Fenix 5 not recognized by PC (Windows 10)

I have the same problem, but i think it's a hardware issue.  When I touch the watch or the wire it vibrates and stops charging, then immediately vibrates and resumes charging.  Sometimes it will do this 2 or 3 times after I've set it down on the desk. Garmin Express never connects any more.

Me too on this issue. I was sure it's the cable because normally I wiggle it and eventually the PC goes 'bing'. Sometimes it then goes 'boo-boo' (i.e. a sad 'failed' noise) but eventually it actually works and the Garmin drive appears.

HOWEVER, just recently it behaved differently. The PC wouldn't go bing despite frantic wiggling and replugging of cable.

I opened the Device Manager on the PC (Windows) and saw a failed usb device. Thinking I had nothing to lose I uninstalled failed device. Then restarted the PC.

Then I could get it to go bing when I connected the fenix to the usb of the PC, but still no garmin drive. However, I started seeing a Garmin GPS device in the Device Manager. I checked that the Fenix settings said Mass Storage in the system->USB mode (it was) and wriggled cable some more, maybe restarted the watch. The GPS device disappeared from Device Manager and then the Garmin drive appeared finally. Whoo -f***-ing Hoo! Finally.

My dissatisfaction with the whole situation was compounded by the fact that I had just gone through hours of trying to edit maps for my Garmin InReach device and the cloud-based server kept cutting in and out and loosing my edits, forcing me to save very regularly and re-enter edits quite often. In all must have edited the damn thing three times over, which is no fun for a 200km set of routes! 

I recently had to rage-uninstall Garmins Explorer App from my phone when it refused to sync completely with my Fenix and I just could not get my map edits from the phone to the watch as a result.

In general, I love my Garmin devices when they are out in the field (thank the gods they are easy to use standalone) but seriously, trying to maintain the maps thru dodgy cables/device-drivers/bluetooth-syncs  and patchy cloud-based servers is killing my enthusiasm for the brand big time! 

I took the watch on a hike recently and had the hell of a time getting the cable to stay connected so I could charge it at night. No fun at all.

UPDATE: Eventually, as I was going to get a new Fenix 7x anyway, I took the Fenix 5 apart. There was a small chip near the connector that had a conspicuous burn-mark in the centre. Maybe all the plugging and wriggling of the cable blew up the USB part but left the charge part OK (well, half of it as the charging only works with the cable plugged in one particular way now instead of either...

Today it happened to me... I used to conect it to my PC (Windows 10) withoun any issues, but today it didn't work... Already tried everything on this forum... I have 6 USB ports (tried all of them), 4 different cables (all of them original Garmin) and 2 different PC. The PC doesnt even "bing" when Fenix 5X is connected... Any ideas? Also, already did Soft and Master Reset... I need to update the maps :/.

BTW it charges normall, even when connected to the PC

Same happened to me. It recognozes as an unknown usb device (unknown usb device descriptor request failed).I've tried everything, watches reset, different cables, three laptops, reinstall express, without express, everything. Contacts are clean and charges like a charm, but no luck connecting to PC.

Any ideas?

can suggest cleaning the 'pogo stick' pins on the cable, making sure they are springy. And really scrub the pins on the watch with a wooden toothpick

I had the same issue, and a new cable helped.  The spring pins on your cord connector could be stuck, check that.  Also make sure your watch pins are cleaned.

I had this issue and it was driving me crazy, none of the options worked.  I played a bit more with the suggestion to check System->Settings->USB Mode in that it was set correctly, but I changed it to Garmin and back again.  Didn't seem to work.  While I was in Settings I changed the Watch Face to another one.  And the computer connected!  Didn't seem to be a delay from resetting the USB mode, it seemed to be changing the Watch Face allowed it to connect.  Don't ask the logic, just putting it out there as it worked for me.

The one thing I don't like about the Fenix is the power cable, doesn't seem to be reliable, so I would recommend always start with cable as a likely cause.

This solution works like a charm !

mine 5X probably just broken :( Not any of the solutions helps, Unknown USB device(Device Descriptor Request failed)

I'm just wondering is that might be repaired at all, or I will not even try to find repair shop in Ukraine.

Don't even try... Official Garmin wont fix it, I took mine a few months ago to a official repair store and they just say "Something went wrong with, It cant be fixed. We also suggest to update the device to a newer version"