On Windows systems, you can look in Device Manager to check your interface is being listed correctly. To access this:

Right-Click on the 'Start' icon > Device Manager.

Focusrite interfaces should appear under both: ‘Sound, Video & Game Controllers’ and 'Focusrite Audio.’  

If your interface is not shown in Device Manager, please test another USB/Thunderbolt cable and another USB/Thunderbolt port. If you are still unable to see the interface, please Contact Support. 

If your interface is showing correctly in Device Manager but Focusrite Control still displays No Hardware Connected, please complete the following instructions: 

1) Ensure you have the latest version of Focusrite Control from the Downloads page or from your Focusrite.com account.  The version number of Focusrite Control is shown in the bottom right of the software, so you can compare this to the version of the Downloads page.

2) Ensure Focusrite Control has been installed to the main C: drive of your computer. Installing Focusrite Control to a secondary drive can cause issues. If in doubt, please reinstall Focusrite Control using the default options. 

3) Check ‘Focusrite Control Server’ is running. To do this: 

• Right-click the Windows ‘Start’ menu and click 'Control Panel'.  
• Type 'local' in the search bar 
• Select 'View Local Services'

• Find 'Focusrite Control Server' in the list and click it
• If the service is currently stopped:
  • Please click 'Start' on the left side of the screen 
• If the service is running:
  • Please click 'Restart' on the left side of the screen 

4) You can manually run the ‘Focusrite Control Server.’ To do this: 

• Open File Explorer
• Go to 'This PC' > 'Local Disk (C:)'
  • 'Program Files' > 'Focusrite' > 'Focusrite Control' > 'Server' 
• Please right-click on 'ControlServer.exe' and click ‘Run as Administrator’ 

The service should now start, and Focusrite Control should recognise your interface. 

* Your hard drive may be named differently.

If you are a user of a; Clarett Thunderbolt, Saffire or Red interface, on macOS 10.13+ please see the following article in addition to the below steps:

My Clarett / Saffire / Red Interface isn't working on Catalina / Mojave / High Sierra

To check if the interface is appearing as connected:

Click the Apple logo (top left of your screen) > About This Mac > System Report > Hardware > USB, or Thunderbolt.

If your interface is being seen at a hardware level, your interface model will be displayed in the main window as shown below.

If your interface is not shown in System Report, please test with another USB or Thunderbolt cable and another USB or Thunderbolt port. If you are still unable to see the interface, please Contact Support. 

If your interface is showing correctly in the System report, but Focusrite Control still displays No Hardware Connected, please complete the following instructions: 

1) Ensure you have the latest version of Focusrite Control from the Downloads page or your Focusrite.com account.  The version number of Focusrite Control is shown in the bottom right of the software, so you can compare that version to the version on the Downloads page.

2) If you are using a Clarett Thunderbolt interface then please ensure you have allowed the driver to load as per this article. 

3) Ensure the Focusrite Control Server is running, to do this: 

• Open Focusrite Control
• Open Finder and go to:
  • Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor > Find 'FocusriteControlServer’ 
• Double-click on 'FocusriteControlServer’ > Click ‘Quit’

The service will not quit and will remain in Activity Monitor. Your interface should now appear in Focusrite Control. 

If this does not work, please go to step 4: 

4) Please manually start this server, to do this go to: 

• Finder > Applications 
• *Right-click* on Focusrite Control and go to:
  • Show Package Contents > Contents > Library > LoginItems 
• Double click on 'FocusriteControlServer'

1) Ensure you have the latest version of Focusrite Control from the Downloads page or from your Focusrite.com account. The version number of Focusrite Control is shown in the bottom right of the software, so you can compare that version to the version on the Downloads page.

2) Ensure Focusrite Control has been installed on the main C: drive of your computer. Installing Focusrite Control to a secondary drive can cause issues. If in doubt, please reinstall Focusrite Control. 

3) Check ‘Focusrite Control Server’ is running. To do this: 

• Right-click the Windows ‘Start’ menu and click 'Control Panel'
• Type 'local' in the search bar
• Select 'View Local Services'  
• Find 'Focusrite Control Server' in the list and click it
• If the service is currently stopped:
  • Please click 'Start' on the left side of the screen 
• If the service is running:
  • Please click 'Restart' on the left side of the screen

4) Check your firewall or antivirus software is not blocking the ‘Focusrite Control Server’ from running. Note this is only relevant if you have 3rd party Firewall or antivirus software installed - Windows Defender will not cause this issue.  

Allowing certain processes and folders through as exceptions will differ depending on the firewall or antivirus software, but typically, you will have the choice to select a Process: 

• In which case select 'Focusrite Control' 

 or a Folder: 

• C: > Program Files > Focusrite. 
• C: > Program Files > Focusrite > Server. 

Please also run the Focusrite Control installation again with your firewall or antivirus disabled. When running the installer, please ensure to right-click the installer and choose Run as Administrator. 

5) You can manually run the ‘Focusrite Control Server.’ To do this: 

• Open File Explorer. 
• Go to This PC > Local Disk (C:):
  • Program Files > Focusrite > Focusrite Control > Server 
• Please right-click on 'ControlServer.exe' and click ‘Run as Administrator' 

The service should now start, and Focusrite Control should recognise your interface. 

If you are a user of a Clarett Thunderbolt, Saffire, or Red interface on macOS 10.13+ please see the following article in addition to the below steps: 

My Clarett / Saffire / Red Interface is not working on Catalina / Mojave / High Sierra 

Click the Apple Logo (top left of your screen) > About This Mac > System Report > Hardware > USB, or Thunderbolt.

If your interface is being seen at a hardware level, the interface model will be displayed in the main window as shown below.  

If your interface is not shown in System Report, please test with another USB or Thunderbolt cable and another USB or Thunderbolt port. If you are still unable to see the interface, please Contact Support. 

If your interface is showing correctly in the System report but Focusrite Control still displays No Hardware Detected, please complete the following instructions: 

1) Ensure you have the latest version of Focusrite Control from the Downloads page or from your Focusrite.com account.  The version number of Focusrite Control is shown in the bottom right of the software, so you can compare that version to the version on the Downloads page.

2) If you are using a Clarett Thunderbolt interface then please ensure you have allowed the driver to load as per this article. 

3) Ensure Focusrite Server is running, to do this: 

• Open Focusrite Control.
• Open Finder and go to:
  • Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
    • Find 'FocusriteControlServer’.
• Double-click on 'FocusriteControlServer’ > Click ‘Quit’.

The service will not quit and will remain in Activity Monitor, your interface should now be detected in Focusrite Control. 

If this does not work, please go to step 4: 

4) Please manually start this server, to do this go to: 

• Finder > Applications
• *Right-click* on Focusrite Control and go to:
  • Show Package Contents > Contents > Library > LoginItems 
• Double click on 'FocusriteControlServer'. 

 Now please open Focusrite Control and your interface should be recognised.

5) Check your firewall or antivirus software is not blocking the ‘Focusrite Control Server’ from running. Note this is only relevant if you have 3rd party Firewall or antivirus software installed. 
 
Focusrite Control Server should be added as a firewall exception automatically during installation. If the Focusrite Control server is not in Firewall Options you can add it by going to: 

• Finder > Applications.
• Right-click on Focusrite Control and go to:
  • Show Package Contents > Contents > Library > LoginItems - keep this open.
• Go to:
  • macOS Ventura 13 and onwards - System Preferences > Network > Firewall > Options
  • macOS Monterey 12 and below - System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Firewall > Firewall Options.  
• Drag the 'FocusriteControlServer' to the 'Firewall Options' screen.
• Set 'FocusriteControlServer' to 'Allow all incoming connections'.

Please drag the Focusrite Control application itself into the Firewall options while doing this.