial COM port layer (FTSER2k.sys) and the CDM driver will determine whether a COM port should be exposed by reading the EEPROM of FT232R, FT245R, FT2232D, FT2232H, FT4232H, FT232H, FT-X series and other FTDI devices. In the case of FT232BM, FT245BM, devices, the CDM driver will default to always installing both the bus and COM port parts.
This COM port installation can be disabled and EEPROM settings ignored by changing the driver INF files as detailed in FTDI Application Note AN_107 Advanced Driver Options. Please note that modifying the INF files of a Microsoft HCK certified driver will invalidate the Windows certification.
The FTDI driver download page is available here https://ftdichip.com/drivers/.

Installing CDM Drivers

To install CDM drivers for an FTDI device under Windows 10/11, follow the instructions below:
Connect the device to a spare USB port on your PC.
3.1 Windows Update

If there is an available internet connection, Windows 10/11 will silently connect to the Windows Update service and install any suitable driver it finds for the device.
Note: This only applies to the Desktop version of the driver (x86 (32-Bit) and x64 (64-Bit)) and does not include ARM64 or universal versions of the driver.
Figure 3.1 shows the automatic driver installation taking place.

3.2 Pre-Installation using the FTDI setup executable

The Windows 10/11 CDM driver is also available as a setup.exe from the FTDI website, as shown in Figure 3.2.
Note: This only applies to the Desktop version of the driver (x86 (32-Bit) and x64 (64-Bit)) and does not include ARM64 or universal versions of the driver.
The executable copies the default FTDI driver to the PC’s temporary driver store prior to the FTDI device being plugged into the PC.

Download the setup.exe, unzip and right- click and select ‘Run as administrator’ as shown in Figure 3.3.

You may see a message from ‘User Access Control’ asking ‘Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your PC?.’ If so, click Yes to continue.
Press the Extract button as shown in Figure 3.4.

Follow the installation instructions shown in Figure 3.5 including license terms agreement acceptance shown in Figure 3.6 and the driver will be automatically installed. From a legal point of view, the user must accept the license terms of the driver. Successful installation is shown in Figure 3.7.
Whenever an FTDI device is plugged into the PC, VCP and D2XX drivers will be installed, depending on EEPROM settings, and listed in device manager as shown in Figure 3.8. Device Manager can be found as shown in Figure 3.9.

3.3 Manual Installation

If no suitable driver is automatically found, then the following procedure should be followed.
Note: This is the only method to install the ARM64 or universal versions of the driver.
Firstly, download the latest FTDI windows driver files from https://ftdichip.com/drivers/ and save the driver .zip file to a known folder on the PC. The desktop can be used so that the driver folder can be easily located then extract the .zip file.
To locate the device manager on windows 10/11, right click on the Microsoft logo at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and select Device Manager as shown in Figure 3.9.

In the Device Manager window there should be a device under Other Devices with a yellow warning symbol to indicate a problem i.e. no driver installed, as shown in Figure 3.10. The text next to this device will depend on the device attached. In this example the device was a USB Serial Cable.

Right click on the other device (USB Serial Cable in this example) to bring up a menu as shown in
Figure 3.11. From the displayed menu select “Update Driver Software…”

This then displays the option for an automatic search or a manual search. Select the second option to browse manually as shown in Figure 3.12.
In the address box put the exact location where the drivers have been saved to. The location should be the top-level folder of the extracted files and contain two .INF files. It is not necessarily the exact same location as shown in Figure 3.13. The drivers could have been saved anywhere on the PC by the user.

After entering or browsing for the address, select “Next” to start the installation as shown in Figure 3.14.

When the installation has finished a completion screen is displayed as shown in Figure 3.15.
Press Close to close this window and go back to the Device Manager Window.
If the Virtual Com Port option has been enabled to load then Device Manager will show a device under Other Devices but in addition to this there is a new entry under Universal Serial Bus Controllers indicated in Figure 3.16 as the USB Serial Converter. This indicates the bus layer of the driver is installed. Installing the Virtual Com Port layer of the driver is a repeat of the last few steps.
Right click on the other device (USB Serial Cable in this example) to bring up a menu as shown in Figure 3.17. From the displayed menu select “Update Driver Software…”
This then displays the option for an automatic search, or a manual search as shown in Figure 3.18.
Select the second option to browse manually.
In the address box put the exact location where the drivers have been saved to. The location should be the top-level folder of the extracted files and contain two .INF files. It is not necessarily the exact same location as shown in Figure 3.19. The drivers could have been saved anywhere on the PC by the user.
After entering the address select “Next” to start the installation as shown in Figure 3.20.
When the installation is finished a completion screen is displayed as shown in Figure 3.21.

Note this screen also displays the COM port number assigned to the device.
Press Close to close this window and go back to the Device Manager Window as shown in Figure 3.22.

This time Device Manager does not have an entry under Other Devices but does show entries under Universal Serial Bus Controllers and Ports (COM & LPT). Figure 3.22 displays a correct installation. The device is now ready to use on COM3.
Note: Not all devices will be installed to COM3. The COM port allocation is determined by the installation wizard based on the next free com port as designated in the PC registry. The COM port can be reassigned to another free port in advance properties as shown in Figure 3.23. FTDI have also produced a utility called COM PORT Assignment which can help assign the port to a different COM port number.

Uninstalling FTDI Devices

The FTDI utility CDM Uninstaller can be used to remove FTDI drivers from the Windows 10/11 PC.
The utility is available on the FTDI website.
The readme for the command line version is available here and the readme for the GUI version can be viewed here.
You may want to enter the Vendor ID as 0403 and leave the Product ID blank. This would mean that all FTDI drivers are removed. See Figure 4.1. Alternately devices can be removed using the Device Manager by simply right-clicking on the mouse and selecting “Uninstall”. This will delete the associated registry entries for that device only. Windows 10/11 provides an automatic method to delete driver files via a check box to “Delete the driver software for this device” on the uninstall dialog box.

This stage is done twice. Once for the device under Ports (COM & LPT) and the next time for the device under Universal Serial Bus Controllers as shown in Figure 4.2 and Figure 4.3.

Troubleshooting

5.1 Windows 10/11 cannot find drivers for my device

This error can occur if the VID and PID programmed into the device EEPROM do not match those listed in the INF files for the driver. The VID and PID programmed into the device EEPROM may be found by using the Microsoft USBView utility from the FTDI website. These can then be checked against the VID and PID entries in the driver INF files. If they do not match, that driver cannot be installed for that device without either re-programming the device EEPROM or modifying the list of VID and PID numbers in the INF files.
Please note that only your own company VID and PID or FTDI’s VID (0x0403) and associated PID issued by FTDI for use by the customer should be used in the EEPROM and INF files.
End customers should obtain modified drivers from the OEM of the device, and not necessarily edit the files themselves. If the FTDI driver files are edited in any way, the certification is invalidated, and the default drivers may not install.
5.2 Devices not shown in Device Manager for uninstalling
Devices that have been installed on a system but are not currently available are referred to as “phantom devices”. These devices are not usually displayed in the device manager but can be made to be displayed as though they are attached. This allows device properties to be changed or devices to be uninstalled via Device Manager even though the device is not physically connected to the PC.
To display phantom devices in Device Manager, a new system variable is required. Open Windows 10/11 Settings and select “About” then “Advanced System Settings” as shown in Figure 5.1.Select the “Advanced” tab and click “Environment Variables” in Figure 5.2. In the System Variables section (NOT THE USER VARIABLES SECTION) shown in Figure 5.3.

Click “New…” to display the following window in Figure 5.4.

Create a new System Variable called “DevMgr_Show_NonPresent_Devices” and set the value to 1, then click OK.
Open the Device Manager and select “View → Show Hidden Devices” as shown in Figure 5.5. The Device Manager will then show all hidden and phantom devices available on that PC as shaded.

5.3 Windows 10/11 warning message

If the driver is not certified, then a pop-up window such as shown below may be displayed.

If you are certain of the source of the driver the warning can be ignored and you can continue installation by selecting “Install this driver software anyway.”
If you are unsure about the driver source, contact your vendor.

5.4 Driver will not install on Windows 10 x64

Windows 10/11 x64 OS will only allow certified drivers to be installed. The certified driver supplied by FTDI will work with VID 0403 and the following PID’s for their respective devices:
PID 6001 for FT232B/R/RN and FT245B/R/RN
PID 6010 for FT2232D/H
PID 6011 for FT4232H
PID 6014 for FT232H
PID 6015 for all FT-X series
PID 601B/601C for FT4222H
PID 6040 for FT2233HP
PID 6041 for FT4233HP
PID 6042 for FT2232HP
PID 6043 for FT4232HP
PID 6044 for FT233HP
PID 6045 for FT232HP
PID 6048 for FT4232HA

If you have a product where the manufacturer has customized the driver but has not signed / recertified it, then the driver will not load. You should contact your vendor to determine if they will support Windows 10/11 x64.
Figure 5.7 shows the error that is reported when the driver installation fails due to the driver not being certified.

5.5 Unable to view device installation status

If the installation progress is not shown automatically by the PC, it can be accessed by entering the PC Settings. Click on the Windows icon on the bottom left-hand corner of the PC and select Settings. A window should appear as shown in Figure 5.8.

Select ‘Update and Security’ to view any update status. You may see a similar screen shown in Figure 5.9.

Click on Install updates if available as shown in Figure 5.10.

Please ensure that your PC is kept up to date by always installing the latest Windows updates. This can have an adverse effect on driver installation if the PC is not kept up to date.

Contact Information

Head Office – Glasgow, UK

Future Technology Devices International Limited (UK)
Unit 1, 2 Seaward Place, Centurion Business Park
Glasgow G41 1HH
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 141 429 2777
Fax: +44 (0) 141 429 2758

E-mail (Sales) [email protected]
E-mail (Support) [email protected]
E-mail (General Enquiries) [email protected]

Branch Office – Tigard, Oregon, USA

Future Technology Devices International Limited
(USA)
7130 SW Fir Loop
Tigard, OR 97223-8160
USA
Tel: +1 (503) 547 0988
Fax: +1 (503) 547 0987

E-Mail (Sales) [email protected]
E-Mail (Support) [email protected]
E-Mail (General Enquiries) [email protected]

Websitehttp://ftdichip.com

Distributor and Sales Representatives
Please visit the Sales Network page of the FTDI website for the contact details of our distributor(s) and sales representative(s) in your country.

System and equipment manufacturers and designers are responsible to ensure that their systems, and any Future Technology Devices International Ltd (FTDI) devices incorporated in their systems, meet all applicable safety, regulatory and system-level performance requirements. All application-related information in this document (including application descriptions, suggested FTDI devices and other materials) is provided for reference only. While FTDI has taken care to assure it is accurate, this information is subject to customer confirmation, and FTDI disclaims all liability for system designs and for any applications assistance provided by FTDI. Use of FTDI devices in life support and/or safety applications is entirely at the user’s risk, and the user agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless FTDI from any and all damages, claims, suits, or expense resulting from such use. This document is subject to change without notice. No freedom to use patents or other intellectual property rights is implied by the publication of this document. Neither the whole nor any part of the information contained in, or the product described in this document, may be adapted, or reproduced in any material or electronic form without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. Future Technology Devices International Ltd, Unit 1, 2 Seaward Place, Centurion Business Park, Glasgow G41 1HH, United Kingdom. Scotland Registered Company Number: SC136640

Appendix A – References
Document References

AN_107 Advanced Driver Options
https://ftdichip.com/drivers/
https://ftdichip.com/utilities/
Acronyms and Abbreviations

Appendix C – Revision History
Document Title: AN_396 FTDI Drivers Installation Guide for Windows 10/11
Document Reference No.: FT_001281
Clearance No.: FTDI#486
Product Page:  https://ftdichip.com/product-category/products/ic/
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Copyright © Future Technology Devices International Limited

Documents / Resources

| FTDI AN 396 FTDI Drivers Windows 10 11 [pdf] Installation Guide
AN 396 FTDI Drivers Windows 10 11, AN 396, FTDI Drivers Windows 10 11, Drivers Windows 10 11, Windows 10 11
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References

• Home - FTDI
• Home - FTDI
• Sales Network - FTDI
• Driver Licence Terms - FTDI
• Utilities - FTDI
• Utilities - FTDI
• Utilities - FTDI
• Utilities - FTDI
• ftdichip.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CDM_Uninst_Readme.txt
• ftdichip.com/Support/Utilities/CDM_Uninst_GUI_Readme.html

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