ESP32 not detected. No COM port displayed on my PC

Hey, this is a very common issue. Let’s troubleshoot:

1. Check the USB Cable: First, make sure you’re using a data-capable USB cable. Some cables (like cheap ones for phone charging) only provide power and can’t transfer data. Try a different cable if you’re unsure.
2. Drivers: Have you installed the necessary drivers? The ESP32 often requires the CP2102 or CH340 USB-to-serial drivers, depending on your board. You can download these from the manufacturer’s website or search for “ESP32 USB driver.” After downloading the drivers, manually install it(there will be a text file for instructions to follow.)
3. COM Port Visibility: Open your Device Manager (Windows) or System Information (Mac) and check if the ESP32 shows up under Ports or USB Devices. If it's not there, take out the USB cable and insert it again while keeping the device manage window open. If you notice some changes, it's a good sign. So if it’s listed with an error, the drivers might not be properly installed.
4. Power Issues: The fact that the LED turns off could indicate the board isn’t receiving stable power. Maybe either the port or connector is loose.

Let me know how it goes after these steps!

I had a similar issue with my ESP32 when I first started using it. In my case, the problem was the CP2102 driver. After installing the correct driver, the COM port appeared instantly.

If you’re using Windows:

1. Go to the Device Manager.
2. Look for a device under "Other Devices" or "Unknown Devices" when you plug in the ESP32.
3. Install the driver manually by downloading it from Silicon Labs (for CP2102) or (for CH340).

If the LED still turns off after all this, it could also be a power issue. Do you have an external 5V power source to test it?

So I manually installed the drivers, changed the USB cable, and tried different ports, as suggested, but nothing happened. It's still not being registered by the device manager. What could be the problem?