If you’re wondering how to tell what kind of USB ports you have on your device, you’re in luck, as this guide will carefully explain what to look out for and how to do so step-by-step. There are many different types of USB versions, and each version offers different speeds.
This difference in speed is why you should be conversant with the kind of port you have on your device so you’ll be able to get the right USB cables or accessories that can take advantage of the speed provided by your USB connectors. Without further ado, let’s take a look at how to check USB ports on Windows 11, Mac, and other devices.
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How To Tell What Kind of USB Ports You Have? All You Need To Know
You can identify USB ports you have by checking the interface type, the logo that represents the USB, the manufacturer’s website, your device manual, and your device manager. You can also identify the USB port you have by looking at the color code of that port.
– Checking the Interface Type
There are many different types of USB interfaces, including USB Type-A, USB Type-B, USB Type-C, micro-USBs, and mini-USBs. Taking a look at the different interfaces can help you determine the kind of port you have. Most computers often come with USB-A and USB Type-C ports. USB-A allows you to transfer files from your computer to smaller devices and vice versa but doesn’t allow the transfer of files between two different computers.
The USB C port does the same work but thanks to its powerful capability, it provides better speeds than USB-A, allows you to transfer data between computers, and even has the capability to charge your laptop. USB-A ports have a rectangular shape, with the contacts sticking closely to one end of the port.
USB-B is much smaller than USB-A, and it has a protruded, box-like shape with slanted edges. USB C is also smaller than USB-A, and it’s endowed with an oval-like shape while the micro USBs are smaller than USB C and are often found on small devices, such as cameras, mobile phones, etc.
– Checking the Logo and
Another way to identify your USB connector is by checking the logo as this logo is often used to denote the port’s as well as the speed it’s capable of providing.
Below is a table that talks about the logo, , and the ports they support:
For USB 1.0:
- Logo: Has no logo
- Transfer Speed: 12 Mbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB A, USB B, Micro USB
For USB 2.0
- Logo: Has the standard USB logo that looks like a lopsided arrow.
- Transfer Speed: 480Mbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB A, USB B, and Micro USB
For USB 3.0:
- Logo: Features a logo with a mini USB cable underneath an enlarged 5Gbps sign
- Transfer Speed: 5Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB A, USB B, USB C and micro USB
For USB 3.1:
- Logo: Features a min USB cable with an enlarge 10Gbps sign written on the cable.
- Transfer Speed: 10Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB A, USB B, USB C and micro USB
For USB 3.2 Gen 1×1
- Old Name: USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.0
- Logo: Features a logo with a mini USB cable underneath an enlarged 5Gbps sign
- Transfer Speed: 5Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB A, USB B, USB C and micro USB
For USB 3.2 Gen 1×2:
- Logo: Features a mini USB cable with an enlarged 10Gbps sign written on the cable.
- Transfer Speed: 10Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB B and USB C
For USB 3.2 Gen 2×1:
- Old Name: USB 3.1 Gen 2
- Logo: Features a mini USB cable with an enlarged 10Gbps sign written on the cable.
- Transfer Speed: 10Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB A, USB B, USB C, and Micro USB
For USB 3.2 Gen 2×2:
- Logo: Features a mini USB cable with an enlarged 20Gbps sign written on the cable.
- Transfer Speed: 20Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB C
For USB 4 Gen 2×2:
- Logo: Features a mini USB cable with an enlarged 20Gbps sign written on the cable.
- Transfer Speed: 20Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB C
For USB 4 Gen 3×2:
- Logo: Features a mini USB cable with an enlarged 40Gbps sign written on the cable.
- Transfer Speed: 40Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB C
For USB 4 Gen 4×2:
- Logo: Features a mini USB cable with an enlarged 80Gbps sign written on the cable.
- Transfer Speed: 80Gbps
- Supported Interface Type: USB C
As you can see from the table above, the logo denotes the of your port as well as the speed it can offer. You should see these logos on your computer port; however, the logos on the packaging may be different from what you have on the port, as that’s the standard set by the USB Implementers Forum (IF).
– Using the Color Code
Your port’s color code can also help you determine the kind of port you have on your device. Each color code represents the port type and port specification.
With the table above, you can easily tell the kind of USB you have just by taking a look at the connector’s color. Due to the fact that USB 4.0 is only available on USB C connectors, there’s no color code for it.
– Your Manufacture Website and Device Manual
You can also check your manufacturer’s website for the type of USB port they’ve embedded on your device. Many manufacturers include the USB specification and type in the product descriptions on their websites. Another place you can look at is your device’s manual. Manufacturers tend to include the USB specifications in the device manual, so make sure to go through the specs to determine the kind of port you have on your device.
– Using the Windows Device Manager
If you’re using a Windows computer, you can check out the kind of port you have on your device by going to the device manager. Here’s how to tell which USB port is which in the device manager:
- Right-click on your start menu and choose “Device Manager” from the list of options.
- Alternatively, you can press the R key and Windows button to open the “Run” dialog box, enter “devmgmt.msc” in the box, and press enter to open your device manager.
- Once in the Device Manager window, navigate to “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” and double-click on it to expand the list of devices.
- You should find the names of your USB interfaces on this list.
- If your USB port has “Universal Host” in its name, then it’s USB 1.1.
- If it has “Enhanced Host” and “Universal Host” in its name, then you have a USB 2.0 port.
- If your port only has “USB 3.0” in its name, then you have a USB 3.0 port.
How to Identify What Kind of USB Ports You Have on a Mac?
You can identify the type of port you have on a MacBook by looking at your System Information menu. Unlike the ports you have on a PC, Mac USB connections are usually not color coded. It’s also worth mentioning that Apple’s lightning cables are a type of USB C.
You can figure out the specification on your Mac by following the steps below:
- Log into your device and select the “Apple icon.”
- Choose “About this Mac” from the options.
- Navigate to ‘System Report” and click on it.
- If you have OS X 10.9 or later, you may need to click on “More info…” to get to the next step.
- Now, on the next window, move to “Hardware” and choose the “USB” option.
- Now check to see if you can find the USB port by its specification.
- USB 3.0 will be under a USB 3.0 tag, USB 3.1 will be under a 3.1 tag, etc.
- If you can’t find any USB 3.0 in your USB information, then your device does not support USB 3.0.
Conclusion
With our guide above, we believe you now understand how to identify USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports in laptops, how to check USB ports on Mac, and how to check USB ports on Windows 10 and 11.
Here are a few points to keep in mind when looking at the different ways to determine the USB types you have:
- USB C is the only interface that supports the USB 4 specification.
- Most computers will place the logo denoting a USB right beside the port.
- USB-C is not color-coded like its earlier counterparts.
- USB 3.0 can have a blue or orange color code depending on the interface it’s being used for.
- USB 2.0 can have a black or yellow color code, depending on the interface it’s being used for.
USB4.0 is currently not available for commercial use, so you may be unable to find a USB C cable with that specification or data transfer speed in your favorite store. However, you won’t find it difficult to get a USB 3.0 USB-A, B, or C cable, depending on the port you have on your device.