My usb ports have stopped working, both usb a and usb c on my surface laptop 5.

If your USB ports on the Surface Laptop 5 have stopped working, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take:

1. Check Device Manager: Ensure that the USB ports are recognized by the system. You can access Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting it. Look for any yellow exclamation marks next to USB devices, which could indicate a driver issue.
2. Update Drivers: Sometimes, outdated or corrupted drivers can cause USB ports to malfunction. You can update your USB drivers through Device Manager by right-clicking on the USB device and selecting "Update driver."
3. Power Cycle the Device: Shut down your Surface Laptop 5 completely, unplug it from power, and wait for about 30 seconds before turning it back on. This can help reset the hardware.
4. Check for Windows Updates: Ensure that your operating system is up to date, as updates can include important fixes for hardware issues.
5. Dynamic USB-C Disablement: If your organization has implemented security features like Dynamic USB-C Disablement, this could prevent data transfer through the USB ports. Check with your IT administrator if such settings are in place.
6. Test with Different Devices: Try connecting different USB devices to see if the issue persists across all devices. This can help determine if the problem lies with the ports or the devices themselves.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, it may be necessary to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance or consider hardware diagnostics.

References:

• Manage USB ports on Surface devices