IrDA (Infrared Data Association) is a very old communication protocol used by a lot of devices. Earlier laptops used infrared wireless technology to connect with peripheral devices like cameras, smartphones, and other devices, but newer laptops and mobile devices use Bluetooth or WiFi wireless technology. So Microsoft made the IrDA subsystem in Windows 10 and Windows 11 optional. However, there are still some devices that use IrDA, and you may need this feature. Here you find the instruction about how to enable IrDA support back.

Enable IrDA

To enable IrDA support on Windows 10 and Windows 11, follow these steps:

  • Open Settings
  • Open Apps
  • Select "Optional features"
  • Select "+ Add a feature"
  • Select the checkbox next to "IrDA Infrared"
  • Click "Install"

If you have a compatible IrDA adapter, Windows will install its drivers automatically. The SigmaTel USB IrDA driver for Windows 10 and 11 can be downloaded by this link.