However, the widespread popularity of the PL2303 led to a massive influx of counterfeit chips, predominantly from Asian markets, flooding the supply chain. To combat this, Prolific began designing newer drivers to recognize and disable these fake chips, making them inoperable in Windows. Around 2012, Prolific officially declared the PL2303HXA and PL2303XA chips "end-of-life" (EOL) and subsequently released driver updates that removed support for them and their clones. A similar fate later befell the PL2303TA/TB chips, which were also rendered unsupported in later drivers designed for Windows 11.
To understand why driver v3.2.0.0 is so important, you must first understand the context of the Prolific PL2303 USB-to-Serial bridge controller. Over the years, the PL2303 has been one of the most widely used chips for converting a modern USB port into a traditional RS-232 serial port (COM port). The devices are critical for many engineers, radio amateurs, and industrial technicians who need to connect to legacy hardware.
Windows 10 and 11 regularly scan for newer driver payloads. To prevent the OS from updating your functioning 3.2.0.0 driver: Open the Windows Control Panel.
Right-click your Prolific device (often marked with a yellow warning triangle). Click .
| Driver Version | Works with genuine PL2303 | Works with clones | Windows 10/11 support | |----------------|----------------------------|------------------|------------------------| | 3.2.0.0 (32 00) | ✅ | ✅ (often) | Limited (may cause BSOD) | | 3.3.x+ | ✅ | ❌ (Code 10) | Full | | 3.8.x+ (official) | ✅ | ❌ | Full |
Follow the on-screen prompts and restart your computer when prompted. Step 3: Connect the Adapter and Force the Version Plug the Prolific USB-to-Serial adapter into a USB port.
Select . Uncheck "Show compatible hardware".
, right-click the Prolific device under "Ports (COM & LPT)," select Uninstall device , and check "Delete the driver software for this device". Disconnect the Device : Unplug your USB-to-Serial adapter. Run the Installer : Install the 3.2.0.0 driver from the downloaded file. Force the Old Driver Plug the device back in. It may still show an error. Right-click it in Device Manager Update Driver Browse my computer for drivers
Often works on legacy hardware that newer drivers reject.