Plugging the adapter into a Windows 10/11 PC will usually result in an automatic driver installation via Windows Update. The adapter will light up and connect.
The default driver can be slow. For better performance, many users switch to the rtl8188fu or the community rtl8188eu driver. If you are using a Raspberry Pi, this is the go-to dongle for getting a weak Pi Zero online. Plugging the adapter into a Windows 10/11 PC